Assistant Dean of Students - Center for Student Success

Bates College•Lewiston, ME

1d•$65,775 - $82,218•Onsite

About The Position

As the Center for Student Success's primary daily presence, the Assistant Dean provides direct student support, builds milestone programming, and collaborates with the Senior Associate Dean to shape the Center for Student Success's culture and implementation. This hands-on, relational practitioner directly delivers advising and programming that fosters community, belonging, and holistic student growth.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required
3–5 years of progressively responsible experience in an undergraduate setting (advising, counseling, or student-facing programming).
Proven direct student advising expertise; this is a practitioner role rather than a managerial one.
Experience in residential life, campus life, first-generation programs, orientation, or student success.
Commitment to equity and inclusion, and serving the needs of a culturally and educationally diverse community.
Experience contributing to a new center, program, or initiative from its early stages.
Exceptional interpersonal skills; ability to connect empathetically with students, faculty, and staff.
Self-starter with sound judgment; able to prioritize and adapt in an evolving environment.
Comfort with technology platforms and data collection for program improvement.
Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and student privacy.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree strongly preferred (field open)
Experience leading cross-functional integration efforts or building shared ownership across academic and student affairs.
Familiarity with early alert platforms (Starfish, EAB Navigate, or equivalent).
Experience supervising student workers or peer educators.
Familiarity with NACADA principles and academic advising best practices.
Experience working in dual-reporting or matrixed higher education environments.

Responsibilities

Build strong partnerships with faculty to position the Center for Student Success as a valued resource in student success.
Navigate the dual advising model (faculty advisors and Center for Student Success staff), clarifying roles for students and faculty.
Collaborate daily with CITL, Academic Affairs, the First-Year Experience (FYE) team, the Center for Purposeful Work, and campus partners to unify student support.
Participate in cross-divisional working groups and college-wide initiatives.
Partner with leadership to design and execute integrated milestone programs throughout the 4-year student journey.
Develop and facilitate academic skills programming (time management, study strategies, navigating academic difficulty).
Create and deliver goal-setting, reflection, and skill-building workshops at key transition points.
Support New Student Orientation, Student Affairs divisional events, and the potential peer mentor program.
Serve as the Center for Student Success’s primary, visible daily contact for drop-in student support and resource navigation.
Collaborate with campus partners to codify a purpose-driven sophomore experience.
Ensure consistent, welcoming staffing during Center for Student Success operating hours.
Manage a student caseload as a Student Support Advisor (SSA), providing holistic advising on academic policies, leaves, deferrals, and degree planning.
Conduct proactive outreach via Bates Reach (Starfish) to support students before challenges escalate.
Engage in the SSA community through monthly case consultations and professional development.
Participate in the Student Affairs on-call rotation and monthly training meetings.
Support the Center for Student Success's assessment framework by tracking student engagement and program participation.
Contribute data and insights to semesterly activity and outcome reports.
Apply a reflective, iterative approach to program design to build a culture of continuous improvement.
Stay current on student success best practices and integrate them into Center for Student Success planning.