About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

Job Summary

This position collaborates with all Commonwealth Honors College (CHC) units to implement student events, programs, and activities for all CHC students. This position will include working with the Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community (CHCRC) residential hall staff to plan inclusive and co-programming to ensure that all CHC students experience a living and learning community regardless of their residential area. This position will also plan and implement various co-curricular and extracurricular programming and assume responsibilities for the CHC inductions for our first-year students at the beginning of the fall semester. Additionally, this position will coordinate recruitment and outreach activities in collaboration with the UMass Amherst Office of Admissions. This position will also supervise the student ambassadors who are involved in recruitment and outreach events and activities.

Essential Functions

• Coordinate with all CHC Units and UMass Amherst student programs and departments (i.e. Center for Multicultural Advancement and Student Success, Student Success, campus stakeholders) to develop and implement all CHC student activities including diversity and inclusivity events, fall welcome activities, Fall Visit Days, Spring Destination Days, the annual Plenary Lecture, the Daffodil Lecture, the Celebration of Excellence ceremony, and the annual CHC induction event.
• Coordinate co-curricular and extra-curricular events and programs, ensuring that all logistics for events are completed. Responsible for advertising, registration, space & venue reservations, audiovisual/technology equipment set-up, catering, and event set-up and break down.  Ensure that all reservations for CHC events are done on a timely basis in accordance with CHC Event Hall policies.
• Work in conjunction with the Accountant to ensure all payments for services are processed.
• Provide back up for reservation of CHC events hall, and make necessary changes to events hall policies on the web site as needed.
• Assist with Massachusetts Undergraduate Conference as needed.
• Supervise student event assistant and student ambassadors.  Coordinate student ambassador recruitment, selection and hiring processes.  Schedule recruitment activities and manage payroll reporting and documentation.  Conduct training and develop continuing professional opportunities for student staff.
• Manage the information session registration system.
• Collect and collate all information and statistics related to recruitment and outreach yields, melts, inclusivity, and residential information.
• Assist the Associate Dean for Student Recruitment, Inclusion, and Success, in planning and implementing all activities for Emerging Scholars (ES) program.  Assist in coordinating and providing operational and programmatic support for the annual ES welcome dinner, graduation celebration and other semester events. 

Other Functions

• Participate fully in all Diversity and Inclusion Events to help create an inclusive environment for all CHC students and staff.
• Collaborate fully with CHC Communications Unit to ensure timely distribution and communication of all CHC events in the residence halls and campus wide.
• Perform other duties as assigned. 

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Bachelor’s degree and 3 years of professional experience in event planning or student programming in a college or university setting.
• Computer skills, including word processing, spreadsheets and databases.
• Ability to communicate effectively with students, parents, university personnel and support programs.
• Responsible and highly motivated with excellent writing, interpersonal and communicating skills.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

• Physical demands associated with this position include occasional walking, lifting, carrying, and transporting materials up to 25 lbs. May include reaching to hang materials overhead and setting up equipment or tents.

Work Schedule

• Monday - Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm.
• Required to work some evenings and weekends as needed.

Salary Information

Level 27

PSU Hiring Ranges

Special Instructions to Applicants 

• Upload your cover letter and resume, along with your completed application. Our team will check references at the final stage of the interview process. Please be prepared to provide contact information for at least three (3) professional references. This position will remain open until filled or the advertised closing date, whichever occurs first. Early submissions are recommended.

• As part of a commitment to their own multicultural community, CHC seeks an individual with a demonstrated commitment to diversity and one who will understand and embrace university initiatives and aspirations. Candidates will need to submit a Statement of Contribution to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (as stated above). The Diversity Statement should identify past experiences and future goals. These contributions may result from lived experiences, scholarship, and/or mentoring, teaching, and outreach activities (https://www.umass.edu/diversity/resources)

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, military status, or genetic information in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University.  To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans.  It is the policy of the UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.