Director, Student Academic Success

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

Title: Director, Student Academic Success

Department: Academic Support

Duration: Indefinite

Employment Status: Exempt, Full-Time

Job Summary

Reporting to the Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives and Operations, the Director, Student Academic Success provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for campus-wide academic advising, transfer pathways, and student retention initiatives. The Director leads the implementation of the mentorship and advising components of the College’s four-year Signature Program, integrating core coursework with career-connected, community-engaged, and experiential learning opportunities.

Application Deadline: 11/30/2026

Job Duties

• 20% - Signature Program Implementation & Experiential Learning: 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. Streamline administrative processes across campus to improve student access to and participation in these high-impact opportunities. - (Essential)
• 20% - Student Retention Initiatives: Co-lead the Enrollment Advisory/Retention Group and participate in the Retention and Belonging Group. Evaluate student retention and satisfaction data to develop, implement, and assess data-informed initiatives that improve student persistence and graduation rates. - (Essential)
• 15% - Integrated Advising & Mentorship Framework: Provide strategic oversight of campus-wide academic advising and lead the development and implementation of the faculty-staff-peer mentorship model. Partner with senior leadership in Academic Affairs, directors, academic departments, the Center for Teaching Excellence, and Student Affairs to advance comprehensive training on inclusive advising, academic policies, and degree requirements. - (Essential)
• 15% - Transfer Pathways & Community College Partnerships: Direct academic success initiatives for transfer students by establishing community college partnerships and developing clear articulation pathways. Collaborate with the Associate Dean for Curricular Affairs, Registrar’s Office, and academic departments to maintain course equivalencies, ensure transparent transfer credit policies, and advance transfer student retention and academic success. - (Essential)
• 10% - Advising Center Operations & Staff Supervision: Provide strategic and operational oversight of the Advising Center, including daily service delivery, departmental budgets, staff performance, and direct supervision and professional development of advising staff. - (Essential)
• 10% - Advising Technology & Intervention Systems: Provide strategic oversight of advising technology platforms (e.g., DegreeWorks, SEAN, PAL, Banner), including implementation, maintenance, and campus training. Collaborate with the Registrar’s Office on shared systems and processes. Analyze student data to develop and lead early intervention strategies for at-risk, undeclared, first-generation, and transfer student populations. - (Essential)
• 5% - Institutional Governance & Collaboration: Serve as the Academic Affairs lead on key student success committees (e.g., Care Team, Student Academic Success Committee, Student Progress Committee, Academic Concern Support Team, and Student Early Alert Notification (SEAN) Support Team). Contribute to institutional initiatives and accreditation efforts (e.g., WSCUC), connecting student support and enrichment services with faculty and the Signature Program curriculum. - (Essential)
• 5% - Case Management: Provide leadership and guidance in resolving complex student academic matters involving advising, academic placement, transfer credit evaluations, and degree progress. Partner with appropriate campus offices to ensure coordinated support and resolution of student concerns. - (Essential)

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Higher Education, Educational Leadership, or in related field to position duties or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Five years of progressively responsible administrative, management, and advising experience in a higher education setting (e.g., academic advising, student success, counseling, or retention).
• Three years of direct supervisory experience, including professional staff supervision and team development.
  Experience in fiscal planning, departmental budget management, and operating within financial constraints.

Preferred Qualifications

• Terminal degree in Higher Education, Educational Leadership, or in a related field.
• Seven years of experience in a higher education setting (e.g., academic advising, student success, counseling, or retention).
• Direct counseling experience or training/experience in student counseling or mediation.
• Experience establishing or managing community college articulation maps, regional partnerships, and transfer pathways.

EXPECTED HIRING RANGE: $85,000/yr – $100,000/yr

If you are offered this position at Occidental College, your final base salary compensation will be determined based on factors such as skills, education, experience, and/or geographic location. In addition to those factors, Occidental complies with applicable pay equity laws and considers internal equity among current employees when developing the final offer. Please keep in mind that the range mentioned above is the base salary range for the role. Hiring at the maximum of the range would not be typical in order to allow for future and continued salary growth. We also offer a generous compensation and benefits package.