DIRECTOR OF ADVISING & STUDENT SUCCESS

About the Role

Cleveland State Community College is a comprehensive, two-year post-secondary institution located in Cleveland, Tennessee, committed to providing open access and quality education to all students. We are seeking a Director of Advising & Student Success to provide strategic leadership for the College's advising, student success, retention, persistence, early alert, and student intervention efforts.

Responsibilities

• Supervise, train, evaluate, and provide leadership to Student Success Advisors
• Develop and maintain advising policies, procedures, and service standards
• Develop advisor training and onboarding processes
• Oversee advising services, including academic planning, degree planning, registration assistance, and student success planning
• Manage complex advising issues and interpret institutional academic policies and procedures
• Evaluate advising services and recommend improvements to support student success
• Assign and monitor advisor caseloads to ensure equitable student support
• Develop and implement strategies to improve student retention, persistence, and completion
• Analyze student success data to identify trends and recommend improvements
• Work with academic and student support departments to address barriers to student success
• Monitor student success initiatives and recommend policy or process improvements
• Develop reports and recommendations to support College decision-making
• Establish and lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of the College's early alert and student intervention processes
• Establish and coordinate referrals and interventions for students needing academic or support services
• Work with faculty and campus departments to identify and coordinate timely intervention for at-risk students
• Monitor the effectiveness of early alert and intervention efforts using student success data
• Develop initiatives that promote student engagement, academic success, and persistence
• Oversee advising technologies, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and student success systems
• Maintain standards for advising documentation, data integrity, and operational procedures
• Evaluate advising processes and recommend improvements to services and operations
• Work with Information Technology and other departments to support advising systems
• Provide training and support related to advising systems and processes
• Prepare reports and dashboards that measure advising and student success outcomes
• Assess advising services and recommend improvements based on data
• Work with Institutional Research to monitor student success and institutional effectiveness
• Meet standards required or which may be required by the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC)
• Attend all college functions as required
• Serve on institutional committees as approved by the supervisor
• Pursue ongoing professional development
• Work extended hours during peak periods as needed
• Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution
• Minimum of six (6) years of experience in any combination of:
  • At least three (3) years of direct supervision of staff, defined as assigning work, evaluating performance, and providing guidance
  • At least three (3) years of financial aid experience (e.g., processing applications, counseling, awarding/adjusting FA packages, Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements, etc.)
  • Academic advising (e.g., counseling, registration, academic planning, monitoring academic progress, reviewing degree audits, etc.)
  • Enrollment management (e.g., admissions processing, enrollment reporting, course scheduling, evaluating enrollment outcomes, etc.)
  • Student success initiatives (e.g., implementing retention initiatives, monitoring progress/outcomes, early alert processing, facilitate workshops/programs, evaluate program practices, etc.)

Preferred Experience:

• Experience using Banner software
• Experience using Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) or financial management
• Experience with federal & state financial aid programs

Skills

• Effective interpersonal skills
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including public speaking
• Demonstrated proficiency with various software packages including Microsoft Office Suite
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment while maintaining accuracy, flexibility, and attention to detail
• Knowledge of professional staff supervision practices, including establishing expectations, conducting evaluations, coaching employees, and promoting accountability and continuous improvement
• Knowledge of academic advising, student development, retention strategies, early alert systems, case management, and practices that support student success
• Knowledge of student information systems, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platforms, data dashboards, and reporting tools used to analyze outcomes and support decision-making
• Ability to develop and implement policies, procedures, workflows, and initiatives that improve student progression, retention, completion, and operational effectiveness
• Ability to provide student-centered services, and maintain confidentiality while exercising sound professional judgment

Benefits

• Insurance: Health, Dental, Vision, Life, Disability (long and short term), FSA/H.S.A.
• Wellness Incentive Program (if enrolled in health)
• Educational Assistance: Fee Waiver, Spouse/Dependent Discounts, Tuition Reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program
• Longevity Pay
• Retirement Options: State of TN Pension (TCRS), 401a, 401k with $50 match, 403b, and 457
• Fourteen (14) Paid Holidays per year
• Sick and Annual Leave
• Sick Leave Bank
• State Employee Discount Program with over 900 merchants

Pay

Salary Range: $70,958 - $88,698 (Exempt / Full-Time)

Schedule

This is an on-site position based in the Student Services Building on the main campus of Cleveland State Community College in Cleveland, Tennessee. The role involves travel within the college's five-county service area and occasional travel throughout the state and nationally for meetings, conferences, and professional events.