Senior Vice Provost for Student Success (SVPSS)
About The Position
Penn State seeks a visionary, collaborative, and results-oriented leader to serve as its inaugural Senior Vice Provost for Student Success (SVPSS). Reporting directly to the Executive Vice President and Provost, the SVPSS will be the University's chief strategist for student success and lead an institution-wide effort to improve student persistence, retention, graduation, career readiness, post-graduate success, and preparation for civic engagement. The SVPSS will lead the new Office for Student Success, a central coordinating hub for existing and new student success functions. The leader will develop and implement a university-wide strategy, establish shared goals and accountability measures, strengthen collaboration across colleges, campuses, and administrative units, and champion effective use of data, analytics, and emerging technologies to improve student outcomes. The role will also advance coordinated advising and student support, structured academic pathways, high-impact learning, career readiness, and equitable access to opportunities across Penn State's multi-campus community. The successful candidate will bring substantial experience engaging the academic enterprise and advancing student success in partnership with faculty, staff, and academic leadership. Penn State is open to considering a tenured faculty appointment for candidates whose academic credentials, scholarly accomplishments, and experience support such an appointment, consistent with University policies.
Requirements
- Earned doctorate or equivalent terminal degree.
- Substantial experience engaging the academic enterprise and advancing student success in partnership with faculty, staff, and academic leadership.
- Demonstrated success leading complex organizations and large-scale change.
- Demonstrated ability to build partnerships and consensus.
- Demonstrated ability to use data and evidence to guide decisions and translate vision into measurable results.
- Deep commitment to student achievement, access, belonging, and equitable outcomes.
- Integrity, sound judgment, and strong communication skills.
Nice To Haves
- Candidates may be considered for a tenured faculty appointment if their academic credentials, scholarly accomplishments, and experience support such an appointment, consistent with University policies.
Responsibilities
- Lead the University's institution-wide effort to improve student persistence, retention, graduation, career readiness, post-graduate success, and preparation for civic engagement.
- Lead the Office for Student Success as a central coordinating hub for existing and new student success functions.
- Develop and implement a university-wide student success strategy.
- Establish shared goals and accountability measures.
- Strengthen collaboration across colleges, campuses, and administrative units.
- Promote effective use of data, analytics, and emerging technologies to improve student outcomes.
- Advance coordinated advising and student support, structured academic pathways, high-impact learning, career readiness, and equitable access to opportunities across Penn State's multi-campus community.
- Engage the academic enterprise and advance student success in partnership with faculty, staff, and academic leadership.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Executive
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
