Director - Student Success & Retention

Job Details

Job Title:

Director - Student Success & Retention
Location:

Valdosta State University
Regular/Temporary:

Regular
Full/Part Time:

Full-Time
Job ID:

294594
Overview

About Us: Valdosta State University (VSU) is a comprehensive institution of the University System of Georgia. The university is dedicated to teaching, research, and service, and upholds core values of community, civility, integrity, and citizenship. This includes adherence to the Blazer Creed and the USG Core Values.
Blazer Creed and core values are stated to guide the university community and its commitment to civility, integrity, and citizenship.
Position Summary

This position provides direction and management oversight to one or more departments or units. Plan, direct, and coordinate operational activities. Based on the recent Proclamation: Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers (H-1B), VSU will not be sponsoring any new H-1B visa petitions until further notice.
Responsibilities

Department Summary
The Director of Student Success & Retention provides strategic direction and operational oversight for academic interventions and retention initiatives focused on at-risk student populations, aligning programs and strategies with institutional performance and persistence goals. This role oversees academic interventions, tutoring, and orientation and transition programs, and serves as the primary point of contact for learning support across the institution. The Director is expected to lead with urgency, maintain high accountability for staff performance, and drive measurable improvements in academic performance and retention for at-risk students.
Typical Allocation of Duties :
Accomplish department/unit objectives - 25%

Direct the human, financial, and other resources needed to accomplish objectives of the department or unit.

Monitor and establish processes - 20%

Monitor and establish processes to ensure effectiveness, efficiency, and alignment with University and department goals.

Direct operations - 20%

Direct the operations of the department or unit.

Area Representative - 15%

Represent the department or unit to internal and external groups and individuals.

Manage budget - 10%

Manage the department/unit budget.

Compliance - 10%

Ensure commitment to and compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and standards.

Supervisor Expectations :
Academic Interventions

Oversee the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of intervention strategies using institutional CRM and student success platforms, including identification, monitoring, and follow-up of students demonstrating academic risk.
Establish and enforce a proactive, results-driven engagement model requiring structured tracking, urgent outreach, documentation, escalation, and accountability for measurable improvements in student academic performance and persistence.
Coordinate learning support services in partnership with advising and academic affairs to align interventions with course demands and ensure clear referral pathways.
Demonstrate the ability to teach or support instruction for courses serving at-risk student populations, as needed, to support retention and progression efforts.

Tutoring

Provide strategic oversight of tutoring services to ensure alignment with institutional retention priorities to target high-DFW courses with coordinated academic support.
Monitor utilization, academic impact, and performance outcomes to drive continuous improvement in tutoring effectiveness.

Orientation and Transition Programs

Oversee orientation and transition initiatives that support academic readiness, engagement, and early momentum for new students.
Align orientation and transition programming with institutional onboarding, progression, and retention goals.
Use assessment data and student feedback to strengthen transition pathways and improve early-term persistence outcomes.

Effective Departmental Leadership

Lead a results-driven academic interventions operation focused on at-risk populations, aligning strategies with institutional onboarding, progression, and retention goals.
Provide oversight of academic interventions, tutoring, and orientation and transition programs with accountability for measurable gains in academic performance, engagement, and persistence.
Drive data-informed decision making by establishing and monitoring performance metrics, allocating resources strategically, and communicating outcomes and risks to senior leadership.
Develop and supervise staff while overseeing budgets and operations with fiscal responsibility, enforcing accountability, and fostering a culture of ownership, urgency, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

Required Experience
Bachelor's degree in a specified field and five (5) years of related work experience in a related field is required. Terminal degree and/or professional licensure, certification, and/or designation may be required in some areas.
Salary
Commensurate with experience.
Additional Details

USG Core Values
The University System of Georgia is comprised of 26 institutions of higher education and learning, with core values of Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. Details are provided in USG policies and on-line materials. USG also supports Freedom of Expression as stated in policy references.
Conditions of Employment

Applicants are required to provide: professional references with current contact information; documentation of academic credentials; employment history.
During the search process, VSU reserves the right to: disclose criminal record history for Positions of Trust, view social media outlets, and remove job postings without additional notification. Employment is contingent upon: background checks, reference checks, and job-based requirements if applicable (credit check, Motor Vehicle Report, pre-employment drug testing, credential verification).
Post-employment training includes New Employee Orientation and USG/VSU compliance trainings, with additional job-specific trainings as applicable.
EEO Statement

Valdosta State University is an equal opportunity educational institution. It does not discriminate based on age, sex, race, religion, color, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation.

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