Director of Academic Cohorts

University of Redlands•Redlands, CA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Academic Cohorts provides strategic leadership, coordination, and assessment of cohort-based academic programs designed to enhance student learning, belonging, retention, and persistence to graduation. The Director oversees cohort initiatives across disciplines, with particular responsibility for STEM-focused retention cohorts. The Director also promotes the goals of Core Four by serving as a primary Pre-Health liaison supporting students pursuing careers in medicine and other health professions as well as supporting the experiential learning opportunities for cohorts such as the Global Insight Fellows and Hunsaker Scholars. This position collaborates closely with faculty, academic departments, advising, student success units, and institutional leadership to align cohort programming with institutional mission, equity commitments, and student success goals. The Director plays a critical role in advancing retention, degree completion, and experiential learning opportunities for students, particularly in STEM and pre-health pathways.

Requirements

Master’s degree
Experience working in a higher education setting is preferred.
A valid California Class C CA drivers’ license with a good driving record is required.
This position requires flexibility to work evening and weekend hours as well as the ability to travel, as required.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Excellent organizational skills, and detail orientated with high accuracy.
Ability to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines and work independently and with minimal supervision in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities.
Effective communication and presentation skills; ability to write clearly and concisely.
Demonstrate a high degree of motivation, tact, and diplomacy.
Knowledge of record keeping and record retention requirements.
Proficiency in computer skills using Microsoft Office Suite including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
Ability to operate standard office equipment.
Aptitude to learn new and evolving technology.
Ability to recommend appropriate courses of action within established guidelines.
Ability to foster strong, positive relationships and align both internal and external resources to achieve university objectives.
Ability to exercise independent judgment and initiative.
Ability to deliver great customer service.
Ability to work effectively with confidential information.
Must be able to competently interact with a culturally and ethnically diverse population of students, faculty, and staff.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in a higher education setting is preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop and articulate a strategic vision for cohort-based academic programming that supports student success, with emphasis on STEM retention and pre-health advising.
Design, implement, and continuously improve academic cohorts, including first-year cohorts, bridge programs, themed learning communities, and discipline-specific retention initiatives.
Establish policies, guidelines, and best practices for cohort structure, academic integration, and student support.
Align cohort programming with institutional goals related to retention, graduation rates, equity, and inclusive excellence.
Provide direct leadership and oversight of the RESOLUTE STEM-focused academic cohort dedicated to improving retention, persistence, and academic performance.
Collaborate with the CAS Dean’s office and STEM faculty to integrate evidence-based teaching practices, mentoring, and undergraduate research opportunities into cohort programming.
Monitor academic progress of the RESOLUTE cohort participants and coordinate early intervention strategies when needed.
Develop programming that strengthens academic identity, peer mentoring, and preparation for graduate study or health professions careers.
Analyze retention, GPA, course completion, and progression data for STEM cohort participants and report findings to institutional leadership.
Remain abreast of all health graduate program entrance requirements and best practices for pre-health advising.
Communicate with and update the Office of Career and Professional Development (OCPD) and pre-health advisors on requirements, and experiential learning opportunities.
Maintain the current list of pre-health students and advisors and update this list every fall.
Run the pre-health new student orientation and periodic group advising sessions.
Serve as the pre-health contact person for prospective families as well as other units on campus.
Coordinate pre-health workshops, application preparation programs, and informational sessions.
Establish and maintain relationships with health professions programs and external partners.
Track and assess outcomes related to pre-health applicant success and placement rates.
Provide resources and support for faculty advising pre-health students.
Develop and oversee additional cohort programs designed to support the academic transition, persistence, and sense of belonging for participating students.
Collaborate with admissions, academic advising, and academic departments to create clear pathways for students entering cohort programs.
Facilitate programming that helps students build academic networks, connect with faculty mentors, and engage in research or high-impact learning experiences.
Track student cohort outcomes related to retention, persistence, and graduation.
Provide strategic leadership for the development and implementation of cohort-based Core Four experiential learning experiences, particularly for STEM and pre-health cohorts as well as Global Insight Fellows and Hunsaker Scholars.
Integrate experiential learning into cohort models to reinforce academic concepts, build professional competencies, and support post-graduate pathways.
Help to develop partnerships with healthcare providers, research institutions, industry, and community organizations to support pre-health and STEM student experiences.
Oversee the coordination, tracking, and assessment of cohort participants’ experiential learning activities.
Recruit, support, and collaborate with faculty teaching within cohort models.
Provide professional development related to best practices for cohort mentoring.
Partner with Student Success Center, Office of Career and Professional Development, and other relevant offices to create integrated academic and co-curricular support systems.
Develop assessment frameworks to measure effectiveness of academic cohorts, including outcomes for RESOLUTE and pre-health students.
Collect, analyze, and report student success metrics including retention, persistence, GPA, graduation rates, and post-graduate placement.
Use data-informed approaches to refine programming and address equity gaps in STEM participation and completion.
Design cohort models that promote belonging, mentorship, and inclusive academic environments.
Support historically underrepresented, first-generation, and transfer students through targeted cohort initiatives.
Foster structured peer mentoring and faculty engagement to strengthen persistence and academic success.
Develop and manage budgets related to cohort and pre-health programming.
Collaborate with stakeholders to seek external funding or grants to support STEM retention initiatives, and health professions preparation programs when appropriate.
Ensure responsible allocation of staffing and program resources.