Director of Student Support Services

Ave Maria University•Ave Maria, FL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Student Support Services plays a critical role in improving student outcomes through the promotion of student success, well-being, and engagement with Ave Maria University. Reporting directly to the Dean of Faculty, the Director of Student Support collaborates closely with key support stakeholders, including faculty, the Dean of Students, the Registrar, Athletics, and members of the CARE Team, to develop strategies that enhance student learning, engagement, and retention.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree
3+ years of Higher Ed experience
Report writing
Database management
Compiling data for reporting purposes
Ability to establish and maintain effective work relationships with students, faculty, and staff.
Ability to coordinate work with other employees, providing direct instruction or supervision as assigned.
Ability to organize work effectively, conceptualize and prioritize objectives, and exercise independent judgment based on an understanding of organizational policies and activities.
Ability to communicate effectively verbally, by phone, in person, and in writing.
Ability to represent the department and University in a friendly, courteous, and professional manner.
The ability to pay close attention to details, interact effectively, appropriately, and professionally with the students utilizing the services, student tutors, and the faculty and athletic coaches who refer students for tutoring services.
Exceptional time management and organization skills
Strong oral and written communication skills
Ability to work independently, collaboratively, and under supervision.
Willingness to serve, and build relationships across organizational units.
Strong initiative, leadership skills, organizational and project management skills, with the ability to multitask to manage a variety of projects and priorities, coordinating the actions of others, follow through on projects to timely completion, and demonstrate excellent judgment with attention to detail.
Microsoft Office experience with Word, Outlook, Publisher, Excel, Power Point software experience.
Must support the University’s Catholic mission
Requires ordinary ambulatory skills sufficient to visit other locations; the ability to stand, walk and manipulate (lift, carry, move) light to medium weights of 10 - 20 pounds.
Requires good hand-eye coordination, arm, hand and finger dexterity, including ability to grasp, type and perform data entry, visual acuity to use a keyboard, operate equipment and read technical information, ability to hear in order to answer telephones and to communicate verbally, and the ability to sit for extended periods of time.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in education
Program management
Academic support programming
Prior experience working in Student Support Services
Tutoring experience

Responsibilities

Oversee the operations of the Student Support and Adaptive Services Offices and provide leadership, mentorship, and supervision to the Student Support advisors.
Foster professional development opportunities and promote a positive and collaborative work environment for all department staff.
Develop and maintain efficient and effective processes for student support.
Build strong relationships and collaborate with internal stakeholders, including faculty, administrators, coaches, student affairs staff, and other members of the collegiate community.
Stay informed about best practices and trends in student support services through active participation in professional organizations and conferences.
Foster a culture of student engagement by developing and overseeing programs, activities, and services that promote student involvement, leadership, and community building in collaboration with the Dean of Faculty.
Participate in new student orientation and its planning.
Collaboratively work with the Registrar and Admissions on outreach and anti-melt campaigns directed at incoming students.
Collaborate with campus resources, such as counseling services, health services, and adaptive services, to develop and implement programs and initiatives that promote student well-being, mental health, and overall wellness.
Work closely with the Dean of Faculty to ensure faculty and students receive effective support during academic advising.
Develop and implement strategies to enhance the academic advising process, including the utilization of technology and resources.
Collaborate with the Provost, Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dean of Faculty, Dean of Students, and Athletics to develop and implement a comprehensive student support strategy that aligns with Ave Maria University’s mission to form “men and women in the intellectual and moral virtues of the faith” and create and maintain “an environment in which faith informs the life of the community and takes expression in all its programs.”
Identify areas of improvement and creating initiatives to enhance student success and retention.
Develop a culture of accountability and responsiveness through the collection and analysis of institutional and departmental data.
Keep departmental records relating to outreach, meetings, and the impact of departmental initiatives on student outcomes to inform decision-making processes, assess program effectiveness, and identify areas for improvement.
Manage tutoring services by interviewing, selecting, hiring and monitoring student tutors, craft the tutoring schedule, and coordinate tutoring needs with faculty.
Identify risks and obstacles to student progress and develop solutions to promote student success.
Partner with University departments to create programming that supports student development, retention efforts, and degree completion.
Build and standardize workflows for student outreach, intervention, case management, and follow-up.
Ensure all student support processes are efficient and consistently executed across the team.
Oversee a proactive intervention model that identifies at-risk students based on academic performance, attendance, behavior, and engagement indicators.
Oversee complex student cases, ensuring coordinated, timely, and effective responses across departments.
Coordinate cross-functional collaboration through regular engagement with faculty, Athletics, and the CARE Team.
Cultivate a mission-driven team culture grounded in excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement.