Project Director, Student Support Services

Title: Project Director, Student Support Services - Restricted

Agency: Southside Va Community College

Location: Charlotte - 037

FLSA: Exempt

Hiring Range: $57,733 - $60,000

Full Time or Part Time: Full Time

Additional Detail

Job Description:

Established in 1970, Southside Virginia Community College (SVCC) is one of 23 colleges in the Virginia Community College System, with seven locations across several counties, including Brunswick, Charlotte, Nottoway, Mecklenburg, Greensville, and Halifax. SVCC serves the largest community college region in the state, covering ten counties and one city.

SVCC is located in a beautiful rural region renowned for its rolling hills, pine and hardwood forests, and farmland, and is home to two popular lakes: Gaston and Kerr. We offer a welcoming learning environment and are accredited to award associate degrees. The college offers a diverse range of programs, including developmental studies, academic, technical, and lifelong education. SVCC empowers students to build skills, knowledge, and leadership, preparing them to thrive in a changing society.

Thank you for considering employment with Southside Virginia Community College (SVCC). We are dedicated to attracting and retaining a talented workforce, which has earned us recognition as a Great College to Work For by The Chronicle of Higher Education for several consecutive years. Committed to ensuring equal educational opportunities for all students, SVCC values the diverse backgrounds and perspectives of our students, faculty, staff, and the communities we serve. For more information, please

Join SVCC as a vital leader in student access and success. In this impactful role, you will guide the TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) program in helping first-generation, low-income, and students with disabilities achieve their academic, personal, and career goals. Through intentional leadership, collaboration, and advocacy, you will help strengthen a culture of belonging and ensure every student has the support needed to persist, graduate, and thrive beyond SVCC.

The Project Director for the TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) Program provides leadership, oversight, and daily management of this federally funded grant program at Southside Virginia Community College (SVCC). The SSS Program is designed to increase student success, retention, graduation, and transfer rates among low-income, first-generation college students and students with disabilities. SVCC's SSS Project serves 140 students annually, fostering a college environment supportive of student achievement and equitable access to higher education.

The Project Director ensures that the program operates in compliance with federal regulations as outlined by the U.S. Department of Education, the College's mission, and SVCC's Enrollment Management and Student Success (EMSS) division goals. The Project Director reports to the Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success. This is a grant-funded position located in Keysville, VA, and contingent upon the continued availability of TRIO funds. The current TRIO SSS grant is a five-year award period running from September 25, 2025, through September 24, 2030;however, this is not a guaranteed time frame.

Core responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to:

• Provide overall leadership and direction for all aspects of the TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) program, ensuring compliance with federal regulations (34 CFR Part 646), grant requirements, and SVCC policies
• Hire, train, supervise, and evaluate program staff, fostering professional growth and accountability
• Develop and implement program activities and services that promote persistence, good academic standing, graduation, and transfer among 140 eligible participants each year
• Manage and monitor the program budget in collaboration with the Business Office and Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Success; ensure compliance with EDGAR and institutional fiscal policies
• Prepare and submit accurate and timely federal reports, including the Annual Performance Report (APR) and related documentation to the U.S. Department of Education.
• Use data and assessment results to evaluate program effectiveness, guide continuous improvement, and document achievement of objectives
• Maintain confidential participant records in compliance with FERPA and ensure secure management of program documentation
• Collaborate with Financial Aid, Admissions, Accessibility Services, Advising, Academic Affairs, and Career Services to coordinate holistic student support
• Represent SVCC's SSS Program at state, regional, and national TRIO trainings and conferences and stay current on emerging trends in student success and federal program compliance.
• Support grant-writing and continuation efforts and contribute to institutional initiatives promoting student access, persistence, and completion
• Perform other duties as assigned to advance the mission of SVCC and the success of SSS participants

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Education, Counseling, Higher Education Administration, Student Personnel, or a closely related field; or a combination of equivalent education and experience
• Demonstrated progressive experience in staff supervision, budget management, program development and evaluation, reporting, and compliance with federal regulations
• Demonstrated progressive experience in a TRIO SSS Project or similar federally funded academic support program serving first-generation, low-income, or students with disabilities
• Proven ability to collect, analyze, and interpret program data to assess outcomes and drive continuous improvement
• Recent experience with program management, budget oversight, staff supervision, and compliance with federal grant regulations
• Demonstrated advocacy for underrepresented student populations and commitment to equitable access in higher education
• Recent demonstrated knowledge of academic advising, financial aid processes, student development theory, and case management models
• Experience developing and implementing student development programs, workshops, and activities promoting academic success, persistence, and career readiness
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to effectively solve problems and proactively deal with emergency situations as they arise
• Knowledge of barriers to educational success and a desire to help others reach their educational goals
• Excellent customer service and organizational skills, including the ability to effectively follow up and follow through
• Effective oral and written communication skills
• Ability to maintain appropriate legal compliance in the areas of budget development and monitoring, confidentiality, records management, and financial reporting.
• Ability to demonstrate ethical conduct and professionalism
• Ability to respond meaningfully to the needs of individuals with respect, sensitivity, and civility.
• Ability to manage personnel, give instructions to others, arrive at decisions, and develop conclusions and solutions
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with faculty, staff, other departments, students, and the public
• Ability to present materials effectively to individual students or groups
• Ability to independently plan, organize, and implement assigned responsibilities and to work well under pressure to meet deadlines
• Ability to use independent judgment and discretion; ability to manage multiple projects
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team
• Ability to display self-confidence, patience, empathy, and availability when building rapport with students
• Demonstrated technology aptitude to routinely use Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, and PowerPoint), Google Docs, PeopleSoft, CRM/ERP, and retention-based software
• A valid driver's license is required

Additional Considerations:

• Recent higher education work experience in areas of student advising, recruitment, counseling, academic support, or other related academic support roles
• Experience in using CRM/ERP and/or Retention Software, PeopleSoft, Navigate, and/or other technologies
• Prior experience with TRIO programs (e.g., SSS, Upward Bound, Talent Search) or other federally funded student support initiatives
• Experience preparing federal grant reports, annual performance reports (APR), and continuation proposals
• Experience preparing successful TRIO continuation or grant proposals
• Comprehensive knowledge of U.S. Department of Education TRIO SSS regulations (34 CFR Part 646) and related federal compliance requirements
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams, build cross-departmental partnerships, and foster inclusive environments that enhance student success
• Career Readiness Certificate
• Competency in customer relationship management (CRM) software, PeopleSoft, Navigate, and other technologies
• Experience working with students in a community college environment

Each agency within the Commonwealth of Virginia is dedicated to recruiting, supporting, and maintaining a competent and diverse work force. Equal Opportunity Employer

Salary : $57,733 - $60,000