Director, Office of Student Support

PACIFIC UNIVERSITY • Forest Grove, OR

4d • $75,000 - $85,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Pacific University achieves excellence and distinction by investing in exceptional people to think, care, create, and pursue justice in our world. We embrace discovery in a close and nurturing environment that leads to genuine transformation. Our community is diverse, sustainable, and dedicated to discovery and excellence in teaching, scholarship, and practice. At Pacific University, we thrive in an extraordinary environment, surrounded by the beauty of the great Pacific Northwest, with campus locations in Forest Grove and Hillsboro. We humbly acknowledge and thank the original caretakers of the lands on which we live, work, teach, and acquire and share knowledge. Enrollment Management & Student Affairs at Pacific University is dedicated to fostering student development in support of a more just, sustainable, and caring world. Guided by our core values—equity and inclusion, care, community, and learning—we center holistic student wellbeing, cultivate a sense of belonging, and champion equitable practices. As part of this area, the Office of Student Support (OSS) is committed to continuous growth, collaboration, and innovation in service of students experiencing barriers to academic success, wellbeing, or belonging. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF POSITION The Director of the OSS provides strategic leadership, operational oversight, and campus-wide coordination for Pacific University’s comprehensive student support and Care Referral infrastructure. This role is responsible for ensuring high-quality, equitable, and compliant delivery of case management, CARE Team coordination, academic persistence support, academic coaching, and holistic retention-focused interventions for undergraduate and graduate and professional students. The Director serves as a key institutional leader advancing wraparound, culturally responsive student support practices that promote student wellbeing, belonging, safety, academic skill development, and persistence. The role requires strong supervisory leadership, systems thinking, policy development expertise, and the ability to collaborate across academic and administrative units to strengthen proactive retention and campus climate response efforts

Requirements

• Master’s degree in Higher Education, Student Affairs, Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, Public Administration, Public Health, or a closely related field completed prior to start date.
• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in student support, case management, behavioral intervention, academic persistence, or related work in a higher education setting.
• Demonstrated experience supervising professional staff and/or complex teams engaged in high-stakes student support or retention-focused work.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences, with a strong focus on equity, access, and belonging.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, cultural humility, and trauma-informed practice.
• Strong leadership, interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex information and communicate clearly with senior leaders, staff, and campus partners.
• Proven ability to build collaborative relationships across academic affairs, enrollment management, student affairs, and compliance-related offices.
• Demonstrated critical thinking, sound judgment, and systems-level problem-solving, grounded in professionalism, integrity, and ethical decision-making that balances student advocacy with institutional responsibility.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, guide teams through ambiguity, and respond effectively in fast-paced, high-risk environments.
• Experience leading or supporting assessment, data analysis, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Proficiency with standard office technologies and student information or case management systems (e.g., Maxient or similar platforms).
• Knowledge of and adherence to legal and ethical privacy standards, including FERPA and related regulatory frameworks.

Nice To Haves

• Doctoral degree or terminal degree in a related field.
• Experience leading campus-wide retention, persistence, or student success initiatives.
• Advanced training or experience in behavioral intervention, threat assessment, restorative practices, or campus climate response.
• Familiarity with CAS Case Management Services standards and best practices.
• Experience partnering with Institutional Research or Enrollment Management to translate data into systems-level change.
• Ability to provide bilingual or multilingual support, particularly in Spanish.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Vision
• Supervision & Team Development
• Operational Oversight & Case Management Systems
• Care Team & Campus Climate Response Leadership
• Retention, Academic Persistence & Student Success
• Outreach & Community Engagement Leadership
• Policy Development, Compliance & Risk Management
• Assessment, Data & Continuous Improvement
• Participate as a contributing member of the University’s CARE Team and other cross-functional groups, providing systems-level consultation and leadership.
• Provide direct, non-clinical student support through guidance, problem-solving, and advocacy, consistent with role scope and office needs.
• Engage in ongoing professional development in student support leadership, retention strategy, behavioral intervention, equity-minded practice, and trauma-informed systems.
• Participate in the Student Affairs on-call rotation with other professional staff, offering consultative or, when necessary, in-person after-hours response to urgent student situations.
• Serve on divisional or university committees and initiatives related to student success, wellbeing, retention, and campus climate.
• Support key University and Student Affairs events that foster student belonging and engagement.
• Contribute to strategic planning, goal setting, evaluation, and assessment within the Division of Student Affairs.
• Perform other related duties as assigned in support of OSS, Student Affairs, and institutional goals.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off (for vacation, holidays—including winter break—and sick leave)
• Medical coverage with alternative care options (with in-network services covered at 100% after payroll deduction)
• Comprehensive dental and vision plans
• Generous retirement contribution after one year of service with no match required
• Free mental health appointments
• Tuition remission for employees and their dependent child(ren) who meet eligibility requirements
• On-campus benefits, including free access to our sports facility and library
• Discounts on campus food, bookstore purchases, clinic services, and outdoor program gear rentals (including kayaks, snowshoes, and bikes)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees