We are seeking a dynamic and experienced professional to join our institution as the Associate Vice President for Student Success and Retention. The incumbent will play a critical role in leading efforts to enhance student success, persistence, and graduation rates through the development and implementation of comprehensive and collaborative retention strategies and initiatives proven to be effective. This position requires a visionary leader who is passionate about student advocacy, equity, and fostering a culture of inclusivity to ensure all students have the support they need to thrive academically at Stonehill.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Collaborate with university leadership to enhance existing and develop new strategic plans and initiatives aimed at improving student success and retention rates at the undergraduate, graduate, and certificate levels.
- Utilize data analytics and assessment tools to identify trends, challenges, and opportunities related to student retention, persistence, and academic success, and develop strategies to address them.
- Create a culture that empowers staff to advocate for students by identifying and addressing barriers to their success. Pursue changes to policies and practices that promote student retention and equity, ensuring that the needs of diverse student populations are met.
- Foster collaboration and partnerships with academic departments, faculty, and staff in undergraduate Admission, Student Affairs, Graduate and Professional Studies, Campus Ministry, and external stakeholders to create a seamless and integrated network of support for students.
- Provide leadership and supervision to staff within the Navigation Center for Student Success (Academic Advising, Accessibility Services, Experiential Education (Career Development and International Programs), and Tutoring Services, including hiring, training, coaching, mentoring, and performance evaluations.
- Develop and manage departmental budgets, allocate resources effectively, and seek external funding opportunities to support student success and retention initiatives.
- Stay abreast of current research, trends, and best practices in student success and retention, and integrate them into departmental planning and programming.
Education and/or Experience
- Master’s degree in education, student affairs, counseling, or a related field (doctorate preferred).
- A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in higher education administration, focusing on student success, retention, persistence, or related areas.
Preferred Qualifications Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Demonstrated leadership ability.
- A track record of developing and implementing successful retention and/or student success initiatives.
- Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret data and use it to inform decision-making and strategy development.
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills, with the ability to collaborate with and effectively motivate diverse stakeholders.
- Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, with experience working with diverse student populations.
- Experience supervising and developing staff and managing budgets.
- Knowledge of current trends, research, and best practices in student success and retention.
Physical Demands Work Environment Licenses/Certifications Competencies
Posting Detail Information
Special Instructions to Applicants
To apply, please submit a letter of interest that aligns your experiences with the position’s responsibilities and qualifications, a resume/CV, a diversity and inclusion statement, and contact information for three professional references. Review of applications will begin Monday, June 17th, and continue until the position is filled. Salary commensurate with experience.