Manager First Year Success

Rock Valley College; Rockford (IL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 69,000; Full time

Job summary

Rock Valley College seeks a Manager First Year Success to lead and coordinate student success and retention initiatives for first-year students. You will develop, implement, and assess programs, onboarding, and services aimed at engaging students from enrollment to degree completion.

Reporting to the Dean of Advising and Retention, you will supervise staff and student workers, collaborate with the grants office, and ensure accessible web materials.

Qualifications

• Master's Degree required in College Student Personnel, Counseling, Educational Counseling, Education, or Adult Education.
• 1-2 years post-secondary experience required.
• Supervisory experience.
• Demonstrated ability to work with diverse students, faculty, and staff.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Budget management experience preferred.
• Spanish fluency highly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, evaluate, and assess Student Success programs and services that support student success and retention.
• Create, plan, implement, and maintain comprehensive New Student Welcome programs.
• Plan, implement, assess, and evaluate services that foster student achievement and support undergraduate students from enrollment through certificate/degree completion.
• Coordinate Student Development (STU) 100, 101, and 103 courses; including selection, training, scheduling and evaluation of instructors, curriculum development, and course evaluation
• Provide targeted support strategies for special populations, including first-generation students, adult learners, and underrepresented student groups.
• Support retention and persistence efforts through data-informed interventions.
• Develop, implement, and access College's Peer Mentoring program
• Collaborate with College's grants office in developing grant proposals
• Develop and maintain the department's and resource allocation
• Serve on college committees
• Ensure web materials related to Student Success and First Year programs are accessible and are effective measurements of course learning objectives.
• Promote a highly collaborative work environment between academic and administrative departments.
• Analyze student success data to identify trends and opportunities for improvement
• Teach STU 100 Planning for College Success and/or STU 101 Career Planning and/or STU 103 Workplace Ethics as needed and appropriate.
• Stay apprised of current policies, legal issues, and ethical concerns facing Student Success services, First Year programs and higher education.
• Collaborate with Enrollment Services on transition and onboarding efforts
• Supervise support staff and student workers
• Regular attendance is expected. Evening and weekend hours as needed and appropriate.

Skills

Supervisory experience

Strong communication

Interpersonal skills

Education

Master's Degree (required)

1-2 years post-secondary experience

Job description

Job Information

Job Title: Manager First Year Success

JobID: 2264

Position Type: Technical/Professional

Location: Main Campus

Division: Student Affairs (STA)

Department: First Year Experience (FYE)

Employee Status: Full-time

Group: Professional Staff Association (PSA)

Grade: N

Salary: ($64,552-$68,552 annual)

FLSA: Exempt

ICCB Classification: Professional/ Tech

Issued: October 2015

Updated: 05/19, 04/21, 7/21, 8/26

Employment Notice: Rock Valley College does not offer sponsorship for employment-based visas for this position now or in the future. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship.

Application Deadline: September 13th, 2026

Reporting Relationships

Reports to: Direction is received from the Dean of Advising and Retention.

Supervision Exercised: Supervisor may be exercised over the Administrative Assistant, student workers and student peer mentors.

Job Summary

Assist Rock Valley College in developing and implementing programs that support the needs and success of first-year students. Lead and support student success and retention initiatives while contributing to the overall student development process. Facilitate first-year student success activities, services, and onboarding processes, and develop comprehensive new student programs and support services designed to promote student engagement, persistence, and success while positively influencing the student, faculty, and staff experience.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Develop, implement, evaluate, and assess Student Success programs and services that support student success and retention.
2. Create, plan, implement, and maintain comprehensive New Student Welcome programs.
3. Plan, implement, assess, and evaluate services that foster student achievement and support undergraduate students from enrollment through certificate/degree completion.
4. Coordinate Student Development (STU) 100, 101, and 103 courses; including selection, training, scheduling and evaluation of instructors, curriculum development, and course evaluation
5. Provide targeted support strategies for special populations, including first-generation students, adult learners, and underrepresented student groups.
6. Support retention and persistence efforts through data-informed interventions.
7. Develop, implement, and access College's Peer Mentoring program
8. Collaborate with College's grants office in developing grant proposals
9. Develop and maintain the department's and resource allocation
10. Serve on college committees
11. Ensure web materials related to Student Success and First Year programs are accessible and are effective measurements of course learning objectives.
12. Promote a highly collaborative work environment between academic and administrative departments.
13. Analyze student success data to identify trends and opportunities for improvement
14. Teach STU 100 Planning for College Success and/or STU 101 Career Planning and/or STU 103 Workplace Ethics as needed and appropriate.
15. Stay apprised of current policies, legal issues, and ethical concerns facing Student Success services, First Year programs and higher education.
16. Collaborate with Enrollment Services on transition and onboarding efforts
17. Supervise support staff and student workers
18. Regular attendance is expected. Evening and weekend hours as needed and appropriate.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Minimum Qualifications

1. Master's Degree is required, preferably in one of the following fields: College Student Personnel, Counseling, Educational Counseling, Education, or Adult Education.
2. Supervisory experience.
3. 1-2 years post-secondary experience required.

Required Attributes

1. Demonstrated ability to work with diverse students, faculty, and staff.
2. Strong oral and written communication skills.
3. Excellent interpersonal skills.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Budget management experience preferred.
2. Student academic advising experience preferred.
3. Spanish fluency highly preferred.

Work Environment

While performing the duties of this job, the employee generally works in an office setting.

Physical Demands

Physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands and fingers to handle, feel, or operate objects, tools, or controls, and reach with hands and arms. The employee is frequently required to stand, talk, and hear.