Program Manager I

State of South Carolina; South Carolina; On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School seeks a Student Services Director to provide strategic leadership and administration of comprehensive student support services. You will collaborate with school leadership, counselors, families, and community partners to promote student well-being, engagement, and retention.

The role oversees counseling, case management, behavioral support, and referral services, ensuring equitable access and compliance with regulations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; relevant program experience may substitute on a year-for-year basis.
• Minimum five years of progressively responsible experience in student services, counseling, education administration, or related fields.
• Experience supervising professional staff and managing programs.
• Experience working with at-risk youth, alternative education programs, or residential educational settings preferred.
• Strong knowledge of student development, behavioral intervention, counseling practices, and educational support services.
• Understanding of applicable education laws, regulations, and compliance requirements.
• Excellent leadership, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to analyze data and implement effective improvement strategies.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse student populations and stakeholders.
• Commitment to fostering a safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and direction for all student services programs and initiatives.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate student support strategies that promote student achievement, attendance, graduation, and postsecondary readiness.
• Establish goals, objectives, policies, and procedures for student services operations.
• Monitor program effectiveness using data and performance metrics and recommend improvements.
• Oversee counseling, case management, behavioral support, intervention programs, and student assistance services.
• Coordinate services for students experiencing academic, behavioral, social, emotional, or personal challenges.
• Ensure students have access to appropriate support resources and referrals.
• Foster positive relationships with families, guardians, and community stakeholders.
• Develop partnerships with community agencies, workforce development organizations, social service providers, and higher education institutions.
• Coordinate resources that support student success both during and after enrollment.
• Advocate for student needs and ensure equitable access to programs and services.
• Maintain compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations related to student services.
• Support implementation of policies concerning student welfare, attendance, discipline, and student rights.
• Ensure confidentiality and proper handling of student records and sensitive information.
• Supervise and evaluate student services personnel, including counselors, case managers, social workers, and support staff.
• Provide professional development opportunities and coaching to staff.
• Promote a collaborative and student-centered culture among team members.

Skills

Leadership

Data analysis

Strategic planning

Communication

Collaboration

Problem-solving

Organizational skills

Relationship building

Policy compliance

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Job description

Position Summary

The Student Services Director provides strategic leadership, oversight, and administration of student support services to promote student success, well-being, engagement, and retention. This position is responsible for developing, coordinating, and evaluating programs and services that address the academic, social, emotional, behavioral, and transitional needs of students. The Director works collaboratively with school leadership, instructional staff, counselors, community partners, families, and external agencies to ensure students receive comprehensive support that aligns with the mission of Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership and Program Management

• Provide leadership and direction for all student services programs and initiatives.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate student support strategies that promote student achievement, attendance, graduation, and postsecondary readiness.
• Establish goals, objectives, policies, and procedures for student services operations.
• Monitor program effectiveness using data and performance metrics and recommend improvements.

Student Support Services

• Oversee counseling, case management, behavioral support, intervention programs, and student assistance services.
• Coordinate services for students experiencing academic, behavioral, social, emotional, or personal challenges.
• Ensure students have access to appropriate support resources and referrals.

Family and Community Engagement

• Foster positive relationships with families, guardians, and community stakeholders.
• Develop partnerships with community agencies, workforce development organizations, social service providers, and higher education institutions.
• Coordinate resources that support student success both during and after enrollment.

Student Advocacy and Compliance

• Advocate for student needs and ensure equitable access to programs and services.
• Maintain compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations related to student services.
• Support implementation of policies concerning student welfare, attendance, discipline, and student rights.
• Ensure confidentiality and proper handling of student records and sensitive information.

Staff Supervision and Development

• Supervise and evaluate student services personnel, including counselors, case managers, social workers, and support staff.
• Provide professional development opportunities and coaching to staff.
• Promote a collaborative and student-centered culture among team members.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree and relevant program experience. Relevant experience may substitute for the bachelor’s degree on a year-for-year basis.

Experience

• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in student services, counseling, education administration, or related fields.
• Experience supervising professional staff and managing programs.
• Experience working with at-risk youth, alternative education programs, or residential educational settings preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong knowledge of student development, behavioral intervention, counseling practices, and educational support services.
• Understanding of applicable education laws, regulations, and compliance requirements.
• Excellent leadership, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to analyze data and implement effective improvement strategies.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse student populations and stakeholders.
• Commitment to fostering a safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environment.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to perform duties in an educational and administrative environment.
• Ability to travel between campus locations and attend meetings or events as needed.
• Ability to respond to emergencies and crisis situations when necessary.

Working Conditions

• May require occasional evening or weekend activities.
• Frequent interaction with students, families, staff, community partners, and external agencies.