Director Of Retention Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Finalists for this position must communicate well and successfully complete an interview process. Completing this search is contingent upon available funding.

Posting Number

Posting Number S405

Classification Title

Classification Title SUA3

Working Title

Working Title Associate Director of Student Success/Director of Orientation (Internal Applicants Only)

Department

Department Orientation

Home Campus

Home Campus Mansfield

City

City Mansfield

State

State Pennsylvania

Zip Code 16933

Bargaining Unit

Bargaining Unit SCUPA

Work Location

Position Type

Position Type Staff

Temporary/ Permanent

Temporary/ Permanent Permanent

Full-time/ Part-time

Full-time/ Part-time Full-Time

If Part-time, specify percentage (Examples: 0.75; 0.50; 0.25)

The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education provides a comprehensive package of employer benefits to eligible employees and their enrolled dependent(s), which include*:

• Medical and prescription drug benefits.
• Tuition benefits for employees and dependents.
• Paid time off.
• Employer-paid dental and vision benefits.
• Employer-paid life insurance.
• Voluntary insurances and additional retirement programs.

To be eligible for most benefits, you must be a permanent, full-time employee (including temporary, full-time faculty with at least an academic year contract) or a permanent, part-time employee (including temporary, part-time faculty with at least an academic year contract) who is scheduled to work every pay period for at least 50% of full-time hours.

Start Time

Start Time 8:00

End Time

End Time 16:00

Hours Per Week 37.5 hours per week

Days Worked (Check all that apply)

Days Worked (Check all that apply) Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri

Salary $61,966.00

Anticipated Start Date

ASAP , on or before October 1, 2026

Anticipated End Date

N/A

Position Summary Information

Position Purpose

The Associate Director of Student Success provides leadership and direction in the creation, establishment, and coordination of learning, retention, degree completion and student success initiatives at their home campus. The Associate Director of Student Success is responsible for the planning, coordination, and implementation of events and programs geared towards new undergraduate students that focus on positive transition/acclimation to college, playing a pivotal role in University retention efforts. The Associate Director of Student Success would provide guidance to their Student Success Team on their campus and oversee items like orientation, areas of retention, graduation, and closing academic achieving gaps. The position will support an assigned group of CU students from the time of application and provide support to those students throughout graduation. The Associate Director reports to the Executive Director of Student Success. This position will be responsible for planning and implementation of Orientation efforts at their home campus. This position will assist the Executive Director in leading the collaboration of planning of Orientation efforts at all CU campuses. This programming includes new and transfer student orientation events and workshops geared towards specific cohorts of incoming/new students such as transfers, first generation, and undeclared. The Associate Director also coordinates the recruitment, selection, and training of student leaders who fall under the Student Success Office. Supervise, mentor, and train multiple Graduate Assistants working within Student Success as needed across all CU campuses. The Associate Director will also collaborate with the other Associate Directors to lead these at all CU campuses.

The Associate Director of Student Success will lead their home campus Student Success efforts, will collaborate and coordinate with vital offices and programs on campus in order to enhance the culture of student success to improve, create and implement campus-wide student success and retention initiatives. This includes leading one of the programmatic Student Success initiatives for their home campus ( PASS , Conditional Admit, Etc).

Coordinates and champions a holistic support system and advocacy for students at their home campus.

Description of Duties

Student Success Work:

• Lead the daily work of the Student Success Specialists and Graduate Assistants at their home campus.
• Oversees the coordination of and communication about student success programs in order to contribute to the creation and execution of a comprehensive array of resources, services, and programs that enhance student learning, retention, and persistence to degree completion. Identified areas/programs in the coordination efforts include but are not limited to: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Academic Advising ACT101, Disability Services; Tutorial Services, Residence Life, etc. for their home campus.
• Coordinates and champions a holistic, integrated, advocative approach to student success efforts: academic, financial, personal, professional, and socio-cultural for their home campus.
• Regularly review and provide recommendations to the Executive Director for revising the orientation model at Commonwealth University to align with nationally recognized best practices, as well as the needs of each campus’ diverse incoming student population.
• Coordinate and lead efforts to recruit, select, and train student leaders that are part of Student Success including Student Success mentors at their home campus.
• Lead the review of training & development program models for all student leaders who report within Student Success on all four campuses for example: Student Success Mentors. Provide recommendations for revisions to the Executive Director.
• Organize and manage software and website content management systems as needed at their home campus, all four campuses when appropriate.
• Assist with special retention projects such as registration and mid-term grade reach out.
• Lead the Coordination of 1 Student Success Program Initiative at their home campus(Conditional Admit, PASS , HLP , etc):
• Plan implement and assess the program
• Lead their home campus Success staff in program initiatives
• Coordinate a proactive approach to provide support and outreach to the cohort
• Serve as campus representative for the program
• Assist in the review and development of policies, procedures, and training to support Student Success Programs at CU.
• Participate in strategic planning and contribute ideas/initiatives to improve programming for CU Student Success programs.
• Maintain accurate participation records of program students through the end of their CU careers.
• End of each semester provide Executive Director feedback, participation records, and recommendations on students.
• If students are dismissed, provide feedback regarding program participation and pertinent information to Executive Director to impact student status.
• Evaluate/assess and continuously review program. Provide recommendations to Executive Director for improvement.

• Coordinate and lead staffing at all summer orientation day(s) events at their home campus including session design, campus presenters, registration, parking, meals, etc. (other campuses only if needed)
• Coordinate and lead activities necessary to produce an integrated and inclusive Orientation experience for all new students at the start of both Fall and Spring semesters. Work with other areas of the University where appropriate at their home campus.
• Manage student staffing of the move-in process in coordination with Residence Life, as well as the student staffing of Welcome Week and Fall/Spring Orientation events/workshops at their home campus.
• Lead the planning and participate on advisory committees related to Orientation and Welcome Week programs/events involving campus stakeholders including but not limited to: Academic Affairs, Admissions, Residence Life, Registrar, Financial Aid, Alumni & Professional Engagement, and Diversity & Inclusion areas at their home campus.
• Lead the review of training & development program models for all student leaders who report within Student Success on all four campuses for example: Orientation Leaders. Provide recommendations for revisions to the Executive Director.
• Coordinate and lead efforts to recruit, select, and train student leaders that are part of Student Success including orientation leaders at their home campus.
• Provide leadership among other Student Success staff to collaborate on planning of Orientation efforts and efforts to recruit, select, and train student leaders that are part of Student Success including orientation leaders Student Success Mentors at their home campus.
• Organize and track the orientation program financial needs and student staffing. Prepare annual Orientation budget for their home campus.
• Serve as their home campus’ lead during Spring, Summer and Fall Orientation Events. Leading other student success, and enrollment management and student affairs, staff members in regards to these events at their home campus.

• Serve on additional university committees as needed to support the efforts of Orientation, Welcome Week, and other functional areas within Student Success.
• Network with colleagues through membership in professional organizations such as ACPA , NASPA , NODA in order to stay current with best practices, investigate strategies, and share student success approaches to foster community. Perform special job-related duties as assigned by the Executive Director.
• Coordinate larger Commonwealth University groups to share ideas/information and combine resources where appropriate for Orientation efforts, Student Leader Trainings, and Student Leader Selection.
• Lead all marketing and communications efforts for Student Success for their home campus, all four campuses when appropriate. Collaborate with MarCom as needed.
• Make decisions related to student leader training/development, orientation schedule/planning, and appropriate assessment methods tied to these efforts.
• Conduct holistic assessments of student needs in order to develop success plans in conjunction with assigned students to encourage informed action.
• Attend and participate in meetings related to the academic success for identified student cohorts. May include meetings with Deans, Faculty, academic advisors, academic departments, Vice Provost, and other service areas such as Tutoring, ACT 101, Residential Life, Dean of Students and others as identified.
• Other duties as assigned

Decision Making

Autonomous decision-making regarding programmatic responsibilities within the confines of established policies.

Mostly autonomous decision-making regarding daily student success efforts at their home campus.

Autonomous decision-making regarding facilitation of all communication efforts with incoming and current 1st year students and their home campus.

Mostly autonomous decision-making regarding management of student and supporter orientation concerns at their home campus.

Autonomous decision-making regarding communication from Student Success and Orientation at their home campus for the campus community, perspective students, and supporters.

Fiscal Responsibility

Executes all purchase decisions and budget planning for their home campus Orientation.

Monitor costs associated with programmatic efforts generated for Orientation and Student staff training so programs are run effectively and efficiently, at their home campus.

Monitor costs associated with student staff and programmatic efforts in Student Success at their home campus.

Supervisory Responsibility

Lead the daily work of their home campus Student Success Specialists.Supervise support staff.Select, train, and supervise Graduate Assistant(s) and other student employees as needed.Coordinate/Lead all professional staff during Orientation specific events for their home campus. Assist with/Lead Orientation events at the other three campuses as needed.Oversee, coordinate, and provide assessment for all Orientation events, trainings, and hirings at their home campus.Oversee, coordinate, and facilitate all aspects of the recruitment, selection, and hiring, training and on-going development of student leaders, including but not limited to: Orientation Leaders and Student Success Mentors at their home campus.

Minimum Requirements Profile

1. Master’s Degree in Higher Education, Counseling, Social Work, College Student Personnel or related field.
2. Strong understanding of student development theories as well as leadership models.
3. Minimum of 3 years of experience developing, planning, implementing, promoting, and/or evaluating programs.
4. Minimum of 3-year experience supervising undergraduate students.
5. Minimum of 1 year of Orientation specific experience (or commensurate large scale event planning).

Preferred Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

1. Demonstrated understanding of student development theory as it relates to first year students and students in transition.

2. Demonstrated knowledge of best practices related to areas of responsibility.

3. Demonstrated large-scale program planning skills.

4. Demonstrated supervisory and strategic planning experience.
5. Demonstrated public speaking and group facilitation skills.

6. Demonstrated the ability to multi-task and organize several projects with multiple deadlines – attention to detail and follow-through.

7. Demonstrated the ability to interact and engage with students, parents, colleagues, University staff and faculty.

8. Demonstrated experience using, orientation registration and assessment.

9. Demonstrated appreciation for and commitment to multiculturalism and diversity.

10. Professional travel (occasionally with students), evening and weekend work may be required.

Essential Functions