Director, Student Success

2U; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 400 000 - 500 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading online education provider in Cape Town is seeking a Director of Student Success. This pivotal role will manage teams across Degree and Exec Ed functions, drive student outcomes, and lead retention strategies for multiple university partners. The ideal candidate will have 5-7 years in a similar role, a strong customer service background in the Edtech industry, and proven leadership skills to ensure student satisfaction and successful program completion.

Benefits

Complimentary Getsmarter short courses

Subsidised medical aid

Generous leave policy

Employee Assistance Program

Qualifications

• 5-7 years of experience related to the specified duties.
• 5+ years of people management experience with direct reports.
• Proven accountability for strategy execution.
• Strong customer service background and team collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Drive outcomes for enrolled students in collaboration with university partners.
• Manage multiple courses’ performance and ensure student satisfaction.
• Implement policies and processes to foster student success throughout their lifecycle.

Skills

Customer service background in Edtech Industry

Leadership skills

Interpersonal communication

Data-driven decision making

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Salesforce

HubSpot

Google Suite

Tableau

Job description

What We’re Looking For:

At 2U, we are all in on purpose. We are motivated by our mission – to eliminate the back row in education – and connected by our shared passion to deliver world‑class digital education at scale. As the parent company of edX, the world’s leading online learning platform, 2U powers more than 4,000 online higher education offerings – from free courses to full degrees. Together with more than 230 colleges, universities, and corporate partners, we are helping to unlock human potential.

The purpose of the Director, Student Success role will be to manage teams across both Degree and Exec Ed Student Success functions, servicing multiple university partners. The Director will serve as the strategic and operational leader to drive outcomes for enrolled students. This role will oversee these cross‑product teams and will be accountable for developing, implementing, and influencing student retention strategies.

The Director, Student Success will be an instrumental member of the leadership teams and will be accountable for the student experience across multiple teams, courses, and university partners. In collaboration with other relevant stakeholders, this position will be responsible for creating and implementing policies, processes, and strategic engagements designed to foster success through the entire lifecycle from program entry to completion, while fully supporting our university partners.

Responsibilities Include, but are not limited to:

• Overall regional performance Maintaining accountability for multiple courses’ and Degree performance, including budget development and oversight, hiring forecasting, and talent management. Collaborating directly and regularly with university partners and 2U leadership regarding current and future course performance with a focus on student satisfaction, student outcomes, and program completion. Identifying risks to program objectives and recommending mitigation plans to promote the course’s success. Managing cross‑functional teams to provide proactive and comprehensive “white glove” customer service. Make data‑driven decisions to create and implement contact strategies that improve retention rates.
• Stakeholder Management & Cross‑functional collaboration. Collaborate with matrix stakeholders such as Marketing, Admissions, Academic Management, and Program Management as a point of escalation from the first‑line manager who directly oversees degree program support to identify opportunities across the portfolio surfaced in individual courses. In partnership with fellow leadership and 2U Talent Management, implementing strategies to positively impact key metrics, i.e., student engagement and experience within degree programs, student satisfaction, student retention goals, and course completion rates. Acting as a liaison between University Partners and 2U functions, including technology, content, privacy, finance, compliance, and others.
• Team Management. Providing direct management and ongoing support to internal Degree and Exec Ed Student Success Managers and individual contributors in an organization highly supportive of professional development and expectations of the highest accountability. Identifying, creating, and implementing efficiencies across the department.

Things That Should Be In Your Background:

• Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree preferred.
• At least 5‑7 years of experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified. Strong customer service background in Edtech Industry would be beneficial.
• 5+ years of people management experience (minimum 10 direct reports) in the South African context with an advanced knowledge and application of the BCEA and LRA.
• Proven accountability for strategy execution.
• Excellent computer skills (Microsoft Office, inclusive of Word, Excel, PowerPoint) exposure to Salesforce, HubSpot, Google Suite, Tableau are advantageous.
• Strong customer service background required.
• Ability to work with a diverse team in a fast‑paced environment.
• Excellent interpersonal and oral and written communication skills required.
• Focused on achieving defined results, and exceeding goals and objectives.

Benefits & Culture

Our global employee base is a diverse collection of innovators, dreamers, and doers working together to transform lives through higher education. We believe that every employee can advance our shared purpose, and that life at 2U should be fun and meaningful. If you’re excited by the opportunity to provide over 40 million learners and counting with access to world‑class online higher education, then join us – and do work that makes a difference. #NoBackRow

We offer comprehensive benefits (unique per country) and excellent work/life balance.
Full‑time, ZA benefits include:

• 2 complimentary Getsmarter short courses per year.
• Subsidised medical aid with Discovery Health Medical Scheme.
• 4% 2U contribution towards Discovery Life Pension Fund and Group Risk Benefit.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Generous leave policy including time off to volunteer for non‑profit organization, study leave, sports leave and a company‑wide festive season break.

2U Diversity and Inclusion Statement

At 2U, we are committed to building and sustaining a culture of belonging, respect, and inclusion. We are proud of the steps we’ve taken to bring together an employee base that embodies diverse walks of life, ideas, genders, ages, races, cultures, sexual orientations, abilities and other unique qualities. We strive to offer a workplace where every employee feels empowered by what makes us different, as well as by how we are alike.