Executive Director of Student Success

Job Summary

The Executive Director of Student Success provides leadership for institution-wide efforts that support student persistence and timely degree completion. Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Director leads the strategic direction and day-to-day effectiveness of the Student Success Center, serving as a central hub for academic support, intervention, and coordination. The role works across academic and student support units to align resources, apply data, and translate institutional priorities into clear, measurable student success initiatives.

Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

* Lead the development, implementation, and ongoing refinement of a coordinated student success strategy aligned with institutional retention and completion goals.

* Provide leadership for the growth and effectiveness of the Student Success Center, establishing it as a visible, trusted resource for students and academic partners.

* Translate institutional priorities into operational plans, outcomes, and timelines related to student persistence and progression.

Student Persistence & Academic Support

* Design and oversee early-alert and intervention processes to identify students experiencing academic difficulty and coordinate timely, appropriate support.

* Provide oversight and strategic direction for advising enhancement, tutoring, and success coaching efforts in collaboration with academic departments.

* Partner with faculty and academic leadership to support the use of evidence-based practices that strengthen academic engagement and learning.

Data-Informed Planning and Assessment

* Analyze retention, progression, and completion data to identify trends, gaps, and opportunities for targeted improvement.

* Develop and maintain reports and dashboards to support decision-making by academic leadership and meet accreditation, reporting, and planning needs.

* Use assessment findings to guide continuous improvement of student success initiatives and services.

Program Development and Coordination

* Lead and coordinate initiatives supporting first-year, transfer, and continuing students across key transition points.

* Oversee the development of programs and resources focused on academic skills, time management, study strategies, and academic planning.

* Ensure student success programming is coherent, aligned, and responsive to student needs.

Collaboration and Communication

* Work closely with Enrollment Management and academic departments to identify and address non-classroom barriers affecting student persistence.

* Serve as a primary point of coordination between academic programs and student support services related to student success efforts.

* Communicate clearly and consistently with campus stakeholders regarding student success strategies, expectations, and outcomes.

Compliance and Continuous Improvement

* Ensure student success initiatives align with institutional policies and applicable state and federal requirements.

* Lead ongoing assessment and continuous improvement efforts grounded in evidence and student outcomes.

Minimum Qualifications

* Doctoral degree preferred; master's degree required in a related field and related teaching experience.

* Demonstrated experience in higher education student success, academic support, or related leadership roles.

* Strong analytical skills, including experience working with student success technologies and institutional data.

* Proven ability to collaborate effectively across academic and administrative units.

* Excellent written, verbal, and organizational communication skills.