Executive Director, Student Engagement - UT Southern

The Executive Director of Student Engagement is responsible for overseeing and providing leadership in various key areas to ensure student success and retention. This role involves coordinating academic advising and career development, student resources and accessibility, experiential education, FYE, counseling and wellness, and other student success initiatives, while also assessing new technologies and evolving learner needs.

Leadership and Strategic Oversight

• Serve on the Student Experience leadership team and assist the Vice Provost for Student Experience with oversight and management of the Student Engagement.
• Provide vision, strategic direction, and leadership for areas in Student Engagement with a focus on student success and retention.
• Provide Oversight for Academic Advising and Career Development including the areas of academic coaching; FYE and Ensure FYE Best Practices in Curriculum Design and Delivery; Disability Accommodations and Student Resources; Orientation, Intermural and Club Sports, and Co-Curriculars; and Counseling and Wellness.
• Provides Leadership for Enhancing Persistence and Graduation Rates (graduate & undergraduate) and Eliminating Barriers to Student Success (processes & procedures).

Supervision:

• Work closely with the Vice Provost to Assist the Development of Area Strategic Plans, Goals, and Initiatives.
• Supervise Staff and Student Staff Directly and Indirectly.
• Supervise and Cultivate Talent Development of Professional Staff.
• Formulate, Disseminate, Interpret, and Enforce campus policies and procedures.

Student Success:

• Provide Leadership for Planning, Developing, Implementing, and Evaluating Student Success Services and Initiatives.
• Oversee and Monitor the Early Alert Case Management System and Facilitate Appropriate Interventions including training and assessment of the system.
• Serve as a resource for Students, Faculty, and Staff, and External Stakeholders on Student Success Matters.
• Facilitate the Design and Delivery Campus Workshops on Student Success and Retention.
• Oversee Academic Appeals Process for students on Academic Suspension.

Assessment and Data Analysis:

• Collect and Analyze Retention and Performance Data to Identify Critical Needs and Develop Appropriate Resources.
• Assess the effectiveness of programs and services as well as outcomes related to these programs and services.
• Participate in strategic planning.
• Assist with conducting departmental program reviews to provide internal and external evaluation of the administrative areas.
• Provide Leadership for Assessing New Technologies and Evolving Learner Needs.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) required:

• Demonstrated analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with a demonstrated ability to articulate matters of complexity and nuance to multiple and varied groups of stakeholders across campus.
• Demonstrated success as a collaborator and relationship-builder, demonstrating strong interpersonal skills and the ability to forge effective partnerships across a diverse university community to achieve results.
• Deep knowledge of national student success research, best practices and trends as well as knowledge and appreciation for innovative uses and integration of technologies to support student retention, progress, and success.
• Proven ability to initiate, lead and facilitate change, to adapt to changing conditions, and to work with the ambiguity that accompanies a public university.

Preferred knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Experience in the classroom, especially in an FYE program, or an academic advisor is preferred. Previous supervisory experience in a college or university setting is also preferred.
• Required level/type of experience and/or years of experience
• Position requires a Master's degree in a relevant field and 7 years of relevant, progressively responsible experience, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.