Associate Dean, Director First Year Student Success

About SAIC 

For more than 150 years, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) has been a leader in educating the world’s most influential artists, designers and scholars. Located in downtown Chicago with a fine arts graduate program consistently ranking among the top four graduate fine arts programs in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, SAIC provides an interdisciplinary approach to art and design as well as world-class resources, including the Art Institute of Chicago Museum, on-campus galleries and state-of-the-art facilities. SAIC’s undergraduate, graduate and post-baccalaureate students have the freedom to take risks and create the bold ideas that transform Chicago and the world—as seen through notable alumni and faculty such as Michelle Grabner, David Sedaris, Elizabeth Murray, Richard Hunt, Georgia O’Keeffe, Cynthia Rowley, Nick Cave, and LeRoy Neiman.

About the Department

SAIC is reimagining how we support students across the full arc of their academic and professional journey. Through the restructuring of Academic Advising, Career and Professional Experience, and Student Success, three interconnected functional areas of First Year Student Success, Academic & Career Coaching, and Employer Partnerships & Internships will create a more integrated, intentional, and forward-looking approach to student success.

First Year Student Success establishes the foundation for long-term student success through a unified strategy focused on transition, academic confidence, persistence, and first-to-second-year retention. The area leads first-year success programming, academic recovery and academic standing, and the First Generation and Chicago Fellows programs, while working closely with Academic & Career Coaching and Employer Partnerships & Internships to create a coordinated student experience from the beginning of an SAIC education through graduation and into professional opportunities.

Position Summary

The Associate Dean, Director of First Year Student Success provides strategic leadership for first-year student success initiatives, first year academic and career coaching, and first-to-second year retention efforts. The position oversees staff, programs, and policies that shape the development and implementation of strategies that strengthen the first-year experience, build academic confidence and belonging, and identify and address barriers to student success. Through data-informed leadership and cross-functional partnership, particularly with Academic and Career Coaching and Employer Partnerships and Internships, the position advances a cohesive first-year strategy and strengthens pathways to continued academic progress and persistence.

Responsibilities

• Leads the vision, strategy, and execution of comprehensive first-year student success initiatives, including advising, coaching, and transition programming
• Oversees first-year advising and coaching models, including 1:1 student support, integrated advising approaches, and required pre-registration appointments
• Leads the development and execution of strategies to improve first-year retention, persistence, and course enrollment outcomes, including first-year enrollment correction processes
• Collaborates with the Director, Associate Dean of Academic and Career Coaching to ensure alignment across the student lifecycle
• Supervises the hiring, training, development, and evaluation of staff within the first-year student success and related program areas
• Partners with the Dean, Academic Advising and CAPX to ensure alignment between first-year initiatives and institutional advising frameworks, academic policies, and student success systems
• Provides leadership for academic support and recovery initiatives, including oversight of academic standing processes, outreach, and targeted interventions for students in need of academic support
• Oversees and manages First Generation and Chicago Fellows programs, including program development, implementation, cohort tracking, restricted fund management, reporting, and cross-campus coordination to ensure program success
• Oversees program budgets and resource allocation to support first year student success initiatives as well as the FG and Chicago fellows programs
•  Uses data analytics and assessment tools to evaluate program effectiveness, inform decision-making, and drive continuous improvement
• Provides leadership in responding to complex student situations, including academic difficulty and crisis-related concerns, and coordinate appropriate interventions and support services
• Interprets and applies academic policies and curriculum requirements in support of student progression and success initiatives
• Represents the department on committees and initiatives related to student success, retention, and academic policy; stays current on trends and best practices
• Participates in the dean on-call rotation

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field. Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of 7–10 years of progressively responsible experience in student success, advising, or student affairs within higher education
• Demonstrated experience supervising professional staff and managing programs or departments
• Experience working with first-year students and/or historically underserved student populations preferred
• Strong knowledge of student development theory, retention strategies, and best practices in first-year student success
• Demonstrated ability to lead strategic initiatives and manage complex programs in a higher education environment
• Experience with academic advising models, coaching frameworks, and student support interventions
• Strong leadership and supervisory skills, including staff development and performance management
• Ability to analyze and interpret data to drive decision-making and program improvement
• Knowledge of academic policies, curriculum requirements, and student information systems
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and collaboration skills across diverse stakeholders
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and operate effectively in a fast-paced environment
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, with experience supporting first-generation and underrepresented students
•  Strong problem-solving skills and sound judgment in addressing student concerns and academic challenges

Compensation & Benefits

Please click on the links below to view our competitive, comprehensive benefits package:  

•  Hiring Range

The expected hiring range is an estimated amount for positions based on the grade. Final offers are based on various factors, including skill set, experience, qualifications and other job-related reasons. 

• Benefits          
• PTO Overview 
• Job Classification: Exempt
• Employment Category: Full time staff
• Grade Level: 10

If you are accessing this listing from a third party, not all links to salary and benefits information may work. Please visit our career page at saic/artic.edu/employment for complete information

Application Instructions

Please submit your resume and cover letter to be considered for this position.

Accessibility

If you are a job seeker with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to apply for one of our jobs, you will find the contact information to request the appropriate accommodation by visiting the following page:

Accessibility Accommodation for Applicants

Equal Opportunity Statement

The Art Institute of Chicago is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits, hires and promotes qualified individuals compliant with federal and state laws. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact the Department of Human Resources at  apply_help@artic.edu.