Director of Second-Year Experience

University of West Alabama (UWA); Livingston (AL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of West Alabama seeks a Director of Second-Year Experience to provide strategic leadership for comprehensive initiatives aimed at improving persistence, progression, career readiness, and graduation outcomes for sophomore students.

You will lead planning, assessment, and continuous improvement, collaborate across Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Enrollment Management, Career Development, faculty, and external partners, and use data-informed decision making to strengthen

Qualifications

• Five years of progressively responsible professional experience in student success, retention, advising, career development, student affairs, or related higher education leadership.
• Experience leading institutional initiatives that improve student persistence, engagement, or academic success.
• Experience using assessment data to inform strategic planning and decision-making.
• Excellent leadership, communication, collaboration, organizational, project management, and analytical skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for the university's Second-Year Experience program and related student success initiatives.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive second-year success strategy aligned with institutional priorities.
• Establish annual goals, performance metrics, and assessment plans to improve second-to-third-year retention and student success outcomes.
• Develop policies, procedures, and operational practices that enhance the sophomore student experience.
• Identify opportunities for innovation and continuous improvement through assessment and evidence-based practices.
• Lead university initiatives that promote academic progression, major confirmation, career planning, and student engagement.
• Develop targeted retention strategies for second-year students using predictive data and student success indicators.
• Partner with academic advisors, faculty, and student support offices to coordinate intervention strategies for students experiencing academic or personal barriers.

Skills

Five years of professional experience

Leadership

Assessment and data-informed decisions

Communication and collaboration

Project management

Job description

University of West Alabama: Enrollment Management and Student Success

Location

University of West Alabama

Open Date

Aug 31, 2026

Description

The Director of Second-Year Experience provides strategic leadership for the university's comprehensive second-year student success initiatives designed to improve persistence, academic progression, career readiness, and graduation outcomes. The Director leads the planning, implementation, assessment, and continuous improvement of programs that support sophomore students as they confirm academic and career pathways, engage in high-impact learning experiences, and successfully transition toward upper-division coursework.

The Director collaborates across Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Enrollment Management, Career Development, faculty, advisors, and external partners to develop an integrated second-year experience that advances institutional retention and student success goals. The Director serves as the university's primary leader for second-year student success strategy, using data-informed decision-making to strengthen student engagement, persistence, and workforce readiness.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Program Administration

• Provide strategic leadership for the university's Second-Year Experience program and related student success initiatives.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive second-year success strategy aligned with institutional priorities.
• Establish annual goals, performance metrics, and assessment plans to improve second-to-third-year retention and student success outcomes.
• Develop policies, procedures, and operational practices that enhance the sophomore student experience.
• Identify opportunities for innovation and continuous improvement through assessment and evidence-based practices.

Student Success, Retention, and Academic Progression

• Lead university initiatives that promote academic progression, major confirmation, career planning, and student engagement.
• Develop targeted retention strategies for second-year students using predictive data and student success indicators.
• Partner with academic advisors, faculty, and student support offices to coordinate intervention strategies for students experiencing academic or personal barriers.
• Monitor persistence trends and recommend institutional strategies to improve student success and retention.

Career and Academic Pathway Leadership

• Lead initiatives that assist students in confirming academic majors and career goals.
• Collaborate with Career Development, academic departments, and employer partners to strengthen academic and career pathway development.
• Expand participation in internships, undergraduate research, job shadowing, experiential learning, and employer-connected learning opportunities.
• Provide leadership for the implementation and continuous enhancement of CAPE career pathway initiatives.

Campus Collaboration and Partnership Development

• Foster strong partnerships across Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Enrollment Management, Career Development, and external organizations to create a seamless second-year student experience.
• Serve on university committees related to student success, retention, advising, and career readiness.
• Build relationships with employers, alumni, and community partners that enhance experiential learning and workforce preparation.
• Represent the university in regional and national initiatives focused on student success and sophomore retention.

Assessment, Data Analysis, and Continuous Improvement

• Develop and oversee a comprehensive assessment framework for second-year student success initiatives.
• Analyze institutional data related to retention, persistence, engagement, career readiness, and student outcomes.
• Prepare executive reports and recommendations for university leadership that demonstrate program effectiveness and progress toward institutional and grant objectives.
• Utilize assessment findings to guide strategic planning, resource allocation, and program enhancement.

Supervision and Resource Management

• Supervise graduate assistants, student employees, and peer mentors, as applicable.
• Provide leadership in staff development, performance management, and program coordination.
• Assist in developing and managing departmental budgets.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by University leadership.

Qualifications

Required

• Five years of progressively responsible professional experience in student success, retention, advising, career development, student affairs, or related higher education leadership.
• Demonstrated experience leading institutional initiatives that improve student persistence, engagement, or academic success.
• Experience using assessment data to inform strategic planning and decision-making.
• Excellent leadership, communication, collaboration, organizational, project management, and analytical skills.

Preferred

• Experience supervising staff and managing complex student success initiatives.
• Experience with employer engagement, experiential learning, and career development programming.
• Experience utilizing student success technologies and predictive analytics platforms.
• Knowledge of evidence-based retention strategies, student development theory, and sophomore student success initiatives.

Before hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation, including information obtained from social media and other internet sources.

The University of West Alabama does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, hearing status, personal appearance, color, sex, pregnancy, political affiliation, creed, ethnicity, national origin (including ancestry), citizenship status, physical or mental disability (including perceived disability), age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran or military status, predisposing genetic characteristics, domestic violence victim status, or any other protected category under applicable local, state, or federal law, including protections for those opposing discrimination or participating in any grievance process on campus, with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or other human rights agencies.