Assistant Director of Student Success

Calvin University•Grand Rapids, MI

About The Position

The Assistant Director of Student Success is an 11-month position that provides strategic leadership, operational oversight, and collaborative partnership to advance student retention, persistence, and holistic academic support. This role supervises the Academic Counseling team, manages core budgets, facilitates department curriculum, teaches Student Success courses, oversees the academic standing processes, and supports campuswide coordinated care initiatives. The Assistant Director plays a critical role in ensuring that students—especially those on academic probation, first generation students, and students seeking academic support— learn, persist, and graduate at Calvin University.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Higher Education, Student Affairs, Counseling, or related field.
Minimum 3–5 years of experience in academic advising, student success, or related student support roles.
Demonstrated experience in staff supervision, coaching, or team leadership.
Strong knowledge of academic success strategies, retention initiatives, and student development theory.
Familiarity with case management systems; Salesforce experience ideal.
Experience managing budgets or program funds.
Demonstrated commitment to supporting first-generation, underrepresented, and academically at-risk students.
Data informed decision-making and comfort with student success analytics.

Responsibilities

Provide direct supervision, coaching, and performance evaluation for five Academic Counselors to foster a collaborative, student-centered team.
Provide training, professional development, and ongoing support for advising and success initiatives.
Manage Student Success operating budgets.
Monitor expenditures, forecast needs, ensure compliance with institutional policies, and support strategic resource allocation.
Collaborate with partners in the Coordinated Care Network (academic departments, student life, success programs, faculty, and parents) to implement proactive and reactive success initiatives.
Coordinate office functions with TRIO and Disability Services.
Oversee processes, communications, and interventions for students on academic warning and probation.
Develop and assess programs that support students in academic recovery and transition back to good standing.
Manage and optimize academic student support queues in Salesforce, ensuring timely case assignment, tracking, and resolution.
Use data to monitor trends, improve workflows, and inform strategic decision making.
Teach 8 credits each year of Student Success or Community and Commitments coursework.
Coordinate Academic Success teaching loads each semester, including instructor assignments, scheduling, and communication.
Lead first generation student initiatives (Calvin First) and Summer Navigators including coordination, programming, and assessment.
Represent the department on various student success committees, task forces, and working groups including the Committee on Admissions and serve as a primary liaison for cross campus interventions related to student persistence and academic support.