Director of Graduate Student Success & Belonging

Lehigh University; Bethlehem (Northampton County); Hybrid; USD 84,000 - 102,000; Full time

Job summary

Lehigh University seeks a Director of Graduate Student Success and Engagement to shape systems and culture that help graduate students thrive from the first semester through conferral. You will report to the Deputy Provost for Graduate Education and translate university goals into operational reality across student advocacy and academic administration.

Responsibilities include operationalizing strategic goals, designing scalable programs, mediating crises, and building cross-department

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in a related field; Master’s Degree preferred.
• Three to five years of experience in higher education administration related to graduate studies, graduate student affairs, or a specialized program area.
• A track record of designing programs that improve graduate student retention, belonging, or professional development.
• Proven ability to mediate complex interpersonal or academic conflicts with professionalism and cultural competency.
• Experience managing staff and operational budgets within a higher education environment.
• Familiarity with pressures facing graduate students—particularly those from historically underrepresented groups.

Responsibilities

• Operationalize Lehigh's strategic goals for graduate student excellence and inclusion across all disciplines.
• Design and scale student success initiatives that address the full arc of the graduate journey.
• Serve as a primary navigator for graduate student crises, connecting students with appropriate institutional support.
• Mediate faculty-student conflicts with discretion, equity, and sound professional judgment.
• Build and sustain partnerships across Academic Affairs, student services, and college-level graduate programs.
• Lead day-to-day office operations including staff supervision and program coordination.
• Develop assessment frameworks to measure the effectiveness of student success programming.
• Advise the Deputy Provost on emerging trends, systemic barriers, and opportunities within graduate education.
• Champion belonging and equity initiatives for graduate students from historically underrepresented groups.
• Represent the graduate student success function in university-wide planning and policy discussions.

Skills

Leadership

Interpersonal skills

Cultural competency

Staff supervision

Budget management

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related field

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Lehigh University seeks a Director of Graduate Student Success and Engagement to shape systems and culture that help graduate students thrive from the first semester through conferral. You will report to the Deputy Provost for Graduate Education and translate university goals into operational reality across student advocacy and academic administration.

Responsibilities include operationalizing strategic goals, designing scalable programs, mediating crises, and building cross-department