Program Director, Black Leadership and Center

Job no: 551945
Work type: Staff
Location: San José
Categories: Unit 4 - APC - Academic Professionals of California, Probationary, Full Time, Student Services, On-site (work in-person at business location)

Reporting directly to the Senior Director of the Identity-Based Retention Centers, the Program Director (PD) manages all administrative operations of the Black Leadership and Opportunity Center (BLOC) and is responsible for developing, coordinating, planning, implementing, and assessing events, programs and services that advance the success of Black students across the student journey–from admissions to graduation and beyond. A core focus of this position is fostering a strong sense of belonging, empowering student leaders, and preparing students for life after graduation.

The PD champions a student-centered approach, ensuring the BLOC is a welcoming and affirming space that supports students’ holistic well-being, cultural identities, academic success, persistence, and timely graduation. While the BLOC’s mission is to promote Black student success, all programs and activities are open and available to all students regardless of race, ethnicity, or national origin. A critical responsibility of this role is advancing the vision and continuous improvement of existing programs while also developing new initiatives that strengthen student leadership skills, promote academic excellence, and prepare students for career and post-graduate success.

The Program Director will cultivate strong partnerships with campus collaborators, including but not limited to, working with Admissions to enhance Black student recruitment, with Institutional Research to track and analyze retention trends and design strategies that foster persistence through graduation, and with affinity groups such as faculty and staff associations and alumni networks to connect students with mentors and advocates committed to their advancement.

The PD will also engage local community organizations to expand networks of support and opportunity for students. The PD will advance innovative strategies aligned with the divisional, institutional, and CSU systems goals and strategies to advance student success. To sustain these efforts, the PD will identify alternative sources of funding, including crowdfunding campaigns and grant opportunities, to support the center’s initiatives and programs.

• Develop and implement a recruitment strategy and training curriculum for student assistants that cultivates their leadership skills while preparing them to effectively support and operationalize the center’s programs and services.
• Develop a comprehensive strategic plan for the BLOC that is in alignment with the University and Division of Student Affairs Strategic Plans.
• Create culturally affirming spaces, programs, and services that foster social, cultural, and academic engagement for students, faculty, and staff, while strengthening Black students’ sense of belonging and connection to both the BLOC and the broader SJSU community.
• Develop, manage, and assess high-impact programs that strengthen Black student success, including but not limited to, peer mentoring programs, leadership development, and student research opportunities in partnership with the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP), while also designing and launching new initiatives that foster belonging, persistence, retention, and graduation, student leadership skills, and career readiness.
• Lead the design and execution of targeted retention initiatives—including phone outreach campaigns, early alert interventions, and specialized support strategies—in partnership with college advising success centers, Financial Aid, Admissions, and other campus stakeholders to proactively identify and remove barriers to persistence, retention, and graduation for Black students.
• Develop an inclusive, consistent, and student-centered approach to assessment by creating a logic model for the BLOC and a comprehensive evaluation plan to measure the effectiveness and impact of its programs and services. Utilize the Division of Student Affairs Learning and Engagement Question…