Director of Student Success

About the role

At Cotulla Education, home to the Aviation Institute of Maintenance, Centura College, Tidewater Tech, and American Lineman College, we are dedicated to transforming lives through hands-on, career-focused education. Our mission is to empower students to achieve their professional dreams in high-demand fields like aviation, healthcare, information technology, and skilled trades. With experienced faculty providing personalized support, our graduates emerge as future leaders ready to make a significant impact in their communities.

We are seeking a Director of Student Success to lead the day-to-day operations and performance of the campus Student Success and Career Services teams, with a focus on student retention, persistence, graduation, certification, and career outcomes. As a key member of the campus leadership team, this individual will oversee the student experience from enrollment through graduation and career placement. The Director will lead and develop Student Success and Career Services professionals while partnering closely with Academic leadership to identify barriers, support at-risk students, and help students stay on track toward program completion and career success. This is a highly metrics-driven role. We are looking for a hands-on leader who is comfortable analyzing student performance and outcome data, developing intervention strategies, coaching teams, and holding employees accountable to measurable results.

Responsibilities

• Lead Student Success
  • Develop and execute campus-wide retention and persistence strategies.
  • Monitor student attendance, engagement, academic progression, and barriers to completion.
  • Partner with Academic leadership to identify and support at-risk students.
  • Ensure proactive coaching and intervention plans are implemented throughout the student lifecycle.
• Drive Student Outcomes
  • Oversee student progress toward FAA certification milestones and graduation.
  • Ensure students remain on track for certification testing and program completion.
  • Monitor graduation requirements, certification progress, and completion metrics.
  • Lead graduation preparation, exit interviews, and transition planning.
• Lead Career Success
  • Oversee career coaching, resume development, interview preparation, and job search support.
  • Build relationships with employers and industry partners to expand career opportunities for students and graduates.
  • Monitor placement performance, including interviews, offers, employment verification, and graduate outcomes.
  • Guide Career Services staff to achieve placement goals and continuously improve performance.
• Develop High-Performing Teams
  • Supervise, coach, and develop Student Success and Career Services staff.
  • Set clear expectations, monitor performance, and hold team members accountable to student and career outcome goals.
  • Foster a collaborative, student-centered culture focused on accountability and results.
  • Partner closely with Campus Executive Directors, Academic leadership, and Corporate Student Success teams.
• Use Data to Improve Results
  • Monitor key performance metrics, including student retention, certification success, graduation rates, and graduate placement.
  • Analyze dashboards and reports to identify trends, barriers, and opportunities for improvement.
  • Develop and implement action plans based on performance data and student outcomes.
  • Ensure compliance with FAA, accreditation, institutional, and regulatory requirements.
• Represent Student Success Across Campus
  • Lead New Student Orientation presentations.
  • Coordinate career fairs, employer engagement events, and student success initiatives.
  • Participate in commencement ceremonies and Program Advisory Committee (PAC) meetings.
  • Support onboarding and training of new Student Success team members.
  • Collaborate across campus to promote student engagement, persistence, completion, and career readiness.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Minimum 3 years of leadership experience in Career Services, Student Success, Student Affairs, Academic Advising, Higher Education, or Workforce Development.
• Experience leading teams and driving measurable performance outcomes.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through ambiguity, balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution, build new processes, and drive continuous improvement.
• Strong analytical skills with experience using data to improve student success or performance outcomes.
• Excellent communication, coaching, and leadership skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, student-centered, performance-driven environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in one or more of the following areas:
  • Postsecondary or higher education
  • Technical or vocational education
  • Career college administration
  • Student retention and persistence
  • Graduate placement and employer engagement
  • Career coaching
  • Academic advising
  • Workforce development

Benefits

• 401(k) and Matching
• Comprehensive Health Coverage (Health, Dental, and Vision) from your first day of employment
• Life Insurance
• Parental Leave
• Paid Time Off
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program

Pay

Up to $110,000 per year, based on experience, qualifications, geographic location, and other relevant factors.