Assistant Director of Advising & Academic Success

Assistant Director of Advising & Academic Success

The Advising and Academic Success Center at Curry College is seeking an innovative and student‑focused Assistant Director of Advising and Academic Success to join our team. This dynamic role is integral to fostering the academic and personal development of first‑year and sophomore students. The Assistant Director, working with a team of Academic Success Coordinators, will provide leadership in designing and implementing impactful advising and academic success programs, collaborating with faculty and staff to enhance student retention, engagement, and achievement.

In consultation with the Director of Advising & Academic Success, the Assistant Director assists in the design, implementation, and assessment of initiatives related to undergraduate academic advising for traditional students, students on academic notice and concern, academically vulnerable students, and training and development for faculty and staff around academic advising and success. They provide proactive education and guidance to students, faculty, and families, directing them to appropriate institutional resources and assisting them in creating and adhering to plans for academic success.

Essential Functions

1. Operational Management:

• Monitor and respond to emails on the Academic Advising and Academic Success email accounts.
• Maintain and update Advising & Academic Success technology including the portal, web pages, Degree Works Plans, and Canvas Faculty Advising Handbook site.
• Work with the Director of Advising & Academic Success to develop, implement, and assess communications, trainings, and workshops for faculty, staff, and students related to Advising & Academic Success.
• Meet with students to develop, monitor, and evaluate student SAP educational plans in accordance with Satisfactory Academic Progress guidelines and serve on the SAP Appeal Review Committee.
• In coordination with the Associate Director of Advising & Academic Success develop, implement, and assess the Academic Success Program for students on Notice.
• Develop, implement, and assess academic programming for Undecided Students.
• Available to work nights and weekends at peak times for Academic Advising, Orientation, Welcome Weekend, Open House, Accepted Student Day, and Graduation to carry out tasks related to retention and student success, and represent the office at college events.
• Represent the needs and interests of Advising & Academic Success to committees, faculty, and institutional stakeholders in the absence of or at the direction of the Director of Advising & Academic Success.

2. Staff Oversight:

• Meet regularly, individually and as a group, with Academic Success Coordinators to develop unit and individual goals and plans for success.
• Assist Academic Success Coordinators as needed in developing interventions and solutions for students working with the office.
• Develop tools to be used by those in the office to track projects and tasks to completion.
• In coordination with the Director of Advising & Academic Success develop plans for coverage at weekend and evening events as needed.
• In coordination with the Director of Advising & Academic Success assign, review, and adjust the student caseloads for the Academic Success Coordinators.

3. Direct Service to Students and Families:

• Meet with families, faculty and students to resolve issues, and respond to concerns about college policies, procedures, and processes.
• Monitor and respond to Curry's centralized web‑based Academic Alert system as a means of coordinating early interventions with students.
• Monitor student progress, provide extensive outreach to students, and assist students with problem solving with a particular focus on connecting students with appropriate supports.
• Meet with students of academic concern to develop, monitor, and evaluate student SAP educational plans in accordance with Satisfactory Academic Progress guidelines.
• Meet with students on matters of academic integrity, grade appeal, and academic appeals.
• Communicate directly with students to positively impact timely graduation in partnership with the Registrar's Office.
• Serve as the primary academic advisor for a caseload of students.
• Assist with pre‑registration of new students, especially in relation to new student orientations.
• Provide proactive information to parents and families to guide expectations, and inform families about academic processes and policies.

4. Retention & Student Success Program Planning:

• Engage in networking across the institution to ensure students connect with appropriate resources to support their success. Collaborate with enrollment and financial student services, student affairs, academic support, technology, and others to coordinate and execute student retention strategies and outcomes based on best practices and institutional research.
• Collaborate with the Associate Director of Advising & Academic Success, in the development, execution, and evaluation of activities to support at‑risk students including workshops, print and web materials, and peer support. Coordinate such activities with other areas including First Year, Accessibility Services, Enrollment Management and Student Affairs.

Additional Functions:

• Respect and maintain confidentiality, parameters of operation, professional protocols, and individual privacy.
• Initiate independent actions and initiatives including creative problem‑solving with families and a keen awareness of program requirements and academic counseling options.
• Assess complex situations and respond with a clear, supportive and consistent message.
• Meet departmental and college‑wide deadlines while delivering a quality work product.
• Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor and/or their designee.

Job Requirements

Essential Characteristics:

• Displays a high degree of initiative for bringing tasks to successful completion and achieving stated goals.
• Communicates clearly, purposefully, and effectively in both written and verbal contexts. Possesses excellent organizational and time‑management skills to achieve optimal results.
• Demonstrates positive attitudes and behaviors through courtesy, congeniality, cooperation, sensitivity, and professionalism when dealing with a variety of individuals.
• Function independently, with high attention to detail, works under pressure, and prioritizes multiple projects.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master's degree minimum in Education, Counseling Psychology, or a related field.
• 3–5 years of experience in a higher education setting with sustained work providing advising and academic support and program planning for students. Experience educating families and students about academic issues.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, strong organizational skills, excellent customer service and interpersonal skills to effectively deal with a variety of individuals.
• Previous experience working with first‑year students.
• Demonstrable computing skills and efficiency utilizing complex computing applications on the systems and programs of the College's choice; for example, Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to follow up, follow through, multi‑task, set priorities and adhere to deadlines.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with Banner.
• Experience working with students and faculty around issues of teaching and learning at a small, liberal arts‑based college.
• Experience working with students on developmental learning in the context of an institution that recognizes and supports students with learning disabilities.
• Supervisory experience.

Salary Range

$65,000 to $75,000 annually

Additional Information

Committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff, Curry College will honor your experiences, perspectives, and unique identity. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable and welcoming.

At the College's discretion, the education and experience prerequisites may be excepted where the candidate can demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the College, an equivalent combination of education and experience specifically preparing the candidate for success in the position.

Employment in this position is contingent upon the successful completion of all required pre‑employment background checks.

Title IX Notice of Nondiscrimination

Curry College (the "College") does not discriminate on the basis of sex and prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity that we administer, as required by Title IX and its federal regulations, including in admission and employment.

The Non‑Discrimination Policy can be found at

The Sexual Misconduct Policy can be found at

Individuals who wish to make a complaint of discrimination or sex discrimination under Title IX, or those with information about conduct that may constitute discrimination or sex discrimination under Title IX may contact the Director of Title IX and Equity Compliance, the Office for Civil Rights, or both.

Inquiries about the implementation of Title IX and its federal regulations to the College may be referred to either or both offices listed below:

Ann Coyne, Director of Title IX and Equity Compliance: Office 122, King Academic Administrative Building, 55 Atherton Street Milton, MA 02186. (617) 333‑2212, [email protected].

Office of Civil Rights ("OCR"): Boston Office, Office for Civil Rights, US Department of Education, 9th Floor, 5 Post Office Square, Boston, MA 02109‑3921, Telephone: 617‑289‑0111, FAX: 617‑289‑0150; TDD: 800‑877‑8339, Email: [email protected].