Director of Student Success & Retention Strategy

Occidental College; California; On-site; USD 85,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Occidental College seeks a Director of Student Academic Success to provide strategic leadership and oversight for campus-wide academic advising, transfer pathways, and retention initiatives. The role leads the mentorship and advising components of the college’s four-year Signature Program, integrating coursework with career-connected experiential learning.

Reporting to the Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives and Operations, the director will collaborate with Academic Affairs, departments, and

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Higher Education or Educational Leadership or related field.
• Five years of progressively responsible administrative, management, and advising experience in a higher education setting.
• Three years of direct supervisory experience, including professional staff supervision and team development.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic development and implementation of the College’s four-year Signature Program, creating structured pathways that integrate coursework with career-connected, community-engaged, and experiential learning.
• Co-lead the Enrollment Advisory/Retention Group and participate in the Retention and Belonging Group; evaluate data to drive retention initiatives.
• Provide strategic oversight of campus-wide academic advising and lead the development of a faculty-staff-peer mentorship model.
• Direct academic success initiatives for transfer students by establishing community college partnerships and articulation pathways.
• Provide strategic and operational oversight of the Advising Center, including budgets, staff development, and daily service delivery.
• Oversee advising technology platforms (e.g., DegreeWorks, SEAN, PAL, Banner) and lead data-informed early interventions for at-risk students.
• Serve as Academic Affairs lead on student success committees and contribute to accreditation and program integration efforts.
• Provide leadership in resolving complex student academic matters and coordinate with campus offices for support.

Job description

Occidental College seeks a Director of Student Academic Success to provide strategic leadership and oversight for campus-wide academic advising, transfer pathways, and retention initiatives. The role leads the mentorship and advising components of the college’s four-year Signature Program, integrating coursework with career-connected experiential learning.

Reporting to the Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives and Operations, the director will collaborate with Academic Affairs, departments, and