TITLE:Director of Student Success and Retention
DEPARTMENT:Student Success
REPORTS TO:Vice President Enrollment Management and Student Success
CLASSIFICATION:Staff-12 months
EFFECTIVE DATE:TBD
STANDARD WORK HOURS:37.5 hours per week
LOCATION On-Site-Main Campus
EMPLOYMENT STATUS:Full-Time
EMPLOYMENT CLASSIFICATION:Exempt
The Director of Student Success and Retention provides strategic leadership for the development, implementation, assessment, and continuous improvement of university-wide student success and retention initiatives. The Director is responsible for creating and coordinating programs, services, and interventions that promote student persistence, academic achievement, engagement, and degree completion. This position collaborates extensively with faculty, staff, administrators, and students to support student success from enrollment through graduation.
The Director serves as a key leader in the University's efforts to improve student retention, progression, and completion outcomes through data-informed decision-making, proactive student support strategies, and coordinated campus-wide engagement initiatives.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
- Provides overall leadership and management of the Department of Student Success and Retention.
- Supervises professional academic advisors, retention specialists, transfer advisors, and other assigned personnel.
- Develops, implements, and evaluates comprehensive student success and retention strategies designed to improve student persistence, academic performance, and graduation rates.
- Provides strategic leadership, coordination, and oversight for student success initiatives, advising support services, retention programming, and intervention efforts.
- Serves as the primary point of contact for university-wide student success and retention initiatives, including new student transition programs, transfer student support, academic intervention programs, and related activities.
- Utilizes institutional data, predictive analytics, and assessment measures to identify student success trends and develop evidence-based strategies to improve outcomes.
- Oversees the collection, analysis, reporting, and dissemination of student success and retention data to support institutional planning and effectiveness.
- Coordinates campus-wide retention efforts in collaboration with academic colleges, enrollment management, student affairs, and other university departments.
- Oversees strategic communication and outreach efforts designed to connect students with available resources and support services.
- Serves as the application administrator and functional lead for retention and student success software platforms.
- Develops and maintains policies, procedures, and best practices related to student success and retention initiatives.
- Manages departmental budgets and assists with grant development and reporting activities as appropriate.
- Coordinates activities and prepares reports related to institutional effectiveness, accreditation, and strategic planning initiatives.
- Represents the University at meetings, conferences, professional organizations, and community events as assigned.
- Maintains a visible on-campus presence and regularly engages with students, faculty, and staff to support student success initiatives and foster meaningful relationships across the University community.
- Regular, reliable, and in-person attendance on campus is an essential function of this position to facilitate collaboration, student engagement, supervision, program administration, and participation in campus activities and events.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:
- Thorough knowledge of student success, retention, academic support, and higher education best practices.
- Knowledge of student development principles and strategies that promote student persistence and degree completion.
- Ability to become knowledgeable regarding Kentucky State University policies, academic requirements, student support services, and institutional procedures.
- Strong leadership, organizational, project management, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to analyze, interpret, and communicate complex data and assessment results.
- Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal, and presentation skills.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, faculty, staff, administrators, and external stakeholders.
- Ability to effectively support and serve students from a wide variety of backgrounds, experiences, and educational needs.
- Ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and handle sensitive information appropriately.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and student success, advising, retention, and data management systems.
- Ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
- Ability to interpret and communicate university policies, procedures, and applicable federal and state regulations.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY:
This position has direct supervisory responsibility for assigned professional and support staff.
OTHER DUTIES:
- Performs other duties as assigned.
- May be required to work evenings and weekends to support student programs, events, orientation activities, retention initiatives, and other university functions.
- Participates in commencement ceremonies, student engagement activities, and other campus events as required.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Required:
- Master's degree in Higher Education Administration, Student Affairs, Education, Counseling, Public Administration, Communication, Business Administration, or a related field.
- Five (5) years of progressively responsible professional experience in student success, retention, academic advising, student affairs, enrollment management, or a closely related area.
- Demonstrated experience developing, implementing, assessing, and improving student success or retention initiatives.
- Demonstrated experience supervising professional staff and managing programs or services.
Preferred:
- Experience with retention management systems, student success technologies, and predictive analytics platforms.
- Experience utilizing institutional data to drive strategic planning and student success initiatives.
- Experience in a higher education environment with responsibility for retention, advising, or student support programs.
Licensing and Certifications: None Required.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
- This position operates primarily in a professional office environment located on campus.
- Regular interaction with students, faculty, staff, and visitors is required.
- Significant in-person collaboration, student engagement, and participation in campus activities are essential components of the position.
- Evening and weekend work may be required to support university programs, events, and operational needs.
- Occasional travel may be required for conferences, professional development, training, and networking opportunities.
Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the United States. At this time, Kentucky State University is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa
Internal candidates are encouraged to apply.
KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY is an Equal Opportunity Employer
The functions, qualifications, knowledge/skills, and physical requirements listed in this job description represent the essential duties of the job, which the incumbent must be able to perform either with or without reasonable accommodation. The Job Functions listed do not necessarily include all activities that the individual may perform.
