Director of Student Success Job Decatur area,Illinois USA,Education / Teaching

Director Of Student Success

The Director of Student Success provides strategic leadership for academic advising, retention initiatives, academic support services, and student success programs that promote persistence and degree completion. Reporting to the Dean of Academic Services and University Registrar, the Director is responsible for planning, implementing, and evaluating services that foster student achievement and support undergraduate students from enrollment through graduation. The Director, in conjunction with the Dean, provides leadership for advising initiatives, first-year support, retention efforts, academic recovery programs, and academic support services.

Through collaboration with faculty and campus partners, the Director advances institutional goals related to student success, retention, and post-graduate outcomes while ensuring compliance with university policies and applicable regulations.

Essential duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for the Student Success Center, which includes accessibility services, advising, bridge programs, grant programs (such as Title III), supplemental instruction, and tutoring.

Manage departmental budgets, assessment activities, policies, procedures, and reporting.

Develop, implement, evaluate, and assess programs and services that support student success and retention.

Provide leadership and oversight for accessibility services, ensuring students with documented disabilities receive reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and applicable federal and state regulations.

Collaborate with students, faculty, and campus partners to promote equitable access to academic programs and services through timely communication, accommodation implementation, and the resolution of accessibility-related concerns.

Promote a collaborative, student-centered culture focused on continuous improvement.

Lead and coordinate advising initiatives and student success strategies.

Support retention and persistence efforts through data-informed interventions.

Ensure effective delivery and assessment of tutoring, supplemental instruction, study tables, and other academic support programs.

Support first-year and transition programs in collaboration with campus partners.

Partner with faculty and academic departments to strengthen advising and student support.

Serve on university committees, councils, and task forces as assigned.

Performs other work-related job duties as assigned.

Supervisory responsibilities:

This position supervises seven professional staff in the Student Success Center. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training staff members, planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining staff members; and addressing complaints and resolving issues.

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to succeed in a result-driven professional organization. Ability to manage results through a staff of direct and indirect employees. Ability to drive a team in a focused direction. Working knowledge of higher education processes and practices. Maintaining professional performance, demeanor, and results while working under pressure in a dynamic environment. Customer, budget, quality, and delivery conscious mindset.

Ability to establish priorities, work independently with minimal supervision, and facilitate teamwork. Highly organized, with the ability to plan, execute, and multitask to meet deadlines and keep projects under budget.

Master's degree required in education or related field
Three years of progressively responsible leadership experience in higher education
Demonstrated strong supervisory experience
Experience leading advising, academic support, and/or retention programs.
Demonstrated experience working with diverse student populations, including students with varying academic preparedness levels
Strong interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills

Critical skills, abilities, and knowledge:

Communication skills:
Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills.
Self-management skills: ability to manage time effectively, learn, and contribute to overall departmental tasks and goals.
Project coordination skills: ability to lead or contribute to planning or organizing projects, programs, services, etc.
Conflict resolution skills: ability to use interpersonal skills to develop and maintain positive professional relationships and resolve conflict in a team environment and with individuals from various diverse backgrounds and experiences.
Analytical skills: ability to analyze information and offer sound recommendations.
Computational skills: ability to perform basic mathematical computations to assist with financial operations and/or data collection, analysis, and reporting.
Computer skills: proficiency with word processing and…