Job Description for the Assistant Director of Campus Recreation for Experiential Learning & Outdoor Adventures position. Review job description, requirements, and qualifications. Apply or register interest for the position.

Title: Assistant Director of Campus Recreation for Experiential Learning & Outdoor Adventures

Position Type: Staff Full-Time

Days Per Week: Monday - Friday

Hours Per Week: 40

VP Area: Student Life

Department: Campus Recreation

Location: Elon Main Campus

Position Summary

Campus Recreation provides quality recreational and educational experiences designed to positively impact the development of Elon students and contribute to the wellness of the campus community. The assistant director is an essential member of the Campus Recreation professional team and provides daily management of a challenge course, outdoor adventure trips, indoor climbing wall, and equipment rental program. The Assistant Director also serves as a program coordinator for a first-year summer experience (Adventures in Leadership). This is a full-time, 12-month position, reporting to the Director of Campus Recreation with a secondary reporting relationship to the Director of the Center for Leadership.

Benefits of Working at Elon

As an Elon University employee, you’ll join an internationally acclaimed university with a commitment to fostering a thriving community. Ranked among the most innovative, creative and best-run universities in the nation, Elon’s personal approach to education extends to employees, whose growth, professional development and success is a hallmark of our training and advancement opportunities.

Elon University’s home is the charming town of Elon, North Carolina, a small, friendly community located a short distance from the beach and the mountains, and among the vibrant cities of Greensboro, Raleigh and Durham. In addition to the beautiful canopy of historic oak trees iconic to our campus, you’ll find boundless opportunities for family-friendly recreation, cultural events and outdoor activities. Hiking, water sports, fine dining and entertainment are just a few of the many happenings in the Elon area, making the region one of the nation’s premier travel destinations.

Employees at Elon enjoy a generous and comprehensive benefits package that includes:

28 annual days off, including holidays and vacation.

Immediate tuition remission for undergraduate courses

Tuition remission for approved graduate-level courses after 12 months of employment.

Retirement plan with an 8 percent contribution from the university.

Immediate eligibility for health, dental and vision insurance, along with free acute care and lab services at our onsite Health & Wellness Clinic.

Free use of campus fitness facilities.

Free admission to musical and theater performances, guest speakers, religious and ethnic observances, recitals, art exhibitions, entertainment and our Division I Phoenix athletics.

Eligibility for tuition remission at Elon for spouses, qualifying domestic partners and dependents begins at two years of service. After two years of employment, eligibility begins for participation in the Tuition Exchange, a national scholarship exchange program that enables dependents to enroll in nationally recognized partner colleges and universities.

Elon values and celebrates the diverse backgrounds, cultures, experiences and perspectives of our community members. As an equal opportunity employer, Elon’s principles of diversity extend to race and gender identity, age, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, religion, and other aspects of one’s identity. At Elon, our employees respect human differences, passion for lifelong learning, emphasis on personal integrity and an ethic of service.

Minimum Required Education and Experience

Completed bachelor’s degree and at least 2 years of post-bachelor’s experience required.

Preferred Education and Experience

Completed master’s degree in higher education, student personnel, or related field and 1-2 years of experience (including graduate assistantships/apprenticeships) in collegiate recreation, outdoor education, or a related functional area in higher education strongly preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to utilize student development, experiential learning, and leadership theory to design, implement, and evaluate effective programs, services, and interventions
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Experience working with diverse populations and commitment to equity and inclusion
• Demonstrated experience building partnerships and relating effectively with a diverse range of constituents and stakeholders
• Strong organizational and project management skills
• Commitment to divisional and university priorities for mentoring, leadership and skill development, inclusive excellence, wellness and well-being, vibrant residential campus experience, civic engagement, and continuous improvement and operational excellence

Required Other Training, Certifications, or Licensing

Valid driver’s license required for on-call responsibilities and some other events/activities. Certification in Wilderness First Responder and American Red Cross CPR/AED/First Aid required. Instructor certifications in Wilderness Remote First Aid, Leave No Trace, Climbing Wall Instructor, and/or American Red Cross CPR/AED/First Aid preferred. Nationally recognized kayak/canoe certification is also preferred.

Job Duties

• Elon Outdoors Management
  • Direct Elon Outdoors, a comprehensive outdoor adventure trips program
  • Manage an outdoor adventures center that includes rental equipment and local/regional information on parks, trails, campgrounds, waterways, sustainability, etc.
  • Oversee the management and maintenance of all equipment utilized for rentals and trips
  • Hire, train, supervise, and evaluate approximately 20 trip leaders
• Elon Challenge Management
  • Direct the Elon Challenge, which includes leadership of a comprehensive leadership and team development program
  • Manage and maintain a low- and high-ropes challenge course and associated equipment
  • Work collaboratively with the Center for Leadership to infuse leadership education theories and programs into Elon Challenge and FSE content, curriculum, programming, and assessment
  • Hire, train, supervise, and evaluate approximately 15 challenge program facilitators
• Climbing Wall Management
  • Direct all operations of the Climbing Wall in the Slattery Center
  • Hire, train, supervise, and evaluate approximately 15 climbing wall staff
  • Maintain all climbing equipment and facilities associated with the climbing wall
  • Manage belay certifications for participants and associated staffing certifications
  • Manage route setting of the climbing wall throughout each year.
• Adventures in Leadership Management
  • Partner with Center for Leadership staff to coordinate first-year summer experience (FSE) programs for incoming students
  • Coordinate advertisement, registration, and communication with participants and families in partnership with New Student Programs
  • Hire, train, supervise, and evaluate approximately 12 student program facilitators
• Additional Responsibilities
  • Support departmental strategic planning, goal setting, priority completion, evaluation and assessment, and data-driven decision making
  • Support university events, including, but not limited to: Convocations, Commencement, Family Weekend, and events related to Admissions and/or New Student Orientation
  • Serve as a member of a Student Life Care and Response Team, which includes either serving in a rotational on-call emergency response role or providing initial outreach and follow-up support for student concerns
  • Serve on university, divisional, or departmental committees, task forces, and search committee
  • Supervisors of student employees implement the ElonGROW (Guided Reflection on Work) model in their supervisory practices by facilitating regular guided reflection conversations that connect workplace learning with students’ broader educational and career goals, ensuring a consistent, developmental approach to student employment across the university.
  • Coordinate departmental safety and risk management efforts, including student employee certifications, document retention, and safety data sheets for all program areas
  • Assist in the development and management of program budgets
• Inclusive Community Building Community is foundational to Elon and a shared responsibility within our residential campus. All who work at Elon should demonstrate an understanding of and engagement with Elon’s foundational commitment to relationships, mentoring and collaboration in a close-knit residential community. We embrace the shared responsibility to foster inclusive excellence within a strong residential community. Accordingly, employees are expected to join together and build connections in activities that foster an active and engaged campus environment and engage in professional development to support the shared responsibility of enriching diversity, equity, and inclusion through meaningful relationships and mentoring at Elon. Employees are encouraged to, for example, attend or participate in campus activities such as College Coffee, Numen Lumen, campus cultural events, athletic events, continuing education, professional development opportunities and trainings, employee resource groups and other university-sponsored activities to demonstrate an active commitment to the Elon community.