Academic Director

Mansfield Hall•Burlington, VT

About The Position

The Academic Director serves as an academic case manager and coach for students, providing individualized support and scaffolding to help neurodiverse students succeed in a post-secondary learning environment. This includes providing structured plans to s caffold executive functioning support, supporting them to set holistic goals, develop self- advocacy, and build executive functioning skills . It also includes coordinating support across families, referring professionals, staff, and campus partners. The Academic Director plays a key role in integrating academic development into the overall holistic student experience at Mansfield Hall.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in behavioral sciences or a related field ; graduate degree preferred.
3-5 years' experience supporting diverse learners or working in higher education with multiple stakeholders.
Experience managing direct reports and collaborating in team environments.
Demonstrated ability to support families and stakeholders around student growth and development.
Strong organizational, administrative, and systems management skills.
Proficiency in building and maintaining professional relationships with families, campus partners, and colleagues.
Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively in a dynamic, flexible work environment.
Effective communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to synthesize and present complex information .
Problem-solving, conflict resolution, and negotiation abilities.
Commitment to inclusive, student-centered programming and positive team culture.

Responsibilities

Supervise and develop team members (as designated), including onboarding, training, performance management, and ongoing professional development.
Attend team-based meetings to ensure staff alignment with each student’s academic support plan and Mansfield Hall’s mission, values, and goals.
Provide leadership and training to direct support staff in cognitive diversity, learning and study approaches , academic development, executive functioning, and self-advocacy strategies.
Attend weekly Director and Community meetings and serve on relevant internal committees.
Participate in the On-Call Rotation to support after-hours continuity of support for staff, student and facility needs that can include student mental health emergencies and student conflicts.
Limited s upport in recruitment, admission, and marketing initiatives in collaboration with the Vice President of Enrollment and Executive Director.
Represent the academic program in public-facing events and campus tours as needed.
Su pport a caseload of students with executive functioning disorders and learning disabilities and who can find college success when offered appropriate scaffolding , instruction, and coaching .
Conduct weekly 1:1 academic session with students to support organization, coursework management, academic goal setting, class registration, degree planning, scaffolded support plans and skill instruction.
Facilitate individualized student planning , goal setting and assessment through a variety of annual and semester-based tools and processes .
Support students in developing social, emotional, and professional communication strategies , self-advocacy, and decision-making skills that support long-term independence.
Track and anticipate academic barriers including grades, assignments, attendance, and registration needs.
Coordinate and collaborate with local college campuses, service providers, and internal staff to ensure student success in navigating post-secondary academics.
Advise students on course loads, registration planning, accommodation access, and graduation goals.
Promote utilization of campus resources such as academic success centers and accessibility offices.
Maintain accurate documentation and student planning tools .
Maintain bi-weekly communication with families and stakeholders to share progress, identify concerns, and collaborate on interventions , and more timely proactive communication as needed .
Provide detailed updates regarding academic strengths, challenges , and support strategies being implemented to mitigate future academic challenges including potential failing grades Etc.
Foster early detection and transparent communication to reduce surprises and strengthen the family partnership model.