Director, First-Year Experience & Student Success

Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design (RMCAD); United States; Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design (RMCAD) seeks a forward‑thinking Director of the First‑Year Experience to lead the undergraduate journey and build a cohesive roadmap for new students. This role bridges academic departments and student transition into a professional art and design community.

The position emphasizes belonging, milestone tracking in 8‑week terms, and partnerships with Admissions, Advising, and Career Services to embed career readiness into the first year.

Qualifications

• Graduate degree in a relevant field is required.
• Demonstrated leadership in academic settings is required.
• Experience coordinating curricula and student success programs is essential.

Responsibilities

• Develop a comprehensive roadmap for the undergraduate journey from orientation through year 2.
• Coordinate cross‑department collaboration to ensure retention and coherent messaging.
• Launch and manage peer mentoring programs for first‑year students.
• Track persistence and learning outcomes; use data to guide interventions.
• Collaborate with Admissions, Advising, Marketing, and Career Services on enrollment and student success.
• Oversee FYE budget, schedule courses, and train first‑year faculty.
• Introduce undergrad research opportunities and interdisciplinary incubators.

Skills

Cross-Department Collaboration

Student Engagement

Assessment & Analytics

Curriculum Development

Education

MA/MS/PhD in Liberal Arts or Higher Education Leadership

2+ years academic leadership experience

2+ years postsecondary teaching

Tools

LMS

AI‑driven pedagogical tools

Job description

Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design (RMCAD) seeks a forward‑thinking Director of the First‑Year Experience to lead the undergraduate journey and build a cohesive roadmap for new students. This role bridges academic departments and student transition into a professional art and design community.

The position emphasizes belonging, milestone tracking in 8‑week terms, and partnerships with Admissions, Advising, and Career Services to embed career readiness into the first year.