Senior Advisor for Belonging, Inclusion, and Title IX

About Roanoke College

Roanoke College is a place where every student who works hard has the opportunity to succeed. We champion potential, providing essential learning and leadership through innovative academic programs and transformative educational experiences, giving students the mettle, mindset, and empathy to pursue lives of purpose, build meaningful careers, and meet society’s most pressing needs. Located in scenic Salem, Virginia, Roanoke College is an intimate, welcoming community that has served the local region and beyond for nearly 200 years. Now, we’re building on momentum and offering a Roanoke experience for today’s students and a legacy that belongs to every Maroon.

Position Overview

Reporting to the President and serving as a member of the President’s Cabinet, the Senior Advisor for Belonging, Inclusion, and Title IX provides high-level leadership and vision to advance the College’s institutional priorities around belonging, inclusion, and access. Through close collaborations with senior leaders in enrollment management, academic affairs, student success, human resources, and athletics, the Senior Advisor is empowered to design, implement, and evaluate strategic initiatives that foster an inclusive campus culture and improve outcomes related to recruitment, retention, and engagement of students, faculty, and staff. The Senior Advisor will also advise the President, Cabinet, and others on policies and practices that promote diversity, eliminate barriers to inclusion, and foster belonging across the institution.

As Title IX Coordinator, the Senior Advisor will play a critical role in ensuring an equitable educational and work environment at the College and compliance with federal and state regulations through a proactive and comprehensive prevention program, ongoing educational opportunities, and a responsive and supportive resolution process.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership and Institutional Alignment

•Develop a strategic plan for inclusion and belonging, ensuring alignment with the institution’s overarching strategic imperatives and values, as articulated in Imagine Roanoke: A Strategic Plan for Roanoke College and the 21st-Century Learner, and ELCA’s “Rooted and Open.”

•Influence institutional policy and decision-making to promote equitable practices across all areas of the College, including recruitment, hiring, curriculum design, and student success initiatives.

•Advise the President on matters related to inclusion, belonging, and Title IX, providing data-informed recommendations to guide leadership decisions.

•Collaborate with Enrollment Management to design and implement strategies for recruiting, retaining, and supporting a diverse student population.

•Partner with the Dean of the College and Academic Affairs to advance faculty recruitment and retention efforts and foster a climate of inclusion within academic departments.

•Work with Human Resources and hiring managers to ensure equitable hiring practices and develop initiatives that promote employee retention and engagement across diverse staff populations.

Educational Leadership and Cultural Development

•Provide campus-wide educational programming for students, faculty, and staff on topics such as cultural competence, implicit bias, allyship, and bystander intervention.

•Integrate inclusive practices into curricular and co-curricular experiences, promoting belonging, access, and equitable participation.

•Design and implement professional development opportunities to equip leaders across the institution with the tools to promote inclusive leadership and foster a welcoming environment.

Title IX Coordination and Compliance

•Oversee all aspects of reporting, investigation, and resolution of sexual misconduct, harassment, and gender discrimination cases.

•Provide timely outreach to ensure access to supportive measures, resources, and remedies, guiding involved parties through formal complaint options and reporting processes.

•Conduct thorough, impartial investigations by interviewing relevant parties, compiling and organizing evidence, maintaining accurate records, and preparing detailed reports.

•Facilitate informal resolutions, when appropriate.

•Prioritize the well-being of complainants, respondents, and witnesses by coordinating access to academic, mental health, and other essential support services.

•Establish a holistic case management approach with Deputy Title IX Coordinators and key partners, ensuring seamless communication, follow-up, and support throughout the resolution process.

•Collaborate with the General Counsel, Dean of Students, Human Resources, Campus Safety, Health and Counseling, and other key partners to align policies, programming, and case management with best practices for compliance, education, and outreach.

•Develop and implement a comprehensive, evidence-based prevention strategy, including awareness campaigns, bystander intervention, and primary prevention programming, in partnership with campus stakeholders.

•Develop and deliver ongoing training for employees serving as mandatory reporters and confidential resources, clarifying roles, responsibilities, and compliance with Title IX regulations.

•Train and support investigators, hearing officers, and advisors to ensure fair, consistent, and compliant handling of all Title IX cases.

Cross-Campus Collaboration and Community Engagement

•Build strategic partnerships with local organizations, alumni, and other stakeholders to enhance the College’s inclusion initiatives.

•Collaborate with student groups, faculty, and staff to address barriers to belonging and develop actionable solutions.

•Facilitate regular forums for dialogue across the campus community to promote open communication, trust, and shared accountability for belonging and inclusion.

Data-Driven Decision-Making and Continuous Improvement

•Develop and use key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure progress toward inclusion and belonging goals and guide continuous improvement efforts.

•Regularly present reports to the President and Board of Trustees, providing actionable insights and recommendations based on data and emerging trends.

•Monitor national and regional trends related to inclusion, belonging, and Title IX, ensuring the College remains proactive in responding to challenges and opportunities.

Qualifications:

•Advanced degree in a related field.

•A passion for students and the transformational power of education.

•Working knowledge and experience interpreting federal, state, and local laws and regulations related to equity, access, and higher education, including but not limited to Title IX, VAWA, Clery Act, FERPA, and ADA.

•Exceptional personal and professional integrity, with the ability to maintain confidentiality and a commitment to the highest ethical standards.

•Expertise in developing and implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies that foster a sense of belonging for all members of a campus community.

• Proven success in developing and implementing strategic initiatives that enhance recruitment, retention, and engagement of diverse populations.

•Experience leading campus-wide educational initiatives on topics related to cultural competence, sexual misconduct prevention, and inclusive practices.

•Exceptional interpersonal, collaboration, and communication skills, with the ability to influence policy and build strong relationships across diverse constituencies.

•Superb communication skills, both oral and written, with exceptional attention to detail.

•Deep understanding of the dynamics of sexual and gender-based harassment and violence, as well as intersections with diverse identities.