DEAN, STUDENT SUCCESS

About the role

The Dean of Advising and Student Success is a full-time, exempt position under the supervision of the Vice President of Student Services. Under this role, the individual will provide leadership, supervision, and budget oversight for Advising, Running Start, Testing, Disability Services, and the Welcome Desk. This position is responsible for leading the student services division and improving the student experience through collaborative efforts.

Responsibilities

• Model and promote strong, ethical, compassionate, student-centered, and equity-minded leadership while fostering an inclusive culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Directly supervise assigned student affairs leaders and managers, including Assistant Director of Advising, Running Start Manager, Director of Disability Studies, Testing Center, Welcome Desk, professional advising staff, and other assigned personnel.
• Ensure all reporting departments work collaboratively with one another and with campus partners to provide integrated, coordinated, and student-centered services that support successful student entry, persistence, completion, and achievement.
• Provide strategic leadership for assigned Student Affairs departments by establishing organizational priorities, aligning resources, and promoting operational excellence in support of the college's Strategic Enrollment Management goals and institutional mission.
• Foster collaboration among Advising, Enrollment Services, Financial Aid, Disability Services, Running Start, Credentials, and instructional partners to ensure seamless student support and coordinated service delivery.
• Coordinate with Credentials Team, Registrar, and Enrollment Services to ensure efficient, accurate, and timely advising, registration, graduation evaluation, and student records processes.
• Participate in the Student Affairs and Instructional leadership teams, contributing to strategic planning, enrollment management, accreditation, institutional effectiveness, and student success initiatives.
• Provide strategic leadership for student retention, persistence, and completion initiatives aligned with the College Strategic Plan and Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) goals.
• Serve as primary lead for Registration Day development, management, implementation, and ongoing maintenance, including staffing and coordination with relevant departments (Enrollment Services, Financial Aid, etc.).
• Support the resolution of student complaints, academic grievances, appeals, and complex student concerns in accordance with college policies, collective bargaining agreements, and state and federal regulations.
• Oversee and manage state allocation, tuition, grant, and revenue budgets for supporting assigned Student Success departments.
• Support department leaders in developing, monitoring, and maintaining fiscally responsible budgets that align with institutional priorities and student success goals.
• Lead program review, assessment, strategic planning, and continuous improvement activities across assigned departments to inform resource allocation, operational planning, and student outcomes.
• Develop, monitor, and communicate key performance indicators, operational metrics, and student achievement data to support evidence-based planning and decision-making.
• Design, implement, and maintain effective processes, systems, and operational practices that enhance student access, enrollment, persistence, completion, and service excellence.
• Provide leadership for activities and projects across assigned student support departments while ensuring compliance with FERPA, ADA, Title IX, residency regulations, financial aid requirements, and other applicable federal, state, district, and college policies.
• Lead continuous operational improvement initiatives that enhance service delivery, student experience, and organizational effectiveness.
• Provide timely, responsive, and student-centered solutions to students, staff, faculty, and community partners.
• Exercise sound judgment, initiative, flexibility, humor, and attention to detail while resolving complex operational and student service issues.
• Coordinate and collaborate with Deans across Seattle Colleges, district leadership, and the ctcLink Campus Solutions Project Manager to improve and standardize enrollment and student services processes throughout the district.
• Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with campus and district partners to advance institutional priorities and improve cross-functional operations.
• Participate in hiring committees and selection processes for faculty, classified, exempt, and administrative positions.
• Represent the Vice President for Student Services on committees, task forces, and institutional initiatives as assigned.

Requirements

This is an exempt, non-represented civil service position. This position is typically scheduled to work Monday through Friday, 8am-5pm at the North Seattle College campus. The schedule may vary depending on department needs. May be required to work evenings and weekends as needed to support department needs.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or currently enrolled in a graduate program in Higher Education, Education, Leadership, Management, Student Development, or equivalent.
• At least seven (7) years of progressively responsible professional experience in higher education, student affairs, or equivalent.
• At least (5) years of supervisory experience managing multiple teams.
• Demonstrated commitment to quality customer service and ability to work in diverse environments with diverse student populations.

Skills and Abilities

• Proven leadership record
• Systems thinker
• Organized
• Ethics and integrity, sound decision-making and judgment, tact and diplomacy
• Effective project planning and management.
• Culturally competent

Physical Demands and Disability Accommodation

Persons with disabilities have the right to reasonable accommodation in all aspects of employment with Seattle Colleges. This includes, but is not limited to, recruitment, application, interviewing, hiring, training, termination, conditions of employment, and any other employer-supported activities. Applicants requesting accommodation should contact Human Resources.

Office Setting

Ability to operate office equipment, including a computer and telephone as needed to perform duties, receive and interpret data, and prepare various materials

Notice of Non-Discrimination Statement

Seattle Colleges is committed to the concept and practice of equal opportunity for all its students, employees, and applicants in education, employment, services and contracts, and does not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity, color, age, hair texture or protective hairstyles, national origin, religion, creed, marital status, sex, pregnancy, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation