Director of Student Onboarding & Success

University of Hartford; West Hartford (CT); On-site; USD 67,000 - 77,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Hartford seeks a Director of Student Onboarding & Success to provide strategic leadership for the university’s comprehensive new-student experience, guiding students from admission deposit through the completion of their second academic year.

This role leads onboarding, changeover programming, and sophomore success initiatives, partnering with academic and student affairs to ensure a seamless student journey.

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree required.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership for onboarding and student experience
• Lead Onboarding & Orientation Programs (First-Year, Transfer, Family, Opening Weekend, Winter)
• Supervise Orientation Leaders and student staff
• Develop transition and retention programming for first- and second-year students
• Monitor attendance and engagement; report on outcomes and yield
• Coordinate with Admissions, Advising, Residence Life, Health Services, and other partners

Education

Master’s Degree

Job description

Director of Student Onboarding & Success

Position Title | Director of Student Onboarding & Success

FLSA Classification | EX

Reports to | Dean of Students and Associate Vice President for Student Experience

Salary Range | D

Weeks Per Year | 52

Work Week | Monday - Friday with some nights and weekends

Position Summary | Provides strategic leadership for the University’s comprehensive new-student experience, guiding students from admission deposit through the completion of their second academic year. Develops, coordinates, and assesses initiatives that support enrollment conversion, successful changeovers, engagement, belonging, and retention. Leads new student orientation, changeover programming, first-year experience initiatives, and second-year success efforts, working closely with the parent and family engagement personnel and academic and student affairs partners to create a seamless student journey. Using institutional data, the identifies students who could benefit from additional support during academic, social, and personal changes, develops targeted interventions, and continuously improves programming to increase orientation participation, yield, student success, and retention. Performs all duties in full support of the University’s goals and mission, understanding that the positive and effective execution of these duties are instrumental to the education of the University’s students.

Hiring Range | Budged starting salary is $66,750 to $77,000, depending upon experience

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership Develops and leads the University’s comprehensive onboarding strategy from deposit through the end of the second year. Establishes measurable goals aligned with enrollment, student success, and retention priorities. Leads institutional planning for new-student transitions in partnership with academic and student affairs leadership.
• Onboarding & Orientation Programs Leads First-Year Orientation, Transfer Orientation, Family Orientation, Opening Weekend, and Winter Orientation. Recruits, trains, and supervises the Orientation Leader program and student staff team. Chairs the Onboarding Committee, coordinating representatives from Admissions, Advising, Registrar, Student Financial Services, Residence Life, Accessibility, Health Services, Public Safety, and Enrollment.
• Transition & Retention Programming Develops and leads First Six Weeks and Weeks of Welcome programming to sustain engagement after orientation. Designs catch-up pathways for students who miss orientation, mid-year entrants, and transfer students. Develops Sophomore Success initiatives, including a sophomore retreat, involvement and leadership pathways, and re-engagement outreach for at-risk second-year students.
• Data-Informed Retention Management Monitors orientation registration and attendance in real time; identify no-shows within 24 hours and coordinate immediate outreach. Establishes and tracks attendance as a formal KPI, distinct from registration. Tracks first-year and second-year persistence by orientation participation status and recommend interventions. Produces an annual report on orientation attendance, yield conversion, satisfaction, and retention outcomes.
• Partnerships Coordinates consistently with Admissions, Academic Advising, Residence Life, Student Engagement, Accessibility, Financial Aid, Health Services, Public Safety, Faculty, Marketing, and Enrollment Management.
• Supervisory Responsibility Chairs the Onboarding Committee; directly supervises Orientation Leaders, Returning Student Mentors (Red Caps), and a Graduate Assistant (if available). Performs other duties as assigned.

Posting Detail Information

• Posting Number | PS1249P
• Working Conditions | Normal office situation.
• Education | Master’s Degree required.
• Physical Effort | Typically sitting at a desk or table. Light lifting or carrying, 25lbs or less.
• Special Skills | The ability to work effectively with diverse groups.
• Desired Start Date |
• Position End Date (if temporary) |
• Close Date |
• Open Until Filled | Yes

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

1. What is the highest level of education attained?
   • GED
   • High School Diploma
   • Technical School, Certification or Apprenticeship
   • Associates Degree
   • Bachelors Degree
   • Masters Degree
   • Knowledge of a highly advanced professional discipline. (e.g., Ph.D, M.D., J.D., or equivalent doctoral degree required.)
2. How did you hear about this employment opportunity?
   • Public Job Posting
   • Internal Job Posting
   • Agency Referral
   • Advertisement/Publication
   • Personal Referral
   • Website
   • Other

200 Bloomfield Avenue
West Hartford, CT 06117