Executive Director of Student Success and Retention

Position: Executive Director of Student Success and Retention

Location: Greensboro, NC

Job : 184

# of Openings: 1

The Executive Director of Student Success and Retention provides visionary, strategic, and data‑informed leadership for all programs, services, and initiatives designed to elevate student persistence, retention, and overall success. Reporting to the Chief Academic Officer, the Executive Director oversees the Division of Student Success, which includes student life, wellness, accessibility, retention operations, success coaching, counseling, career readiness, and co‑curricular engagement.

This position plays a critical role in fostering a supportive, inclusive, and engaging learning environment that promotes academic achievement, social‑emotional development, and workforce preparation. Additionally, the Executive Director serves as the Title III Activity Director for all activities pertaining to student success and retention, ensuring federal compliance, effective implementation, strategic planning, and alignment of Title III initiatives with institutional goals.

• Provide executive‑level oversight of programs designed to strengthen persistence, increase retention, and support degree completion.
• Collaborate with Academic Affairs, Institutional Effectiveness, and Enrollment Management to analyze student data, identify trends, and implement interventions for at‑risk populations.
• Supervise and support the Coordinator First‑Year Experience and Retention, Coordinator of Student Engagement, Success Coaches, and Retention personnel, ensuring consistent delivery of high‑impact practices.
• Oversee success plans and individualized interventions for students experiencing academic, personal, or financial challenges.
• Lead campus‑wide retention, re‑enrollment, and early‑alert initiatives in partnership with faculty, advisors, and student support teams.

• Serve as the Title III Activity Director for all student success and retention‑related activities.
• Ensure full federal compliance with Title III guidelines, activity objectives, reporting requirements, and allowable expenditures.
• Develop annual implementation plans, budgets, performance metrics, and outcome reports to meet federal and institutional expectations.
• Collaborate with Grants Administration and Institutional Effectiveness to manage evaluations, audits, and progress reporting.
• Align Title III projects with institutional strategic priorities, accreditation standards, and retention goals.

• Create and strengthen pipelines for internships, career preparation, and postgraduate pathways.
• Expand partnerships with industry, employers, and graduate/professional programs.
• Integrate career‑readiness competencies into student success and co‑curricular initiatives.

• Provide oversight to ensure a vibrant calendar of leadership, cultural, and engagement programs.
• Collaborate with Residence Life to develop living‑learning environments that enhance academic progress and wellness.
• Promote inclusive and mission‑aligned student organizations that advance Bennett’s core values.

• Supervise the Director of Counseling, Senior Wellness Director, and Director of Accessibility Services to facilitate integrated wellness, mental health, and accessibility services.
• Lead initiatives promoting belonging, social‑emotional growth, and a supportive campus climate.
• Maintain partnerships with health providers to strengthen crisis response and wellness programming.

• Collaborate with Institutional Effectiveness to collect, analyze, and interpret student success metrics for decision‑making and reporting.
• Utilize dashboards, predictive analytics, and assessment tools to guide program enhancements.
• Contribute to institutional accreditation efforts, strategic planning, and federal reporting tied to student outcomes.

• Provide strong, collaborative leadership to directors,…