ASSISTANT DIRECTOR / STUDENT SUCCESS & ACADEMIC SUPPORT

Central Michigan University; Mount Pleasant (MI); On-site; USD 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Central Michigan University seeks an Assistant Director for Student Success & Academic Support in Mount Pleasant, MI. The role leads success coaches and tutoring staff, driving retention initiatives and timely graduation through data-driven case management.

The position requires a bachelor’s degree and 3+ years working with students, plus supervisory experience. It offers a competitive salary and a full-time schedule with some evenings and weekends as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Three years of experience with college students.
• At least one year coaching or supervising direct reports.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to handle confidential information and work evenings/weekends as needed.
• Knowledge of first-year student transition and retention trends.

Responsibilities

• Supervises success coaching and coordinates academic support resources.
• Coordinates case management and tracks program progress with campus partners.
• Collaborates with colleges to align tutoring resources for high-demand courses.
• Hires, trains, and evaluates coaching staff and tutors.
• Represents the office in committees focused on retention and student success.
• Maintains records of meetings and program outcomes for reporting.

Skills

Leadership

Student support

Communication

Case management

Supervisory experience

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

MS Office

Job description

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR / STUDENT SUCCESS & ACADEMIC SUPPORT

Position Information

Position Information

Posting Number

Posting Number S-4013

Position Number

Position Number 00250

Type of Recruitment

Type of Recruitment INTERNAL

Position Title

Position Title ASSISTANT DIRECTOR / STUDENT SUCCESS & ACADEMIC SUPPORT

Position Summary

The Assistant Director (AD) supervises Success Coaches, academic tutors, and supplemental instructional staff. Provides leadership for success coaches utilizing a case management model and supports the Central Career Guarantee. The AD will assist in the development of student support initiatives designed to facilitate and improve retention and student progress to timely graduation. The AD supervises the programming and work of success coaching, academic support, and monitors, tracks students in the Central Career Guarantee.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Three years of experience working with students in a college or university setting.
• Minimum of one-year of experience coaching or managing direct reports in a supervisory or leadership role.
• Demonstrated positive interpersonal skills and ability to communicate effectively in all media and project a positive image.
• Demonstrated organizational, interpersonal and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated knowledge of current and emerging trends concerning the first college year and students in transition.
• Demonstrated very high degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Working experience with computer applications and MS Office systems.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Willingness to work evenings and weekends as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in higher education, student affairs or related field.
• Knowledge of/experience with enrollment management, student affairs, retention, college student development.
• Experience with academic and student support programming and techniques.
• Knowledge of/experience with student information and customer relationship management systems.
• Knowledge of/experience with program evaluation, assessment of learning and/or research methodologies (qualitative and/or quantitative).

Duties & Responsibilities

• Supervises success coaching and coordinates academic support resources including tutoring and supplemental instruction in coordination with the Director of Student Success.
• Coordinates case management in the tracking, monitoring, and programming with campus partners in support of Success Coaching and the Central Career Guarantee.
• Collaborates with academic colleges to align tutoring and supplemental instruction resources in high demand (historically difficult) courses.
• Hires, trains, supervises and evaluates campus success coaches, tutors, and supplemental instruction staff.
• Promotes a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Engages in intervention and outreach initiatives in response to student inquiries and concerns.
• Assists with data collection and dissemination of findings concerning student persistence, success initiatives, assessment, and evaluation of department activities.
• Implements evidence-based practices to enhance academic and student success outcomes.
• Reviews and responds to correspondence from various university constituents including students, faculty, staff, supportive family members, etc.
• Represents the Office of Student Success, success coaching, and the Central Guarantee by serving on committees/groups focused on retention and student success.
• Exercises independent judgment in the application of rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Resolves complex student issues in accordance with instructions, policies, previous training, and accepted practices.
• Coordinates work with campus partners and to support students in need of academic recovery.
• Maintains records for all student meetings and interactions for use in activity and outcomes reporting.
• Develops educational sessions that demonstrate evidence-based, best-practice support services for students.
• Maintains records for all developed programs or resource materials including number of attendees, satisfaction, and impact.
• Complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
• Contributes to department/office operations and strategic planning.
• Maintains a detailed record of projects including plans of work, outcomes, and future enhancement recommendations where applicable.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Supervision Exercised

None.

Employee Group

Employee Group Professional & Administrative -Salary

Pay Range

Pay Range $55,000 - $70,000

Division

Division Student Recruitment & Retention

Department

Department Student Success

Position Status

Position Status Regular

Position End Date

Position End Date

Employment Status

Employment Status Full-Time

FTE

FTE 1.0

Position Type

Position Type 12 month

Weekly Work Schedule

Weekly Work Schedule Mon-Fri, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. / weekends and evenings as needed

Location

Location Mount Pleasant, MI

About the Department

About the Department / About CMU: Central Michigan University has a more than 125-year legacy of preparing students to become leaders and changemakers in their communities and in their personal and professional lives. We serve nearly 15,500 students on our Mount Pleasant campus, in satellite locations around the state and throughout the country, and through flexible online programs. Many of our approximately 300 undergraduate, master’s, specialist and doctoral programs in the arts, media, business, education, human services, health professions, liberal arts, social sciences, medicine, science and engineering are nationally ranked for excellence. CMU leads the nation in leadership development programming through our Sarah R. Opperman Leadership Institute, and we are proud to be among only 5% of U.S. universities in the top two Carnegie research classifications. Our faculty work with graduate and undergraduate students in areas such as Great Lakes research, medical innovation, engineering technology and more. Central is home to 17 men’s and women’s Division 1 sports including football, basketball, gymnastics, baseball, wrestling and more. Our student-athletes achieve great success in competition and in the classroom, capturing Mid-American Conference championships and maintaining an average cumulative GPA of 3.17. CMU is located in Mount Pleasant, a community that blends the best of small-town living with big-city amenities. It’s part of the culturally varied and vibrant Great Lakes Bay Region that also includes Saginaw, Bay City, Midland and the state’s largest Native American community, centered on the Saginaw Chippewa Isabella Reservation in Mount Pleasant. Area residents enjoy the mix of outdoor activities, cultural events, shopping and dining options, and family attractions. Other major Michigan destinations and attractions — Lansing, Grand Rapids, Detroit, Traverse City, wineries, beaches, golf and ski resorts, and many more — are within easy reach of the city’s central location in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. CMU employees enjoy access to a nationally recognized wellness program along with health care and benefits that exceed regional, state and national norms.

Central Michigan University is a place where we value students and work for their success, where we act as family, and where employees are engaged, appreciated and have extraordinary opportunities to make a difference.

Central Michigan University is a place where we value students and work for their success, where we act as family, and where employees are engaged, appreciated and have extraordinary opportunities to make a difference.

We intentionally maintain and strengthen the hallmark CMU culture that sets us apart from our peers by expecting CMU leaders and employees to model the following Leadership Standards and develop them within their teams.

Please review the Leadership Standards before applying for this position.

CMU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and institution. CMU does not discriminate against persons based on age, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, race, religion, sex, sex-based stereotypes, sexual orientation, transgender status, veteran status, or weight.

CMU does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, including admission and employment, and is required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 not to discriminate in such a matter.

Inquiries about the application of Title IX can be made to CMU’s Title IX Coordinator, the US Department of Education’s Assistant Secretary, or both.

CMU’s Title IX Coordinator can be reached at: Phone: [phone] Office: 103 E. Preston St. Bovee University Center, suite 306 Mount Pleasant, MI 48858 Email: [e-mail]

Posting Ends 11/09/2026

Open Until Filled No

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• * How did you first learn of this job opportunity? Please list the specific advertising source or indicate if it was word of mouth.

  (Open Ended Question)

• * Are you currently an internal employee of CMU according to the university's definition?
  • Yes
  • No
• * If yes, to which employee group do you belong? (If not applicable, select "Not Applicable").
  • Not Applicable
  • Administrative Office Assistant
  • Dispatcher
  • Lieutenant
  • Medical Faculty
  • P&A, SO or Faculty
  • Police
  • Public Broadcasting
  • Sergeant
  • Service Maintenance
  • Supervisory/Technical
• * Do you have at least a bachelor's degree?
  • Yes
  • No
• * Do you have at least three years of experience working with students in a college or university setting?
  • Yes
  • No
• * Do you have at least one year of experience coaching or managing direct reports in a supervisory or leadership role?
  • Yes
  • No
• * Supervisors are expected to support the Leadership Standards of Central Michigan University and foster a culture that inspires excellence. Please review the Leadership Standards before applying for this position and click “Yes” if you understand and support the culture that is important to CMU.
  • Yes
  • No

Optional & Required Documents

• Required Documents
• Resume/Curriculum Vitae
• Cover Letter
• Optional Documents

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CMU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and institution. CMU does not discriminate against persons based on age, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, race, religion, sex, sex-based stereotypes, sexual orientation, transgender status, veteran status, or weight.

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