Assistant Director, Religious Diversity and Pluralism

Special Instructions to Applicants:  

All interested applicants should attach a cover letter and resume in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in a PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.                         

About Rice:

Located in an urban environment on a 300-acre tree-lined campus, Rice University is a private, comprehensive research university located in the heart of the dynamic Museum District in Houston, TX, the most diverse city in the country and home to vibrant Latinx, Asian-American, Black, LGBTQ+, and international communities.  Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the metro area is characterized by a robust civil society with top elected positions in the region held by a diverse group of officials—left, right, and center, and including Asian-American, Black, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ leaders. Rice offers undergraduate and graduate degrees across eight schools and has a student body of approximately 4,500 undergraduate and 3,900 graduate students. The university’s undergraduate population has no racial majority.  Teaching and research about religion and spirituality is a robust part of university scholarly life—borne out by the work of the Boniuk Institute, the Department of Religion, the Program in Jewish Studies, and other academic units and enterprises. A sampling of student organizations illustrates the range of student belief, practice, and interest across campus—Sat Sri Akaal, Rice Catholic Student Association, Rice Muslim Student Association, Rice University Zen Buddhism Club, Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship, Hindu YUVA at Rice, the Rice Chinese Gospel Group, and Rice Hillel among others. Rice consistently ranks among the top 20 national universities and the top 10 in undergraduate teaching (US News & World Report); its endowment ranks among the top 20 of US universities.

We welcome the fullness of diversity to Rice. Qualified applicants are considered without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Also, in our candidate pools, we seek to attract greater representation of women, scholars of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and others who have historically been underrepresented. We aim to attract applicants from a wide range backgrounds; to accelerate progress in building a staff varied in thought and experience; and to maintain an environment that fosters interaction and understanding within our community.

Position Summary:

The Assistant Director, Religious Diversity and Pluralism supports efforts to cultivate a religiously plural environment at Rice University. The person holding this position will contribute to integrating religious pluralism into various campus engagement initiatives, will help foster cooperation among individuals and student organizations of various religious and spiritual traditions, including those who identify as secular or non-religious, and will help support communities for whom faith, spirituality, and ethics are central to their identity. 

Working in collaboration with students, staff, faculty, and external partners, the Assistant Director helps develop and implement programs, policies, and initiatives that promote inclusivity, dialogue, and mutual understanding. This position plays a key role in raising awareness of religious diversity in higher education, creating opportunities for meaningful engagement, and ensuring that students from all backgrounds feel supported. Through resource development, advocacy, and program coordination, the Assistant Director helps build a campus culture that values religious diversity as a vital component of a strong and inclusive university community.

Ideal Candidate Statement: 

The ideal candidate for the Assistant Director, Religious Diversity and Pluralism is a collaborative and culturally competent professional with a strong commitment to fostering religious pluralism and inclusion in higher education. They have experience engaging diverse communities, facilitating dialogue across religious and secular perspectives, and developing programs that promote mutual understanding and belonging. With strong communication and advocacy skills, they are dedicated to creating an inclusive campus environment where all individuals feel valued and supported.

Workplace Requirements:

• This position is exclusively on-site, necessitating all duties to be performed in person on campus. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.
• Office hours are Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with an hour’s lunch.
• Frequent evening and weekend work.

Hiring Salary: $60,000

*Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime. 

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (theology, divinity, religious studies, interreligious studies, higher education, social work, etc.)
  • In lieu of the education requirement, additional related experience, above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year-for-year basis may be substituted.
• 2 years of progressive experience in related areas.
  • In lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education, above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year-for-year basis may be substituted.

Skills:

• Demonstrated ability to support and collaborate with people of diverse backgrounds and identities (race, gender, region, religion, sexuality, etc.).
• Excellent communication skills, including written, oral, and visual.
• Advising high-level student leaders in one-on-one settings.
• Ability to apply student development and learning outcomes theories.
• Ability to manage events and programs.
• Ability to instruct students in risk management and program planning.

Preferences:

• Master’s Degree.
• Understanding of issues related to religious pluralism in higher education.
• Understanding of the role of religious diversity in various sectors, including higher education, racial equity, health, workplace, bridge-building, democracy, and technology.
• Commitment to the values of pluralism and democracy.
• Some experience in all the following:
  • Experience in engagement and cooperation across differences of belief and faith.
  • Experience in general program development and event planning.
  • Experience in developing and implementing campus programming with a specific focus on interreligious dialogue and cooperation among people and institutions of different traditions of faith and belief.

Essential Functions:

• Supports department and area mission, vision, and goals.
• Responsible for program logistics, including budgeting and risk management.
• Advises and guides student leaders in the planning and implementation of program and event logistics, including risk management.
• Develops, plans, and implements programming and outreach for student leaders and the campus community to advance cooperation across religious differences (including the non-religious). Drives efforts to highlight religious diversity as a foundational community strength and a key approach for contributing to the common good.
• Coordinates leadership development programming for student leaders.
• Responsible for logistics and marketing related to areas of responsibility.
• Documents and assesses area functions on a regular basis.
• May supervise student staff/interns as necessary.

Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits

Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact Rice University’s Disability Resource Center at 713-348-5841 or adarice@rice.edu for support.

If you have any additional questions, please email us at jobs@rice.edu. Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.