Assistant Director of Academic Initiatives - Academic Success Center - UTK

University of Tennessee • Knoxville, TN

1d • $58,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Assistant Director of Academic Initiatives provides operational leadership for the Academic Success Center’s academic recovery programs, with direct oversight of dismissal reinstatement and Undergraduate Council Academic Appeals processes. Reporting to the Associate Director of Academic Initiatives, the position supports the broader academic recovery portfolio, leads strategic projects, and contributes to data and assessment efforts that inform continuous improvement and operational decision-making.

The Assistant Director directly supervises Professional Academic Coaches, providing day-to-day leadership, feedback, performance reviews, professional development, onboarding support, and guidance for complex student caseloads. As a member of the Academic Success Center leadership team, the Assistant Director contributes to strategic planning, operational problem-solving, service enhancement, process improvement, and innovative programming. The role also collaborates with campus partners and supports division and departmental priorities.

The position is based onsite in Knoxville, Tennessee. The anticipated hiring range starts at $58,000. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States full-time without current or future sponsorship for employment-based visa status.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree.
• At least one year of experience in higher education administration, student affairs, education, or a related field.
• Experience supervising professional staff in an academic support or student success setting.
• Experience collecting, interpreting, and using program or operational data to inform decisions and continuous improvement.
• Experience working with students experiencing academic difficulty, including academic probation, appeals, or dismissal reinstatement.
• Knowledge of academic support in education.
• Ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships with campus partners.
• Ability to communicate effectively with a variety of student populations.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with faculty and academic partners.
• Legal authorization to work full-time in the United States without current or future sponsorship for employment-based visa status.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree.
• Master’s degree in any field and three years of experience in a higher education setting by the date of hire; part-time work is counted at half-time toward experience.
• Experience overseeing academic recovery, intervention, or student success programs.
• Skill in coaching professional staff and developing leadership capacity.
• Skill in managing multiple projects while balancing competing priorities and deadlines.
• Knowledge of program assessment, data collection, and continuous improvement practices.
• Skill in Microsoft Excel for data analysis, including pivot tables.

Responsibilities

• Support academic recovery programs, including dismissal reinstatement, academic probation, academic alerts, and academic appeals, with direct oversight of dismissal reinstatement and Undergraduate Council Academic Appeals.
• Oversee the Undergraduate Council Academic Appeals process, including student communication, committee operations, case preparation, process implementation, and timely follow-up.
• Oversee the dismissal reinstatement process and ensure consistent implementation and effective support for students navigating dismissal and return to the University.
• Partner with the Registrar, Financial Aid, Student Disability Services, faculty, academic colleges, and Undergraduate Council representatives to strengthen academic recovery support and implement related processes.
• Evaluate academic recovery processes and student engagement, identify opportunities for continuous improvement, and recommend enhancements.
• Directly supervise Professional Academic Coaches, including performance reviews, feedback, and ongoing professional development.
• Assist with onboarding coaches through a training curriculum covering strengths-based student support, communication, crisis intervention, and data-informed case management.
• Mentor and guide coaches, support management of complex student caseloads, and foster staff professional development and leadership skills.
• Contribute to Academic Success Center leadership, strategic planning, operational problem-solving, service enhancement, process improvement, and innovative programming.
• Plan, coordinate, and implement strategic initiatives that advance Academic Success Center priorities.
• Manage special projects from concept through implementation, including project planning, stakeholder coordination, progress monitoring, and execution.
• Research emerging student-success practices and recommend approaches to strengthen Academic Success Center services.
• Coordinate cross-functional workgroups to implement initiatives and improve operational effectiveness.
• Support the Executive Director and Associate Director in advancing division and departmental strategic priorities.
• Collaborate with the Associate Director of Academic Initiatives to develop reports, monitor trends, and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Assist with program assessment, benchmarking, and documentation to support evidence-informed decision-making.
• Maintain accurate operational data related to Academic Success Center initiatives, academic recovery programs, and strategic projects.
• Use institutional systems and reporting tools to monitor participation, outcomes, and operational effectiveness.
• Perform other duties or projects supporting the Academic Success Center, Vol Study Center, or Division of Student Success, as assigned.

Benefits

• Employees have access to career development and coaching, continued education, and development and training opportunities.
• The university describes its employee values as including work-life balance, compensation, and innovation leadership.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager