Director, Student Academic Success

Occidental College; Firestone Park (CA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Occidental College in Los Angeles, CA seeks a Director, Student Academic Success to provide strategic leadership for campus-wide academic advising, transfer pathways, and student retention initiatives. This role guides the four-year Signature Program, integrating coursework with career-connected, community-engaged, and experiential learning opportunities.

The Director will oversee advising services, mentor development, and collaboration with Academic Affairs, deans, and Student Affairs to

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Higher Education, Educational Leadership, or 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.

Responsibilities

• Lead campus-wide academic advising and mentorship initiatives.
• Oversee the Signature Program integration into four-year pathways.
• Direct transfer pathways and articulation with community colleges.
• Oversee Advising Center operations, budgets, and staff development.
• Oversee advising technology platforms and data-informed interventions.

Skills

Academic advising

Student success

Data-informed initiatives

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Master’s degree in Higher Education or Educational Leadership

Advanced degree or terminal degree (preferred)

Tools

DegreeWorks

SEAN

PAL

Banner

Job description

About Occidental College

Founded in 1887, Occidental is a nationally recognized, privatecollege of the liberal arts and sciences, dedicated to providing agifted and diverse group of students with a total educationalexperience of the highest quality -- one that prepares them forleadership in an increasingly complex, interdependent andpluralistic world.

What makes Occidental special? An intellectually rigorous academicenvironment. Small classroom settings where students collaboratewith professors and their peers while pursuing or discovering theirpassion. A beautiful residential campus that offers studentshands-on engagement with the cultural and intellectual resources ofLos Angeles. A community open to stimulating conversation anddivergent points of view. Some 2,100 students from 46 states and 28countries choose from 41 majors and minors and participate in onethe country’s top undergraduate research programs. Oxy studentsroutinely win top awards and fellowships; its first Rhodes Scholarwas named in 1907. Dedicated to excellence and equity, Occidentalalso is one of the country’s most economically diverse campuses,according to the New York Times. Some 71 percent of Oxy studentsreceive some form of financial aid; 20 percent are Pell Grantrecipients; and 19 percent are the first in their family to attendcollege

Title:

Director, Student Academic Success

Department:

Academic Support

Duration:

Indefinite

Employment Status:

Exempt, Full-Time

Job Summary

Reporting to the Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives andOperations, the Director, Student Academic Success providesstrategic leadership and operational oversight for campus-wideacademic advising, transfer pathways, and student retentioninitiatives. The Director leads the implementation of thementorship and advising components of the College’s four-yearSignature Program, integrating core coursework withcareer-connected, community-engaged, and experiential learningopportunities.

Application Deadline: 11/30/2026

Job Duties

• 20% - Signature Program Implementation & ExperientialLearning: Lead the strategic development and implementation ofthe College’s four-year Signature Program, creating structuredpathways that integrate coursework with career-connected,community-engaged, and experiential learning. Streamlineadministrative processes across campus to improve student access toand participation in these high-impact opportunities. -(Essential)
• 20% - Student Retention Initiatives: Co-lead theEnrollment Advisory/Retention Group and participate in theRetention and Belonging Group. Evaluate student retention andsatisfaction data to develop, implement, and assess data-informedinitiatives that improve student persistence and graduation rates.- (Essential)
• 15% - Integrated Advising & Mentorship Framework:Provide strategic oversight of campus-wide academic advising andlead the development and implementation of the faculty-staff-peermentorship model. Partner with senior leadership in AcademicAffairs, directors, academic departments, the Center for TeachingExcellence, and Student Affairs to advance comprehensive trainingon inclusive advising, academic policies, and degree requirements.- (Essential)
• 15% - Transfer Pathways & Community CollegePartnerships: Direct academic success initiatives for transferstudents by establishing community college partnerships anddeveloping clear articulation pathways. Collaborate with theAssociate Dean for Curricular Affairs, Registrar’s Office, andacademic departments to maintain course equivalencies, ensuretransparent transfer credit policies, and advance transfer studentretention and academic success. - (Essential)
• 10% - Advising Center Operations & StaffSupervision: Provide strategic and operational oversight of theAdvising Center, including daily service delivery, departmentalbudgets, staff performance, and direct supervision and professionaldevelopment 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’sOffice on shared systems and processes. Analyze student data todevelop and lead early intervention strategies for at-risk,undeclared, first-generation, and transfer student populations. -(Essential)
• 5% - Institutional Governance & Collaboration: Serveas the Academic Affairs lead on key student success committees(e.g., Care Team, Student Academic Success Committee, StudentProgress Committee, Academic Concern Support Team, and StudentEarly Alert Notification (SEAN) Support Team). Contribute toinstitutional initiatives and accreditation efforts (e.g., WSCUC),connecting student support and enrichment services with faculty andthe Signature Program curriculum. - (Essential)
• 5% - Case Management: Provide leadership and guidance inresolving complex student academic matters involving advising,academic placement, transfer credit evaluations, and degreeprogress. Partner with appropriate campus offices to ensurecoordinated support and resolution of student concerns. -(Essential)

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Higher Education, Educational Leadership, orin related field to position duties or equivalent combination ofeducation and experience.
• Five years of progressively responsible administrative,management, and advising experience in a higher education setting(e.g., academic advising, student success, counseling, orretention).
• Three years of direct supervisory experience, includingprofessional staff supervision and team development.

  Experience in fiscal planning, departmental budget management, andoperating within financial constraints.

Preferred Qualifications

• Terminal degree in Higher Education, Educational Leadership, orin 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 studentcounseling or mediation.
• Experience establishing or managing community collegearticulation maps, regional partnerships, and transferpathways.

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 suchas skills, education, experience, and/or geographic location. Inaddition to those factors, Occidental complies with applicable payequity laws and considers internal equity among current employeeswhen developing the final offer. Please keep in mind that the rangementioned above is the base salary range for the role. Hiring atthe maximum of the range would not be typical in order to allow forfuture and continued salary growth. We also offer a generouscompensation and benefits package.