Executive Director, Student Success and First Year Foundations (A)

University of Miami; Coral Gables (FL); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Miami seeks an Executive Director, Student Success Advocacy to lead a holistic undergraduate retention and success framework. You will oversee program development, analytics, and communications, reporting to the Senior Associate Dean and serving on the Center for Academic Navigation & Success leadership team.

Responsibilities include designing advocacy initiatives, supervising staff, managing budgets, and driving data-informed interventions across faculties to reduce attrition

Qualifications

• Master's degree required; PhD preferred in a relevant field.
• Strong command of data analytics, reporting, and student success metrics.
• Experience leading programs, budgeting, and staff supervision.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement student success promotion and attrition prevention programs.
• Oversee budget and staff performance; recruit, mentor, supervise, and evaluate staff.
• Leverage predictive analytics and AI to improve retention and completion.
• Collaborate with faculty, registrars, and external partners to advance student success.
• Lead events and trainings; manage communications and targeted multimedia efforts.

Skills

Knowledge of business and management

CRM proficiency

PowerBI

Microsoft Excel

Student Information Systems

Learning Management Systems

AI strategies

Leadership and staff development

Education

Master's degree in relevant field

Ph.D. in relevant field preferred

Tools

CRM

PowerBI

Excel

Student Information Systems

Learning Management Systems

AI strategies

Job description

Capitalizing on the institutional priority to provide a path to graduation, the Executive Director, Student Success Advocacy will oversee a unit charged with promoting undergraduate students' successful completion from the University. The Executive Director oversees program development for a holistic advocacy system in the areas of undergraduate student retention, risk interventions related to persistence and graduation, as well as strategic operations of student success communication, promotion, and technologies. This role reports to the Senior Associate Dean for Student Success and serves on the Center for Academic Navigation and Success leadership team to create a cohesive academic success network for undergraduate students.

Core Job Functions

Leads efforts within the Office of Student Success Advocacy and is responsible for designing and implementing student success promotion and attrition prevention programs. Recruits, mentors, supervises, and evaluates programs and all subordinate staff members to ensure program development, assessment and completion of all onboarding activities including but not limited to: peer mentor programs, the GPAim and GPAid programs, and proactive and risk interventions for undergraduate students. Advances and supervises the annual budgets for all assigned program areas. Serves on the EAB Navigate teams and oversees the training and utilization of EAB Navigate 360 and other student success technologies. Collaborates with Institutional Research in accessing data and administering predictive analytics to design and implement strategies, efficiencies, and interventions that improve undergraduate retention, persistence, and completion rates. Cultivates and maintains positive relationships with student, faculty, and staff stakeholders to advance a culture of student success, directing the strategic execution of applicable trainings, professional development opportunities, and targeted, multi-media communications. Works closely with faculty in schools/colleges and senior program staff to help create long‑term goals for existing programs. Oversees the undergraduate withdrawal process, collecting and analyzing quantitative and qualitative data that informs programs, processes, and policies to minimize undergraduate student attrition. Coordinates and directs seminars, conferences, workshops, and other events for the Center for Academic Navigation & Success.

Performs benchmarking studies for applicable programs. Interprets and shares the impact of federal and state legislation on institutional programs. Serves as liaison to external agencies and organizations to further program goals and objectives. Ensures internal control oversight and compliance with laws and regulations, safeguarding of assets, compliance with University policies and procedures, reliability of internal and external reporting, and efficiency and effectiveness of operations. Creates an effective control environment, conducts risk assessment, implements, and monitors controls.

This list of duties and responsibilities is not intended to be all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties or responsibilities as necessary.

Core Qualifications

Education: Master's Degree in relevant field required, Ph.D. in relevant field preferred

Certification and Licensing: Not Applicable

Experience: Minimum 7 years of relevant experience

• Knowledge of business and management principles.
• Demonstrated technological proficiency with CRMs, PowerBI, Microsoft Excel, Student Information Systems, Learning Management Systems, and AI strategies.
• Ability to direct, manage, implement, and evaluate department operations.
• Ability to establish department goals, and objectives that support the strategic plan.
• Ability to effectively plan, delegate and/or supervise the work of others.
• Ability to lead, motivate, develop, and train others.

The University of Miami is recognized as one of the nation's premier research institutions and academic health systems and is among the largest employers in South Florida.

With more than 20,000 faculty and staff, the University is committed to excellence and guided by a mission to positively impact the lives of students, patients, and communities locally and globally.

We are dedicated to fostering a culture where every individual feels valued and empowered to contribute meaningfully. United by shared values, the University community works together to build an environment defined by purpose, collaboration, and service.

The University of Miami is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants and employees are protected from discrimination based on certain categories protected by Federal law.