Assistant Director of Student Success

Posting Summary

The Office of Graduate Student Life and Development at Teachers College Columbia University is seeking an Assistant Director of Student Success who will support academic engagement. Reporting to the Director of Student Success, the Assistant Director will function as a member of the Graduate Student Life and Development team to support academic engagement. The Assistant Director will work directly on New Student Orientation, doctoral programming, and academic support services, focusing on programs, resources, and initiatives that ensure students’ success from entry to graduation.

The incumbent will be essential to the in-person office operations, including event planning and facilitation, front desk support, and maintaining an on-campus presence to engage directly with students, with occasional evening and weekend hours as needed.

• Assist the Director of Student Success with all aspects of Fall, Spring, and Summer New Student Orientation (NSO), including in‑person attendance at events, program preparation and execution, and managing TC’s virtual orientation platform to provide a digital engagement opportunity for all remote and non‑attending students.
• Support targeted programming to address the specific academic needs of various student populations, including master’s, doctoral, and first‑gen students.
• Identify key milestones and developmental moments for Doctoral and Masters students and create targeted programming and opportunities to meet needs for engagement and support.
• Host monthly Doctoral student programs that target academic support.
• Implement academic support services and workshops to assist with academic success, primarily in areas of academic readiness.

• Work with TC students to enhance their academic skills, focusing on achieving clarity in their work and ensuring assignment requirements are met.
• Improve organizational habits, and encourage effective use of support sources and materials.
• Support TC students in developing awareness of their academic style and skills, and provide academic strategies that strengthen their academic journey.
• Develop, implement, and assess academic support milestone‑focused workshops and engagement programming for Master’s and Doctoral students, including planning and execution of a Faculty Master Class series.
• Contribute to the growth and engagement of the Doctoral Cohort Program by supporting doctoral students’ initiatives and fostering opportunities for advanced academic development and collaboration.
• Serve as a resource for students navigating academic policies, procedures, and institutional expectations.
• Collaborate with faculty and staff to connect students with academic support resources.
• Track student engagement with advising services and assess the impact on retention and support.

• Assist with office administrative functions and supervision of student employees, including the full lifecycle of student personnel: recruitment, hiring, training, and scheduling.
• Support office and College‑wide events and programs.
• Serve as campus representative knowledgeable of resources and services available to students through Teachers College and Columbia University.
• Represent GSLD on campus‑wide committees and meetings as assigned by the Senior Associate Director.
• Assist with maintaining up‑to‑date program and service information across office communication platforms (website, newsletters, etc.).
• Work with staff in fostering student engagement in the learning process through intentional programs, and provide a high level of personal contact.
• Partner with faculty, staff, and campus offices.

This job summary is not intended to be inclusive of all expectations for this position.

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in education, training, and experience.
• 2–4 years of related experience.
• Strong computer skills (e.g., Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Suite, Canva) and the ability to use web‑based technology.
• Experience with providing exemplary customer service.
• Ability to…