AVMA Trust Head of Student Services & University Relations
About The Position
Reporting to the Head of Veterinary Services, the Head of Student Services & University Relations provides strategic leadership & operational oversight for all AVMA Insurance Services student-facing initiatives. This role is responsible for advancing the organization’s mission by overseeing & developing the Student Services Representatives while designing & executing a comprehensive engagement strategy that supports veterinary students from matriculation through graduation while strengthening student engagement, expanding participation in complimentary coverage offerings, & guiding the development of student-focused programs, education initiatives, & university partnerships. This position will include significant (~50%) travel. Serving as the subject matter leader for student engagement, coverage education, & enrollment processes, the Head of Student Services ensures a structured pathway that promotes risk awareness, professional preparedness, & a seamless transition into insured AVMA members. The role oversees outreach strategy, workflow optimization, & academic relationship stewardship to ensure consistency, scalability, & alignment with organizational priorities. The Head of Student Services cultivates strong relationships with university leadership, SAVMA chapters, student ambassadors, & veterinary students nationwide. Through campus visits & educational programming, convention seminars, & targeted communications, this position advances understanding of the products & services available through AVMA Trust. By integrating strategic planning, relationship management, & operational execution, the Head of Student Services drives long-term member value across the professional lifecycle & strengthens the Trust’s role as a foundational partner to the veterinary profession.
Requirements
- DVM/VMD preferred.
- Demonstrated leadership experience within veterinary education, association management, or professional services.
- Ability to teach, coach, & mentor student members.
- Strong verbal & written communication & time management skills.
- Strong understanding of professional liability, risk management, & member services.
- Proven ability to manage data-driven initiatives & operational systems.
Nice To Haves
- Experience in an academic setting is strongly preferred.
Responsibilities
- Champion adoption of new workflows & systems within the Student Services team.
- Maintain a student-first mindset while balancing compliance & operational excellence.
- Lead student-facing communication strategy.
- Lead annual strategic plan & clearly articulate implementation strategy to Student Services team members.
- Build & mentor a high-performing Student Services team capable of executing strategic objectives with excellence & adaptability.
- Support cross-functional collaboration with Trust Veterinarians, Head of Strategic Relationships, Marketing, & Pearl.
- Provide consultation & support to SAVMA students (i.e., Student claims, Policy questions, etc.)
- Develop & execute national strategy for SAVMA engagement, recruitment, retention, & educational support.
- Supervise student ambassador training & development.
- Oversee student professional liability & LIFE enrollment growth & retention.
- Lead segmentation strategy for continuing students vs. graduating students vs. recently graduated students.
- Ensure compliant opt-in processes & enrollment documentation.
- Oversee renewal cycles aligned with academic calendars (January, May, August).
- Manage group-pay institutions & institutional partnerships.
- Ensure accuracy & integrity of student data within CRM systems.
- Serve as primary liaison to veterinary schools & SAVMA leadership.
- Coordinate current & future curricular & extracurricular engagement efforts.
- Develop communication guidelines for universities & institutional partners.
- Support sponsorship strategy (e.g., SAVMA Symposium, VBMA, All for Students).
- Oversee student-facing insurance products including Student Professional Liability, Student LIFE, VetSTEPP, etc.
- Ensure educational messaging is clear, accurate, & risk informed.
- Partner with Marketing & Trust Veterinarians on risk education initiatives.
- Establish KPIs for student enrollment, retention, presentation reach, & product adoption.
- Provide monthly/quarterly/annual reporting metrics for AVMA Insurance Services leadership.
- Partner with Head of Veterinary Services to improve data visibility & forecasting.
Benefits
- access to health, dental, vision, life, AD&D, short-term disability, & long-term disability insurance
- FSA & HSA plans
- generous vacation & sick time
- 11 Paid Holidays
- an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- 401(K) retirement plan
- paid dues for the AVMA, one local VMA, & state licensure
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
Number of Employees
1-10 employees
