I. JOB OVERVIEW
| Job Description Summary: |
The Division for Student Affairs (
DSA) engages with students throughout all phases of the student lifecycle. DSA's integrated approach is to provide a cohesive student experience built upon three core values: genuine collaboration, a comprehensive approach to problem-solving, and, most importantly, putting students at the center of all that we do.
Position Summary
Reporting to the Assistant Dean for Student Engagement, the Director, Student Engagement: FSL's Student Organizations provides strategic vision, operational leadership, and adaptive management for two of the university's most complex and high-visibility portfolios: Fraternity & Sorority Life (
FSL) and Student Organization Management. The Director leads a professional staff team, advances co-curricular learning, and builds a vibrant, inclusive campus community by developing and executing evidence-informed programs and policies aligned with GW's institutional mission and DSA's strategic priorities.
This is a senior management position. In addition to leading a dynamic work unit, the Director makes data-informed decisions, supervises and develops professional staff, drives cross-divisional collaboration, and demonstrates the critical thinking and adaptive leadership necessary to navigate a complex, urban, research university environment.
Portfolio Scope
Fraternity & Sorority Life
Oversees all aspects of
FSL, including Interfraternity Council (
IFC), Panhellenic Council (
PHC), Multicultural Greek Council (
MGC), and National Pan-Hellenic Council (
NPHC) chapters and governing councils. Serves as the university's primary liaison to chapter alumni, national/international headquarters, and
FSL advisory boards.
Student Organization Management
Provides strategic oversight of the full student organization ecosystem, including recognition, compliance, operational support, and officer development for 600+ registered organizations with direct collaboration with the Student Government Association (
SGA) and relevant university governance bodies.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Vision
- Establishes a compelling, evidence-based strategic direction for FSL and Student Organization
- Management that is responsive to student needs, institutional priorities, and national best practices.
- Applies critical thinking and adaptive problem-solving to anticipate emerging trends, assess risk, and proactively adjust programs, policies, and team structures in a dynamic campus environment.
- Maintains awareness of the external higher education landscape, including legislative, accreditation, and cultural developments affecting student organizations and FSL communities.
- Serves on divisional and university-wide committees, contributing a student-affairs-informed perspective to institutional decision-making.
Staff Leadership & Development
- Directly supervises professional staff (Assistant Directors, Area Coordinators, Program Associates) and graduate assistants, fostering a collaborative, high-performance team culture.
- Makes hiring decisions, provides ongoing coaching, mentorship, and performance management, and determines future staffing needs in alignment with departmental goals.
- Establishes a comprehensive staff development strategy that cultivates individual strengths and builds collective capacity.
Fraternity & Sorority Life
- Provides direct oversight and strategic direction for all FSL programs, councils, and chapter development efforts.
- Serves as the primary institutional contact for national and international fraternity and sorority headquarters, cultivating productive partnerships that support chapter health and growth.
- Oversees FSL residential properties within the university housing inventory, coordinating with relevant university partners.
- Advises FSL governing councils in developing self-governance skills, programming capacity, and accountability frameworks.
- Develops and maintains policies and procedures for chapter recognition, conduct, and academic standards in partnership with the Dean of Students and other offices.
- Leads university hazing education and compliance efforts for FSL communities, developing prevention programming, training curricula, and response protocols in coordination with relevant campus partners.
Student Organization Management
- Oversees the recognition, compliance, and support infrastructure for all registered student organizations, including processes for registration, officer transitions, and event planning.
- Works collaboratively with the Student Government Association in setting organizational philosophy, establishing shared goals, and co-creating programs that advance student governance and leadership.
- Identifies and leverages responsive technologies and platforms that enhance the student organization experience and streamline administrative processes.
- Serves as the lead campus administrator for Campus Groups, the university's organization management platform, overseeing system configuration, user access, workflow design, training, and continuous improvement to support the needs of 600+ registered student organizations.
- Provides leadership and oversight for the faculty and staff advising program, including managing recruitment, assignment, and training, and serving as a high-level consultant for complex student org challenges.
- Reviews, informs, and continuously improves policies and procedures related to all student organizations.
Community Building & Programming
- Develops, plans, and implements learning and developmental opportunities for a pluralistic community, managing collaborative efforts with academic areas to amplify co-curricular impact.
- Coordinates a comprehensive strategy to enhance community building, co-curricular learning, and programming across all student communities served by the portfolio.
- Develops student leadership training modules in alignment with university and DSA strategic goals.
- Establishes collaborative partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to support leadership development within FSL chapters and student organizations.
Communication, Marketing & Outreach
- Develops and executes marketing and communication strategies for FSL and student organization programs, ensuring broad reach and brand alignment.
- Establishes and maintains effective partnerships and builds consensus with multiple constituencies, including students, families, faculty, alumni, and community partners.
Assessment, Data & Budget
- Conducts ongoing assessment, tracks metrics, and applies data-informed decision-making to departmental planning and resource allocation.
- Leads annual budget development for the portfolio, presenting recommendations and rationales to divisional leadership.
- Generates clear and actionable reports on programs, initiatives, and expenditures; ensures accountability and alignment with institutional goals.
- Assists in the management and oversight of the Student Government Association budget, providing guidance on fiscal processes, ensuring compliance with university financial policies, and supporting Student Government leadership in responsible stewardship of student activity funds.
The position is based at GW's Foggy Bottom Campus in Washington, DC, and may require travel across campuses. The incumbent may perform other related duties as assigned. The omission of specific duties does not preclude the supervisor from assigning duties that are logically related to the position. |
| Minimum Qualifications: |
Qualified candidates will hold a Bachelor's degree in an appropriate area of specialization plus 8 years of relevant professional experience, or, a Master's degree or higher in a relevant area of study plus 6 years of relevant professional experience. Degree must be conferred by the start date of the position. Degree requirements may be substituted with an equivalent combination of education, training and experience. |
| Additional Required Licenses/Certifications/Posting Specific Minimum Qualifications: |
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| Preferred Qualifications: |
- Experience working with fraternities and sororities on a college or university campus, including advising FSL governing councils (IFC, PHC, NPHC, MGC), is preferred.
- Demonstrated experience in student organization advising, recognition processes, and policy administration at a large or complex institution is desired.
- A track record of developing and implementing co-curricular programming that advances student engagement, belonging, and leadership development is a plus.
- Strong critical thinking and analytical skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information, assess competing priorities, and make sound, data-informed decisions.
- Demonstrated adaptive leadership in navigating ambiguous, rapidly changing environments and building consensus among diverse stakeholders is preferred.
- Experience leading and developing professional staff teams, including hiring, performance management, and coaching, is a plus.
- Proficiency with student engagement platforms, database software, and data reporting tools is preferred.
- Experience managing departmental budgets and conducting program assessments is desired.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to craft persuasive presentations and reports for senior leadership audiences.
- Familiarity with federal, state, and local regulations applicable to student organizations, including risk management frameworks in FSL contexts, is a plus.
- Demonstrated experience with process improvement, including leveraging technology to enhance operational efficiency, is desired.
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| Hiring Range |
$76,921.10 - $111,604.15 |
| GW Staff Approach to Pay |
How is pay for new employees determined at GW? |
Healthcare Benefits
GW offers a comprehensive benefit package that includes medical, dental, vision, life & disability insurance, time off & leave, retirement savings, tuition, well-being and various voluntary benefits. For program details and eligibility, please visit https://hr.gwu.edu/benefits-programs.
II. JOB DETAILS
| Campus Location: |
Foggy Bottom, Washington, D.C. |
| College/School/Department: |
Division of Student Affairs |
| Family |
Student Affairs |
| Sub-Family |
Student Programs |
| Stream |
Management |
| Level |
Level 3 |
| Full-Time/Part-Time: |
Full-Time |
| Hours Per Week: |
40+ |
| Work Schedule: |
Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., evenings, weekends, and on-call duties as needed |
| Will this job require the employee to work on site? |
Yes |
| Employee Onsite Status |
Essential onsite |
| Telework: |
No |
| Required Background Check: |
Criminal History Screening, Education/Degree/Certifications Verification, Social Security Number Trace, and Sex Offender Registry Search |
| Special Instructions to Applicants: |
Employer will not sponsor for employment Visa status |
| Internal Applicants Only? |
No |
| Posting Number: |
S014187 |
| Job Open Date: |
05/11/2026 |
| Job Close Date: |
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| If temporary, grant funded, Sponsored Project funded or limited term appointment, position funded until: |
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| Background Screening |
Successful Completion of a Background Screening will be required as a condition of hire. |
| EEO Statement: |
The university is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer that does not unlawfully discriminate in any of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law. |
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