Director, Student Belonging and Engagement

About the role#

The Director of Student Belonging and Engagement provides strategic, operational, and relational leadership for a portfolio focused on student engagement, community connection, and co-curricular learning. This role works within a decentralized environment to advance equity, access, and student participation. The Director serves as a member of the senior leadership team in Student Life, modeling visible leadership across student-facing spaces and ensuring programs are responsive to the lived realities of undergraduate, professional, and graduate students.

What you'll do#

• Provide strategic leadership for student belonging and engagement initiatives.
• Strengthen student participation and community connection through active listening and direct engagement with students, staff, and campus partners.
• Manage and provide guidance to a team of professional staff specializing in areas such as orientation, mentorship, leadership development, and peer engagement.
• Determine new programming initiatives and implement organizational changes as required.
• Manage relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Prepare and manage the overall budget across the portfolio.
• Interpret and apply University policies while mitigating risk in the oversight of on-campus and off-campus activities.

What you'll need#

• Masters Degree in higher education, adult education, social work, public administration, community development, leadership, equity studies, or a related discipline.
• Minimum eight years of experience in progressively senior student affairs positions.
• Demonstrated experience leading initiatives that foster belonging, equity, and inclusion across diverse student populations.
• Experience mentoring, coaching, and supporting staff in a complex or unionized environment.
• Ability to translate student development theories into practical strategies, programs, and assessment practices.
• Strong facilitation, mediation, and conflict resolution skills.
• Ability to work across cultural, linguistic, and identity differences with a commitment to reconciliation and student well-being.

Location & details#

• Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada (St. George Campus).
• Schedule: Full-time.
• Modality: On-site.
• Term: Summer 2026.
• Note: This role requires occasional overtime during peak periods, availability for on-call duties outside regular hours, and infrequent travel.