Position will perform a combination of strategy development, facilitation and supervision, and reporting/assessment functions for the Student Success Center.  This position will provide vision and leadership within the Student Success Center. Student success will collaborate with faculty to provide holistic support to students during matriculation and beyond.  The Associate Director will mentor and coach the Student Success/Academic Advisors, inform and execute persistence strategies, and ensure that all offerings are tracked and assessed.

Xavier University is part of the 500-year-old Jesuit Catholic tradition of academic excellence in liberal arts and is strongly committed to enhancing equity, inclusion, and diversity. These values are central to our mission. We strive for a climate of respect and inclusiveness that welcomes and supports members from diverse backgrounds and life experiences, is committed unreservedly to open and free inquiry, and deliberately seeks out multiple perspectives.

The Xavier University Student Success Center has adopted an enhanced mission to support the holistic, academic needs of all students. The Associate Director, Student Success Center position identifies, informs, and implements strategies that align with important university and EMSS retention and persistence goals through a combination of leadership, supervision, and direct student support.    

Through the understanding of persistence research and predictive modeling, the Associate Director will:

• Administer retention/persistence programs to increase matriculation, retention, and graduation rates. Provide leadership in the delivery of interventions and evaluate effectiveness.
• Provide mentorship to staff regarding the best approaches to working with students at risk based on cognitive and non-cognitive factors.
• Collaboratively determine strategic functionality of EAB Student Success Collaborative software so as to deliver retention/persistence strategies. Ensure effective usage by staff and faculty. Develop communication plans and training materials to increase usage across campus.
• Aid Dean of Retention in developing communication and procedures that the coaches and campus partners will utilize to support their students.
• Collect and analyze University persistence data including reasons for student departures & use to inform interventions and practices.
• Serve as primary success coach to a caseload of students and ensure a minimum number of meetings per semester as designated by Expectations document for the Student Success Center. Assist teammates with managing their caseload and duties.

In addition, the Associate Director will regularly collaborate with campus stakeholders including Enrollment Management team, Registrar, Career Development, Student Affairs Division and faculty to ensure wrap-around support of students, especially with regard to academic and personal concerns. The Associate Director is expected to apply current research to make strategic and data-driven decisions with regard to caseloads and special project areas, using discernment regarding when to collaborate and when to operate independently.  The position will also regularly collaborate with campus partners to support the students in their caseload.  Position may teach Goa, assist in the training of new faculty/staff advisors at Xavier, lead faculty/staff in the use of advising software, create and publish reports, use data to effectively inform decisions, aid in the supervision of student staff, serve on committees, and more.

The expectation is the Associate Director will serve students face-to-face Monday to Friday, 8:30-5 pm, some weekend/evenings during peak times and an optional one day remote.

The successful candidate will have a Master’s degree and three or more years of preferred experience working in an education setting. The Associate Director should demonstrate effective communication and leadership skills, and have experience working with unique populations of students, e.g., first-generation, students of color, transfer students, students on probation/returning from dismissal, and exploratory (undecided) majors. Supervisory experience is preferred.

To ensure consideration, qualified/interested applicants must submit a cover letter, resume and the names and contact information of three professional references on Xavier University's website by MARCH 16, 2023. Candidates are asked to include with their cover letter a brief statement on how they might support/contribute to Xavier’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

In light of the strong commitment to diversity, Xavier seeks a broad spectrum of candidates for this position that includes women and minorities. Xavier University is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to enhancing equity, inclusion, and diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, skin color, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability.

XAVIER UNIVERSITY REQUIRES ALL EMPLOYEES TO BE FULLY VACCINATED AGAINST COVID-19. NEWLY HIRED EMPLOYEES WILL BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE VACCINATION STATUS UPON ON-BOARDING. VACCINE EXEMPTIONS MAY BE GRANTED FOR MEDICAL OR RELIGIOUS REASONS.

BENEFITS

Xavier University offers a wide array of complementary and affordable benefit options, to meet the financial, educational, health, and wellness needs of you and your family. Eligibility varies by position and employment class.

• Comprehensive insurance plans including medical, dental, vision, and prescription coverage
• Tax advantaged accounts including health savings account, flexible spending accounts, and dependent care account.
• Financial security via life and long-term disability insurance, accident and illness insurance, and retirement savings plans.
• Generous paid time off work options including vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
• Tuition remission for employees and their eligible dependents.

Required Skills Required Experience