Assistant Dean of Students

Drake State Community & Technical College; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 81,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Drake State Community and Technical College in Huntsville, AL seeks an Assistant Dean of Students to lead Enrollment Services and direct supervision of staff focused on recruitment, enrollment outreach, advising, orientation, and onboarding. The position reports to the Dean of Students and aims to advance student access, enrollment growth, and efficient, student-centered services.

The role emphasizes collaboration across departments, development of standardized processes, and oversight of

Qualifications

• Earned Master’s degree from an accredited institution.
• Minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in higher education in student services or enrollment management.
• Minimum of three (3) years of supervisory experience, including staff development and evaluation.
• Demonstrated knowledge of recruitment, academic advising, orientation, and FERPA requirements.
• Ability to analyze enrollment data, set priorities, and manage deadlines.
• Excellent written and oral communication, collaborative leadership, and customer service.
• Ability to work with diverse constituencies while maintaining confidentiality.

Responsibilities

• Provide daily leadership and supervision for Enrollment Services staff; foster a student-centered service culture.
• Develop operating procedures and training materials; manage outreach workflows and referrals.
• Assist in budgeting and staffing requests; advise Dean on resource needs.
• Represent Enrollment Services on committees and enrollment planning efforts; brief the Dean.
• Lead recruitment and outreach with community partnerships and campus events; convert prospects to enrollment.
• Coordinate admissions transitions, orientation, and onboarding with Admissions.
• Ensure data-driven improvements using Banner, TargetX, DegreeWorks; maintain compliance.
• Collaborate with other units to strengthen pathways from inquiry to registration and support services.

Skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Problem-solving

Leadership

Customer service

Education

Master’s degree

Tools

Banner

TargetX

DegreeWorks

Job description

The Assistant Dean of Students provides administrative leadership, oversight, and direct supervision of designated Enrollment Services functions at Drake State Community and Technical College, with a primary focus on student recruitment, enrollment outreach, academic advising, new student orientation, and onboarding. Reporting directly to the Dean of Students, this position plays a key role in advancing student access, enrollment growth, and the delivery of efficient, student-centered services. The Assistant Dean of Students works collaboratively with departments across the Student Services Department and the College to strengthen enrollment pathways, streamline processes, and enhance the overall student experience.

Salary

Appropriate placement on Alabama Community College System Board of Trustees

Salary Schedule: C2

Salary Range:$80,715 - $125,160 (12-month salary)

FLSA Status: (12 month exempt administrative)

Position: Non-Tenure

Salary step placement is based on experience per Drake State’s practice for awarding salary step credit

Work Hours: 8:00 am - 5:30 pm Monday - Thursday and 8:00 am - 12:00 pm Friday and additional hours as required by the College may include occasional evening and weekend hours. Travel throughout the College's service area and to other locations may be required to conduct business, attend meetings, participate in community and industry activities, and support workforce development programs.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

The Assistant Dean of Students shall perform duties in alignment with the policies of the Alabama Community College System Board of Trustees and the J.F. Drake State Community and Technical College Faculty and Staff Handbook.

1. DIRECT SUPERVISION AND MANAGEMENT OF ENROLLMENT SERVICES

Focus: Staff leadership, operational oversight, accountability, resources, and delegated responsibilities.

• Provide daily leadership, direct supervision, coaching, performance evaluation, workload planning, and professional development for assigned Enrollment Services personnel; promote accountability, responsiveness, and a student-centered service culture.
• Develop and maintain standardized operating procedures, training materials, outreach workflows, student referral protocols, cross-training plans, and business-continuity practices for assigned Enrollment Services operations.
• Assist in developing and monitoring budgets and resource requests for assigned Enrollment Services functions; recommend expenditures and staffing needs to the Dean of Students in accordance with delegated approval authority.
• Represent assigned Enrollment Services functions on College committees, task forces, community initiatives, and enrollment planning efforts as directed; provide periodic briefings and recommendations to the Dean of Students.

2. STUDENT RECRUITMENT AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Focus: Attracting prospective students, building community connections, and increasing enrollment interest.

• Lead recruitment and outreach operations, including school and community partnerships, campus visits, recruiting events, application campaigns, and follow-up strategies to convert prospects into enrolled students.
• Develop and monitor recruitment and enrollment-services goals, service benchmarks, outreach performance, prospective-student conversion trends, orientation participation, and other relevant indicators; prepare regular reports and action plans for the Dean of Students, coordinating with the Registrar for official enrollment data.
• Coordinate enrollment-related communications with the Communications Department and campus partners to ensure messages are timely, accessible, consistent, and aligned with institutional branding.

3. ACADEMIC ADVISING, NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION, AND ONBOARDING

Focus: Guiding prospective and incoming students through enrollment preparation and successful entry into college.

• Lead and assess prospective-student engagement, recruitment, academic advising, and onboarding activities; work collaboratively with the Admissions Department to identify and address barriers between inquiry, application, acceptance, and registration.
• Coordinate new student orientation and enrollment-related advising transitions, ensuring students receive accurate information about placement, financial aid, payment, academic programs, and support resources.

4. COLLABORATION WITH ADMISSIONS

Focus: Coordinating with Admissions, which oversees the Registrar, Records, CRM, transcript evaluation, and official registration processes.

• Partner with the Admissions Department on recruitment-to-admission transitions, application follow-up, registration readiness, student referrals, and resolution of enrollment barriers
• Coordinate with Admissions on matters involving the Registrar, student records, CRM, transcript evaluation, and official registration processes; refer decisions and records changes to the appropriate Admissions personnel.
• Coordinate enrollment calendars, registration messaging, course access concerns, and accurate student-facing guidance with the Admissions Department and the Instruction Unit

5. PARTNERSHIPS WITH STUDENT SERVICES AND OTHER COLLEGE UNITS

Focus: Connecting new students with continuing support and coordinating with the Instructional Unit, Workforce Development, Adult Education, and other departments.

• Partner with Student Success to connect prospective and newly enrolled students to success coaches, tutoring, retention resources, and appropriate academic and non-academic supports; build clear referral and follow-up practices.
• Collaborate with the Financial, Admissions, Dual Enrollment, Instructional Unit which also includes Adult Education, Business Office, Workforce Development, and other College units to strengthen recruitment pathways, enrollment transitions, student communications, and access to programs and services.
• Coordinate with Student Success and the Instruction Unit to improve the handoff from orientation and academic advising to ongoing student support.

6. ENROLLMENT DATA, TECHNOLOGY, COMPLIANCE, AND ASSESSMENT

Focus: Using data to improve services, coordinating systems access, following policies, and supporting institutional reporting.

• Promote effective use, appropriate access, data integrity, and continuous improvement of enrollment outreach and advising technologies, including coordinated use of TargetX, Banner, and DegreeWorks platforms.
• Implement applicable Alabama Community College System (ACCS) Board of Trustees and College policies, and federal and state requirements relevant to assigned recruitment, academic advising, orientation, privacy, access, and nondiscrimination functions; coordinate policy-sensitive matters with responsible units.
• Assist with institutional effectiveness, accreditation, reporting, audits, and continuous-improvement documentation relevant to assigned Enrollment Services functions.

7. STUDENT COMMUNICATION, SERVICE, AND PROBLEM RESOLUTION

Focus: Ensuring students receive clear guidance, responsive assistance, and referrals to the department authorized to resolve each concern.

• Partner with Financial Aid, the Business Office, the Admissions Department, and Student Success to communicate clearly with students about financial aid, documentation, application status, registration, payment deadlines, student support, and other enrollment-related requirements.
• Review student concerns arising from assigned Enrollment Services functions; resolve issues within delegated authority and refer Admissions decisions, student records, transcript evaluation, registration matters, policy exceptions, formal grievances, conduct matters, and crisis response to the responsible unit or the Dean of Students as appropriate.

8. ADDITIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES

Focus: Upholding professional standards, supporting accreditation and the College mission, serving on committees, and fulfilling assigned institutional responsibilities.

• Maintain confidentiality and an excellent level of integrity; demonstrate good moral character and initiative at all times.
• Prepare and submit documentation as requested to support accreditation efforts.
• Assure that Student Services is an integral part of the total College program and is supportive of the College’s mission and goals.
• Serve on College committees as assigned.
• Perform other work-related responsibilities as assigned by the Dean of Students and/or President.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

Primarily office- and campus-based work with frequent computer, telephone, and in-person interaction. May require extended periods of sitting or standing, participation in large events, evening or weekend hours during peak enrollment periods, and occasional travel.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Earned Master’s degree from an accredited institution
• Minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in higher education in the areas of student services, recruitment, academic advising, orientation, enrollment management, or a closely related area.
• Minimum of three (3) years of demonstrated supervisory, including staff development and evaluation.
• Demonstrated knowledge of recruitment, academic advising, orientation FERPA requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze enrollment data, establish priorities, improve processes, supervise multiple functions, and manage competing deadlines.
• Excellent written and oral communication, interpersonal, problem-solving, collaborative leadership, and customer service skills.
• Ability to work effectively with students, employees, school systems, community partners, and diverse constituencies while maintaining confidentiality and professional integrity.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Earned doctorate in higher education administration, educational leadership, student affairs, or a related field.
• Leadership experience in a community or technical college, preferably within the Alabama Community College System.
• Experience using Banner or a comparable student information system; TargetX, and DegreeWorks technologies.
• Experience in strategic enrollment management, recruitment planning, orientation, student success initiatives, Dual Enrollment, Workforce Development, Adult Education, and policy or accreditation review.
• Demonstrated success improving student access, inquiry-to-application conversion, onboarding completion, recruitment outcomes, and service effectiveness.

DESIRED PROFILE

Preference will be given to candidates who can demonstrate through their experiences and accomplishments:

• Understanding of and commitment to the philosophy and mission of a community and
• technical college
• Sensitivity and commitment to cultural diversity
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and various situations in a calm and professional manner
• Ability to work well under pressure and deadlines
• Commitment to teaching and learning, where recent high school graduates, adult students, and
• non-traditional students are involved

Background Check Requirement

In accordance with Alabama Community College System Policy and guidelines, the applicant chosen for employment will be required to sign a consent form and agree to a criminal background check. Employment will be contingent upon the receipt of a clearance notification from the criminal background check.

Drake State Community and Technical College is an equal opportunity employer. It is the official policy of the Alabama Community College System, that no person shall, on the grounds of race, color, disability, gender, religion, creed, national origin, or age, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program, activity, or employment. Drake State will make reasonable accommodations for qualified disabled applicants or employees. Drake State reserves the right to withdraw this job announcement at any time prior to awarding.

The College reserves the right to fill the position within (120) days of the job announcement stated closing date or to not fill the position due to budgetary or operational considerations. Further, the College reserves the right to fill more than one position in the same job classification should another vacancy occur during the search process.