Title: Associate Vice President of Student Affairs
Department/Location: Principia College Student Affairs Division / Elsah, Illinois
Position Type: Full-time, 12-month
Organizational Relationships:
Reports to the College President. Sits on the Senior Leadership Team, College Cabinet, and President’s Council. The AVP-SA provides leadership and oversight for Spiritual Life, Athletics, and Student Life, and supervises the senior leaders within those functional areas, while working closely with the office for Belonging and Community. The AVP-SA also works closely with HR, Legal, Campus Security, Facilities, Financial Aid, Admissions, Marketing and Communications, and collaborates with the Principia School leadership regarding potential mandatory reporting issues.
Summary
The Associate Vice President of Student Affairs (AVP-SA) provides strategic and operational leadership for a well-rounded, mission-aligned student experience at Principia College. The AVP-SA oversees Spiritual Life, Athletics, and Student Life, and coordinates with the Community & Belonging Office, to ensure these areas work in close coordination to foster a safe, student-centered, inclusive campus environment that supports student wholeness, belonging, character development, and authentic spiritual engagement.
The AVP-SA is responsible for the development, implementation, and assessment of student affairs strategy, policies, and programs that respond to the needs of a diverse domestic and international student body. The AVP-SA partners closely with Academic Affairs, Enrollment Services and campus administrative units—including Legal, Campus Security, Facilities, Human Resources, and Business & Operations—to align student success efforts, strengthen community standards and care processes, and ensure effective coordination during complex or high-impact situations.
A successful AVP-SA is a visible campus leader who builds trust with students and colleagues, leads with clarity and compassion, and ensures that the student experience is consistent with Principia’s educational purpose and Christian Science-based character education.
Who We Are
At our award-winning Early Childhood through grade 12 Principia School in St. Louis, Missouri, and top-ranked Principia College in Elsah, Illinois, Principia faculty and staff make up a close-knit community of educators, coaches, and professionals taking a distinct approach to education—blending academic excellence with Christian Science-based character education. Principia’s team of over 500 employees supports not only Principia School and Principia College, but also a worldwide network of alumni and friends.
At Principia College, our globally focused curriculum honors diverse perspectives and develops creative changemakers who use their academic skills for good in service to themselves, their communities, and the world. In-depth study meets real-world experience through study abroad programs, internships, capstone projects, and a robust slate of student activities, including a world-renowned mediation team, top-ranked solar car team, national champion rugby club, and the nation’s oldest student-run public affairs conference.
Principia employees are part of an engaging academic community preparing students to be tomorrow’s leaders, thinkers, and changemakers. We strive to create a collaborative and inclusive environment where everyone feels they belong and are valued.
Primary Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Integration
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Provides vision, strategic direction, and operational leadership for Student Affairs, ensuring alignment across Spiritual Life, Athletics, Community & Belonging, and Student Life
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Develops and implements shared student experience priorities, structures, and communication practices that strengthen coordination across units
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Establishes annual strategic goals, success metrics, and assessment practices for Student Affairs; uses data and feedback to drive continuous improvement
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Serves as a visible, engaged campus leader who builds relationships with students and advances a thriving campus community consistent with Principia’s mission
Team Leadership & Talent Development
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Hires, manages, coaches, and evaluates senior leaders within Student Affairs; supports professional development, succession planning, and performance accountability
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Fosters a culture grounded in professionalism, collaboration, and care for students, with clear expectations and consistent follow-through
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Ensures division-wide training and readiness for policies, compliance requirements, crisis response expectations, and student support best practices
Student Experience, Wholeness, and Community Standards
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Ensures delivery of effective, student-centered programs and services that support wholeness, spiritual growth, leadership development, belonging, and engagement
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Provides executive oversight for student conduct and community standards processes, ensuring consistency, fairness, and alignment with Principia values
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Partners with Student Life leadership to strengthen residential life culture, student government, extra-curricular learning, orientation, and campus events
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Supports the holistic student-athlete experience by partnering with Athletics leadership to align athletics culture, expectations, and practices with academic and well-being priorities
Spiritual Life & Mission Alignment
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Provides strategic support and oversight for Spiritual Life, ensuring campus spiritual programming and care are integrated with the broader student experience
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Encourages authentic spiritual engagement and ensures Student Affairs practices reflect Principia’s educational purpose and Christian Science-based character education
Community & Belonging
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Effectively coordinates with the Community & Belonging Office, strengthening inclusive practices, education, and community culture
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Ensures the Student Affairs team effectively coordinates to promote respectful dialogue, constructive engagement across differences, and a culture where students experience belonging and mattering
Legal/Compliance, Risk Management, and Crisis Response
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Works closely with Legal, Campus Security, Human Resources, Facilities, and Business & Operations to ensure compliance with relevant laws, professional standards, and institutional policies
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Provides oversight and accountability for mandatory reporting policies and procedures; ensures consistent training and execution across Student Affairs
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Works closely with senior leadership in Student Affairs to coordinate student-centered crisis response and emergency decision-making, including situations involving physical health, mental health, safety, and community disruption
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Maintains appropriate documentation, reporting, and records management practices for sensitive student matters
Budget and Administrative Management
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Provides oversight of Student Affairs budgeting and resource planning in coordination with Athletics, Spiritual Life, and Student Life leaders, supporting Community & Belonging initiatives as necessary
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Ensures effective operational systems, policies, and communication structures across the division
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Represents Principia College in student affairs-related forums, including alumni, parent groups, community organizations, and professional networks, as appropriate
Additional Requirements:
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Participates in college/institution-wide committees as assigned by the College President
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Performs other job-related duties as assigned
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Evening and weekend availability is required; campus presence and visibility are key expectations of this role
Core Competencies
Principia values the unique strengths each employee brings to their role. The following competencies are especially important for success at Principia:
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Continuous Learning & Expertise: Demonstrates mastery in your area of responsibility and seeks opportunities for professional growth and development.
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Accountability & Results Orientation: Manages time and priorities effectively, meets commitments, and consistently delivers high-quality outcomes.
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Problem Solving & Judgment: Approaches challenges thoughtfully, considers multiple perspectives, and makes sound, timely decisions that support institutional goals.
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Proactivity & Ownership: Takes initiative, anticipates needs, and drives projects forward with minimal supervision while taking responsibility for outcomes.
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Excellence & Attention to Detail: Produces accurate, polished, and high-quality work; continuously looks for ways to improve systems, processes, and results.
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Service Orientation: Builds positive, supportive relationships and responds promptly and professionally to the needs of students, colleagues, and other stakeholders.
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Collaboration & Collegiality: Works cooperatively across departments and teams; values input from others and contributes to a positive, respectful environment.
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Communication: Shares information clearly and concisely; listens carefully to others and adjusts communication style for different audiences and situations.
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Inclusion & Belonging: Demonstrates respect for all people; values diverse perspectives and fosters a culture of inclusion, belonging, and mutual respect.
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Leadership: Inspires and guides others with clarity, compassion, and accountability; supports individual and team growth in alignment with Principia’s mission and goals.
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Culture & Team Building: Fosters a culture of trust, collaboration, and open communication; demonstrates genuine care for team members’ well-being and development.
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Resource Stewardship: Manages budgets, time, and resources responsibly and strategically to achieve departmental and institutional objectives.
Minimum Qualifications
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Student of Christian Science; member of Christian Science Church and/or Organization, and completed Christian Science class instruction. If not currently a class-taught member of a Christian Science church, both required within one year of start date
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Master's degree; advanced degree preferred
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15+ years of progressively responsible leadership experience in student affairs, higher education administration, or equivalent experience, including oversight of budgets, personnel, and multiple functional areas
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Demonstrated success working with diverse young people, including support for personal growth, well-being, and community standards
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Knowledge of higher education governance and structure, mandatory reporting requirements and protocols, physical and mental health considerations, and student privacy issues preferred
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Demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships across divisions (academic, athletics, student life, and administrative functions)
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Computer literate; working knowledge of Microsoft systems, learning management systems, and customer relations software tools
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International experience preferred
The statements above describe the general nature and level of work, but are not a complete list of responsibilities and are subject to change at the discretion of Principia.
Compensation and Benefits
We offer a competitive starting salary range for this position, $130,000 - $149,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications.
In addition to salary, our comprehensive total rewards package includes:
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Generous Employee Tuition Discount: Enjoy a 90% discount on tuition (pro-rated for part-time staff) for your eligible children enrolled from Pre-K3 through College (infant and acorn programs excluded).
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Relocation: Principia provides a relocation reimbursement of up to 12% of your annual salary when moving from outside a radius of more than 50 miles.
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Professional Development: Access to learning opportunities, training programs, and career growth support.
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Comprehensive Benefits: Learn more about all our benefits here, including comprehensive health, dental, and vision plans, paid time off, a 403(b) retirement plan with Principia matching, and more.
Equal Opportunity
Principia, a mission-driven institution, believes every person has the right to an equitable and respectful educational environment and workplace. Principia does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, gender (identity or expression), sexual orientation, family status, disability, age, or military or veteran status.
In hiring, admissions, and related decisions, Principia—as an institution with a religious mission—gives preference, where appropriate, to Christian Scientists.
