Assistant Director of Academic Initiatives - Academic Success Center - UTK

University of Tennessee•Knoxville, TN

19h•Onsite

About The Position

The Academic Success Center seeks a strategic, student-centered leader to strengthen academic recovery support and advance the Center’s strategic priorities. The Assistant Director provides operational leadership for academic recovery programs, with direct oversight of dismissal reinstatement and Undergraduate Council Academic Appeals processes. Reporting to the Associate Director of Academic Initiatives, the Assistant Director supports the broader academic recovery portfolio, leads strategic projects, and contributes to data and assessment efforts that inform continuous improvement and operational decisions. The position directly supervises Professional Academic Coaches, providing day-to-day leadership, feedback, support, and professional development. Through cross-campus collaboration and strategic project implementation, the Assistant Director strengthens Academic Success Center programs, processes, and student support. As a member of the Center’s leadership team, the role contributes to strategic planning, service enhancement, and the development of a high-performing, mission-driven unit advancing the Division of Student Success’s strategic goals.

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.
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States full-time without needing now or in the future employment-based visa sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in any field and three years of experience in a higher education setting by 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; directly oversee dismissal reinstatement and Undergraduate Council Academic Appeals processes.
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 support for students navigating academic dismissal and return to the University.
Partner with campus stakeholders, including the Registrar, Financial Aid, Student Disability Services, faculty, academic colleges, and Undergraduate Council representatives, to strengthen academic recovery support and related processes.
Evaluate academic recovery processes and student engagement, identify opportunities for continuous improvement, and recommend enhancements to student support and outcomes.
Directly supervise Professional Academic Coaches, including completing performance reviews, implementing feedback mechanisms, and providing ongoing professional development.
Assist with onboarding Professional Academic Coaches using a training curriculum covering strengths-based student support, effective communication, crisis intervention, and data-informed case management.
Mentor Professional Academic Coaches, guide management of complex student caseloads, support professional development, and create opportunities to develop leadership skills.
Contribute to Academic Success Center leadership team 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 practices in student success 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 continuous 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.