Associate Director for Health Promotion

Kenyon College is seeking a dynamic and qualified candidate to serve as the Associate Director for Health Promotion. As a key member of the Cox Health and Counseling Center leadership team, the Associate Director will play a vital role in supporting student success by fostering a culture of wellness through prevention-focused education, skill-building initiatives, and collaborative campus-wide programs.

This position will advance the College’s strategic goal of developing strong foundations for lives of purpose and consequence. By implementing evidence-based health promotion strategies, the Associate Director will enhance protective factors for students, strengthen institutional safety, promote wellness as the foundation for learning, and contribute to a healthier campus environment. Additionally, the Associate Director will ensure health promotion initiatives are inclusive and responsive to the backgrounds, identities, and needs of student populations. This 12-month position reports directly to the Senior Director of Wellness.

Key Responsibilities

• Campus Wellness Assessment & Program Development: Regularly assess campus health and wellness needs, using data-driven insights to develop targeted programs that address emerging concerns. Implement continuous evaluation of health promotion initiatives to measure impact, improve effectiveness, and align with national best practices.
• Student Education & Engagement: Develop and implement educational workshops and programs in collaboration with health and counseling clinical teams, focusing on key wellness topics.
• Health and Wellness Communication & Outreach: Support and enhance communication for Cox Center wellness initiatives, including website content, digital signage, social media, and student feedback efforts.
• Prevention-Based Education: Coordinate evidence-based prevention education on topics such as alcohol and other drugs, sexual health (including consent, healthy relationships, and STI prevention), mental health and resilience.
• Campus Wellness Initiatives: Lead and promote comprehensive, research-based wellness initiatives, such as the JED Campus Program, to create a sustainable culture of well-being at Kenyon College.
• Campus Partner Collaboration: Partner with key campus and community stakeholders—including Knox Public Health, New Directions, Kno-Ho-Co-Ashland Community Action Commission, Athletics, Campus Safety, Residential Life, senior leadership, faculty, and staff—to create a multidisciplinary approach to student wellness.
• Peer Education Program Management: Recruit, train, supervise, and evaluate student Peer Educators to deliver impactful health promotion programs. Topic areas may include mental health, bystander intervention, healthy relationships, hazing prevention, and substance use education. Provide opportunities for students to take leadership roles in health promotion initiatives.
• Student Organization Support: Serve as a consultant to student organizations seeking to develop and implement health promotion initiatives.
• Crisis Response & Mental Health First Aid Training: Participate in campus emergency preparedness and response activities. Maintain training in mental health first aid and crisis intervention strategies to support student wellness effectively.
• Professional Scholarship: Engage in professional writing, presentations, and publications to advance and disseminate health promotion knowledge and best practices.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s or advanced degree in public health, health promotion, health education, or a related field.
• Demonstrated expertise in developing and implementing evidence-based health promotion initiatives.
• Proficiency in digital communication platforms and software applications (e.g., Google Workspace).
• Strong written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments and within a diverse community.
• Experience managing multiple projects and balancing competing priorities effectively.
• Proven ability to train, mentor, and develop students, peer educators, and/or employees in health-related topics.
• Experience designing and assessing health communication efforts, with an emphasis on student engagement and behavior change.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in higher education health promotion, student affairs, or related fields.
• Knowledge of national college health initiatives and frameworks (e.g., JED Campus, Healthy Campus, BASICS, Brief Motivational Interviewing).
• Familiarity with harm reduction strategies and trauma-informed approaches to health education.

Kenyon College is a nationally prominent, private liberal arts college where academic excellence goes hand in hand with a strong sense of community and close relationships among students and professors. Kenyon is committed to fostering a supportive campus environment. We encourage individuals with a passion for student well-being and community health to apply.

Compensation and Benefits

Salaries at Kenyon are competitive and commensurate with experience. In addition to an attractive salary, Kenyon offers benefits for employees and their family members. Children of employees are eligible for 100% tuition waivers at Kenyon, and through the Great Lakes Colleges Association, children of employees are eligible for 90% tuition waivers at nineteen other of the nation's finest liberal arts colleges.

We also offer health, dental and vision insurance, TIAA retirement, and many other benefits, including provisions for a spouse, families, and domestic partners. Details about benefits as well as conditions of employment are described more fully in our Staff Handbook.

Kenyon College is an equal opportunity employer and applications from members of all underrepresented groups are encouraged. It is the College's policy to evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, physical and/or mental disability, age, religion, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by institutional policy or state, local, or federal law. Kenyon College has a strong commitment to supporting diversity, equity and inclusion. Please visit our Diversity at Kenyon website.