Academic Director

Mansfield Hall; Burlington (VT); On-site; USD 52,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental and vision coverage

401(k) retirement plan

Job summary

Mansfield Hall in Vermont seeks a dedicated coach to support neurodivergent college students in living, learning, giving, and engaging. You will guide academic planning, coursework management, and access to campus resources, with a focus on developing independence and self-advocacy.

You’ll collaborate with families, campus partners, and Mansfield Hall staff while supervising and mentoring team members. This full-time role includes competitive benefits.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in behavioral sciences or related field is required; graduate degree preferred.
• Three to five years of experience supporting diverse learners or working in higher education.
• Experience managing direct reports or mentoring staff in a team-based model.
• Strong organizational, communication, documentation, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to support students, families, colleagues, and campus partners with professionalism and care.

Responsibilities

• Coach students through academic planning, coursework management, and executive functioning.
• Meet individually to organize assignments, deadlines, and access accommodations.
• Build individualized support plans to increase independence over time.
• Track progress, anticipate barriers, and address issues early.
• Communicate with families and stakeholders about student progress and support strategies.
• Collaborate with college partners, accessibility offices, and Mansfield Hall staff.
• Supervise and develop staff, including training on learning differences.
• Participate in team, director, and community meetings; contribute to on-call rotation.

Skills

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Relationship-building

Team collaboration

Professionalism and care

Education

Bachelor's degree in behavioral sciences

Graduate degree preferred

Job description

What We're Building

Mansfield Hall is a living and learning community for neurodivergent college students, students who are capable of college but not yet fully ready for total independence. We organize the work around four areas: Living (independent living skills), Learning (academic and executive functioning), Giving (community involvement), and Engaging (social and emotional growth). Coaches are how all four of those actually happen. Not in a classroom, in the moment, every day.

What You'll Actually Do

• Coach students through academic planning, coursework management, executive functioning, self-advocacy, and college success skills
• Meet individually with students to help them organize assignments, manage deadlines, prepare for registration, and access accommodations and campus resources
• Build individualized support plans that help students move toward greater independence over time
• Track academic progress, anticipate barriers, and help students respond before small issues become larger problems
• Communicate regularly with families and stakeholders about student progress, concerns, strengths, and support strategies
• Collaborate with college partners, accessibility offices, academic support centers, and internal Mansfield Hall staff
• Supervise, coach, and develop staff as assigned, including training on learning differences and executive functioning
• Participate in team meetings, Director meetings, community meetings, and the on-call rotation

Why This Might Not Be the Job for You

• You are looking for a traditional academic advising role focused mostly on course selection and registration
• You prefer working only with students and not with families, staff, or outside partners
• You are uncomfortable holding students accountable when they are struggling
• You need every day to be predictable
• You find it frustrating when growth is slow, uneven, or hard to measure right away

What You Bring

• Bachelor's degree in behavioral sciences or a related field required, graduate degree preferred
• Three to five years of experience supporting diverse learners or working in higher education, student development, coaching, residential programming, or a related field
• Experience managing direct reports, mentoring staff, or working in a team-based support model
• Strong organizational, communication, documentation, and relationship-building skills
• Ability to support students, families, colleagues, and campus partners with professionalism and care

Compensation & Benefits

This role pays $28.00 per hour, equivalent to $58,240/yr. Alongside your wages, full-time staff at Mansfield Hall also receive:

• Medical insurance, with the premium cost shared between Mansfield Hall and the employee, plus an HSA option
• Dental and vision coverage
• Employer-funded wellness dollars
• Free meals and drinks during your shift
• Cell phone and internet support
• 401(k) retirement plan with a 4% employer match
• Paid time off, plus paid winter break
• Disability and life insurance coverage
• Work expense reimbursement

How We Interview

We believe candidates and Mansfield Hall both do better with the fullest possible picture of each other, so it's common for three to four people to be part of your interview process. That's not meant to be intimidating, it's meant to give everyone real information before anyone commits.

1. A 30 minute phone screen
2. One to two structured interviews, in person or virtual depending on availability and geographic location
3. Reference and background checks
4. An offer