Program Coordinator and Community Liaison

Are you passionate about the power of education to transform lives? Do you thrive on building bridges between the classroom and the community?

The Education, Schooling, and Society (ESS) Program at the University of Notre Dame is looking for a mission-driven, highly organized, and relational leader to serve as our Program Coordinator & Community Liaison. This is a central role within our program, dedicated to fostering educational equity and creating life-changing community-engaged learning experiences for our students. This position is ideal for a candidate who is deeply committed to the integration of academic study with meaningful community-based action.

The Impact You’ll Make:

As the Program Coordinator, you will act as a strategist, mentor, and community builder. Your work will directly shape how Notre Dame students engage with the world around them through several key pillars:

• Architect of Partnerships: Serve as the primary point of contact between ESS and local schools and nonprofits. You will not only sustain existing relationships but also envision and develop new, long-term, reciprocal partnerships that ensure mutual benefit for both the program and the community.
• Growth Strategist: Lead the charge in finding the next generation of changemakers. You will oversee recruitment efforts for the ESS major and minor, developing outreach strategies, conducting classroom visits, and collaborating with academic advisors and partner departments to support enrollment targets.
• Logistics Powerhouse: Turn academic theory into community practice. You will support faculty in implementing high-quality pedagogical experiences, overseeing placements, transportation coordination, background checks, and potential travel to immersion sites in a supervisory capacity.
• Research Catalyst: Design and manage a centralized Research Assistant Portal. You will coordinate with faculty to post opportunities, develop communication strategies to reach students, and track participation data to generate summary reports for program leadership.
• Mentor and Advisor: Serve as the staff advisor to the ESS Student Leadership Committee. You will coach student leaders as they plan service initiatives and events, mentoring them in professional communication and organizational leadership while overseeing budgeting and event logistics.

Core Responsibilities:

• Community Partnership Development: Sustain and strengthen existing partnerships while identifying new opportunities for alignment and responsiveness.
• Student Recruitment and Outreach: Develop and maintain relationships with academic advisors to drive program engagement and enrollment.
• Engaged Learning Logistics: Manage the essential "behind-the-scenes" components that make community-engaged courses possible.
• Portal Management: Design and oversee the centralized hub for ESS-related research assistant opportunities.
• Student Leadership Advising: Mentor students in event management and professional leadership, ensuring high-quality program-building activities.

Education and Experience

• Degree: Master’s degree or a Bachelor’s degree with 5+ years of relevant experience. Advanced certifications beyond a Bachelor’s degree are also highly valued.
• Fields of Study: Higher education administration, nonprofit management, community engagement, or a related field.
• Experience: 3 to 4 years of professional experience in a related role.
• Essential Skills and Competencies
• Community Engagement: Demonstrated experience building and sustaining relationships with community partners, K-12 schools, or youth-serving organizations.
• Strategic Coordination: Strong organizational and project management skills, with a proven ability to manage multiple priorities and complex logistics.
• Communication: Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with faculty, students, and diverse community stakeholders.
• Collaboration: A proven track record of working successfully in a collaborative, team-oriented environment.
• Mission Alignment: A deep-seated commitment to educational equity and the principles of community-engaged scholarship.
• Technical Proficiency: Familiarity with database construction, utilization, and management to track participation and generate program insights.

This position will be accepting applications June 15, 2026. 

The University of Notre Dame seeks to attract, develop, and retain the highest quality faculty, staff and administration. The University is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or age in employment. Moreover, Notre Dame prohibits discrimination against veterans or disabled qualified individuals, and complies with 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-300.5(a). We strongly encourage applications from candidates attracted to a university with a Catholic identity.