Role Overview

The President of Longhorn Developers (LHD) serves as LHD’s chief executive, providing the overall vision, leadership, setting strategic direction, safeguarding organizational health and reputation, and representing Longhorn Developers to UT Austin, external partners, and the broader student body. This role ensures alignment with University policy and LHD’s core mission—solving campus problems through technology, fostering professional development, and maintaining open-source collaboration.

A crucial aspect of the President role is the level of autonomy and leadership expected. As the chief executive of LHD, the President should not expect extensive guidance in their day-to-day operations. Instead, they are expected to be the source of guidance and expertise for the entire organization. They must take initiative to establish and advance the goals and mission of LHD, and fulfill all key responsibilities listed below as a minimum expectation.

However, a truly successful and effective President will go beyond these minimum requirements. They will proactively pursue strategic initiatives to advance LHD's mission, introduce innovative ideas, and improve current processes based on their leadership expertise. This includes identifying opportunities for enhancement across the entire organization, anticipating challenges before they arise, and developing solutions that strengthen LHD's position within the university community. The ideal candidate will be a visionary self-starter who can operate independently while inspiring and aligning the entire organization toward shared objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Vision
  • Define and communicate LHD’s long-term goals in partnership with the Executive Board.
  • Lead Executive Board meetings: set agendas, facilitate decision-making, and ensure alignment across directors.
• Organizational Oversight
  • Ensure clear communication channels and efficient collaboration between all executive and project teams.
  • Maintain official organizational documentation in Notion, partnering with directors to keep records current.
  • Assist the Product Director with the onboarding and establishment of new and adopted projects.
• External Relations & Representation
  • Act as primary point of contact to Enterprise Technology, Student Activities, other University Departments, corporate sponsors, and other student orgs.
  • Lead the strategy in all public relations, including outreach to other student organizations, university departments, and potential external partners, with the assistance of the Communications Director.
  • Pursue new project adoptions with the Product Director and lead discussions to student developers.
• Culture & Team Development
  • Foster a positive, collaborative environment aligned with LHD’s values.
  • Mediate internal conflicts and ensure team well-being.
• Finance Management
  • Approve and oversee any purchases not explicitly managed by directors.
  • One to two months before the start of each semester, and at the end of each semester, organize a budget planning meeting with the Executive Board at the beginning of each semester to:
    • Determine each director's funding needs for planned initiatives
    • Identify variable funding that might be required but isn't certain
    • Establish long-term funding needs for the upcoming semester or academic year initiatives
  • Following the budget meeting, compile and approve an itemized budget that includes:
    • Regular expenses for the semester
    • Variable/unexpected expense allocations
    • Long-term initiative funding
• Recruitment & Onboarding
  • Lead recruitment and onboarding for any executive-level vacancies.
  • Mentor incoming directors to ensure a cohesive leadership team.

Qualifications & Skills

Required

• Demonstrated leadership in student organizations or team projects.
• Strong understanding of Longhorn Developers' mission, values, projects, and organizational structure.
• Strong strategic thinking, communication, and decision-making skills.
• Must be an active student at The University of Texas at Austin.

Preferred