Assistant/Associate Director for Student Success (Football), Athletics

Commonwealth of VA Careers; Charlottesville (VA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Virginia's Department of Athletics seeks an Associate Director for Student Success to support student-athletes in Football and other assigned teams. This role will oversee academic progress, coordinate support services, and collaborate with tutors, faculty, and staff to optimize student-athlete success.

You will monitor NCAA eligibility, guide development activities, and report findings to leadership while promoting holistic development and career readiness.

Qualifications

• Master's Degree required.
• 3+ years in academic advising, teaching, counseling, student affairs, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Monitor and support student-athlete academic progress and increase program effectiveness.
• Coordinate academic services for assigned teams and connect athletes with development resources.
• Communicate progress to coaching staff and relevant stakeholders on a regular basis.
• Navigate NCAA legislation and eligibility to supervise progress toward degree and continuing eligibility.

Skills

Academic advising

Collaboration

Communication

Organization

Data/reporting

Dealing with NCAA rules

Diversity and inclusion

Education

Master's Degree

Job description

The University of Virginia is a highly competitive Division I program committed to academic and athletic excellence, placing a priority on creating an exceptional experience for student-athletes at UVA. The Department of Athletics at the University of Virginia is now accepting applications for the position of Associate Director for Student Success to support student-athletes in Football and other assigned sport programs.

Duties and responsibilities

• Manage and monitor student-athlete academic progress, incorporating current best practices in the profession. Read reports regularly and communicate with service providers (tutors, Learning Specialists, and Academic Mentors) and faculty to consistently recalibrate individualized student services.
• Serve as the academic coordinator to assigned teams; monitor their academic progress; while also connecting student-athletes to professional development resources and more holistic student-athlete development.
• Communicate with assigned coaching staff through scheduled academic meetings; regularly and promptly share detailed information regarding the ongoing academic progress of assigned student-athletes.
• Communicate appropriately with coaching staff through formal and informal meetings; regularly and promptly share detailed information regarding the ongoing academic progress of assigned student-athletes through delineated channels.
• Initiate and maintain regular contact with faculty of student-athletes on your caseload or those who may be presenting concern.
• Navigate complex bureaucracy, resources, and academic requirements to help student-athletes meet their academic and athletic goals.
• Connect student-athletes to resources for their career, personal, leadership, and academic development.
• Support or oversee one or more aspects of our academic support programming.
• Serve as the academic representative to assigned teams for on-campus recruiting operations.
• With a thorough understanding of NCAA legislation and continuing eligibility serve as the point of contact for monitoring and projecting student-athlete academic outcomes.
• Promote positive working relationships with faculty throughout Grounds.
• Monitor student-athletes’ NCAA academic eligibility using university student systems and established internal degree-tracking forms.
• Regularly communicate the progress, outcomes, and direction of work to the supervisor and make recommendations concerning improvement of programs and services.
• Support department and campus-wide student success efforts through participation in a variety of department activities and committee work.

Skills

• Demonstrated and successful experience providing academic advising and/or academic support to collegiate student-athletes.
• Evidence of commitment to principles and practices that enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Proven ability to work collaboratively and effectively with various constituencies in a time-sensitive and occasionally pressured environment.
• Excellent oral, written and presentation skills and proactive, responsive interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated experience communicating with both student-athletes and the stakeholders who impact student-athlete wellbeing and academic success, including but not limited to report generation and delivery, faculty engagement, and time sensitive outreach.
• Experience developing productive relationships with student-athletes to motivate them to reach their potential.
• Ability to analyze and solve problems and use independent judgment to manage and impart confidential information.
• Proven organizational skills, attention to detail, and openness to new approaches and new ideas.
• Ability to work with competing priorities, multiple constituencies, and advocate for students with political acumen.
• Ability to analyze course prerequisites, certification, and/or curriculum/graduation requirements.
• Knowledge of NCAA academic legislation, particularly with rules of student-athlete continuing-eligibility and progress-toward-degree, transfer legislation, and Academic Progress Rates (APR).
• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends. Some travel required.
• Commitment to the Honor System and compliance with all NCAA legislation and principles.

This position will remain open until filled. This is an exempt level, benefited position. The University will perform background checks on all hires (if required) prior to employment. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States. For this role, the University will not sponsor or consider candidates requiring sponsorship for employment visas now or in the future.

For finalists, references will be completed via UVA’s standardized process using SkillSurvey. A total of up to five references will be requested via SkillSurvey for top candidates during the final phase of the interview process. A total of three references is required.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Master's Degree.
• Experience: 3+ years working in academic advising, teaching, counseling, student affairs, or a related field is required.
• Knowledge/Skills/Abilities: Working knowledge of NCAA academic eligibility and recruiting rules and regulations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Education: Master's Degree in higher education, counseling, or a related field.
• Experience: 5+ years of related experience; prior experience working with Division I student-athletes; prior experience working in student-athlete development at a Power 4 institution.
• Knowledge/Skills/Abilities: Working knowledge of NCAA academic eligibility and recruiting rules and regulations.

Physical Demands

This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA’s commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment .