Assistant Vice President for Student Success and Academic Engagement

The Assistant Vice President for Student Success and Academic Engagement provides strategic and visionary leadership to advance institutional goals related to student retention, persistence, academic engagement, and graduation. Serving as a key leader within Academic Affairs, the Assistant Vice President oversees a comprehensive portfolio of student success initiatives, collaborates closely with faculty and academic administrative partners, and ensures the delivery of high-impact, student-centered practices that promote equitable and measurable learning outcomes.
The Assistant Vice President also leads the development, analysis, and dissemination of student success, retention, and academic achievement reporting in partnership with Institutional Research, Enrollment Management, and other campus units. This work ensures consistent, accurate, and actionable data aligned with SACSCOC expectations, institutional effectiveness processes, and university-wide decision-making.
The position leads the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of programs, policies, and services that support academic achievement, proactive intervention, and instructional and advising excellence. The Assistant Vice President fosters a culture of collaboration, accountability, and innovation across departments to strengthen the student academic experience from initial enrollment through degree completion.

Job Description

Duties and Tasks:  

• Develop and implement clear goals and measurable objectives aimed at improving undergraduate and graduate student retention, persistence, and timely degree completion. 

• Provide strategic leadership for campus-wide student success initiatives that align with the University’s mission, vision, values, and strategic plan. 

• Coordinate and lead cross-functional initiatives to identify barriers to student success and implement evidence-based interventions that improve retention and graduation rates. 

• Oversee the development and execution of high-impact practices and targeted retention strategies that support student belonging, academic resilience, and progression. 

• Direct improvements to early-alert systems, outreach procedures, case management practices, and intervention points across the student lifecycle. 

• Support seamless student pathways from admission and onboarding through advising, academic progression, and completion. 

• Promote effective collaboration with student-facing departments including admissions, academic affairs, student affairs, advising, financial aid, and athletics to enhance student support. 

• Lead the creation and monitoring of service-level agreements with colleges, departments, and administrative offices to improve the consistency and responsiveness of student services. 

• Partner with faculty and academic leaders to integrate student success strategies into advising, teaching, academic policy, and curriculum design. 

• Oversee the use of data dashboards, retention and persistence tracking, and predictive analytics to inform decision-making and resource allocation. 

• Implement systems for assessing needs, measuring efforts, and evaluating the impact of student success programs and initiatives, using results to drive continuous improvement. 

• Ensure effective communication and promotion of student success programs and services to students, faculty, and staff. 

• Stay current on national trends and best practices related to student success, retention, advising, and predictive analytics, applying insights to strengthen institutional effectiveness. 

• Recruit, develop, supervise, and evaluate staff, building a strong team committed to the University’s mission, values, and a student-centered approach. 

• Cultivate a customer-focused, student-centered culture that emphasizes collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement. 

• Lead, manage, and operate in alignment with the University’s core values of community, respect, integrity, excellence, personal development, and responsible stewardship. 

• Lead the planning, launch, and ongoing enhancement of a one-stop student support model that consolidates key services and removes administrative, academic, and financial barriers to student success. 

• Coordinate cross-unit efforts to streamline processes within the one-stop environment to reduce student runaround and improve service efficiency. 

• Establish and monitor performance metrics, service expectations, and student experience indicators to evaluate the effectiveness of the one-stop model. 

• Oversee the implementation and effective use of academic support technologies and platforms that enhance advising, early alerts, student engagement, communication, and academic progress tracking. 

• Develop and evaluate additional initiatives related to student retention and academic success as assigned. 

• Prepare and present reports, proposals, and analyses related to retention, persistence, and student support metrics. 

• Perform other related duties as required. 

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:  

Knowledge:  

• Master’s degree from an accredited college or university. 

• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience administering academic advising, academic support services, retention initiatives, or student academic success programs within an academic affairs or related academic support environment. 

• Doctorate or appropriate terminal degree from a regionally accredited institution preferred. 

• Significant relevant leadership experience in areas such as academic advising, academic support, student success initiatives, retention and persistence strategy, learning support services, or similar academic-support functions with demonstrated progressive management responsibility. 

• Demonstrated ability to use data analytics, assessment, and evidence-based practices to strengthen student success outcomes. 

• Experience collaborating with academic departments, faculty, and administrative offices to improve student progression and degree completion. 

• Proven track record of leading initiatives that produce measurable gains in student retention, persistence, and degree completion. 
   

Skills:  

• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to listen effectively, build consensus, and keep constituents informed of policies, plans, and institutional vision. 

• Proven strengths in professional writing, delivering presentations, and managing complex projects. 

• Demonstrated ability to extract, analyze, and interpret student success data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for targeted interventions. 

• Proficient with student communication and case-management platforms (e.g., early alert systems, student engagement CRMs, or advising management tools)  

• Experience administering and optimizing AI-driven student support tools, including managing content, monitoring performance, and improving response quality for platforms like the Leonova student success chatbot. 

Abilities:  

• Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively with key stakeholders and constituent groups and foster the spirt of engagement. 

• Demonstrated ability to develop effective programs and services. 

• Ability to use technology to analyze data, manage projects, and facilitate decision-making. 

• Ability to use all products in the Microsoft Office Suite including Work, Excel, and PowerPoint. 

• Ability to balance many tasks and responsibilities simultaneously. 

• Ability to excel in a customer-centric culture. 

ENVIRONMENT:   

The work environment characteristics described here are a representation of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  The term “qualified individual with a disability” means an individual with a disability who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of this position. 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to communicate professionally in person, over the telephone, through email and other electronic means, move about the office and University, handle various type of media and equipment, and visually or otherwise identify, observe and assess.   The employee is occasionally required to lift up to 10 pounds unless otherwise specified in the job description. 

NOTICE: 

 
The intent of this job description is to provide a representation of the types of duties and responsibilities that will be required of positions given this title and shall not be construed as a declaration of the total specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position.  Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.  Saint Leo University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and embraces diversity as a critical step in ensuring employee, student and graduate success.   

Why Work at Saint Leo?

What it’s Like to Work Here:  Ask our employees and the one word they’d use to describe working at Saint Leo University is “Community.” Our team members all share the Saint Leo core values, positive attitudes, and problem-solving abilities, enabling them to provide excellent student centered service. Our mission is educating and preparing students for life and leadership in a challenging world.  Thank you for your interest in joining the Saint Leo PRIDE!

We are committed to providing our employees with the support they need. At Saint Leo, we offer an array of medical, dental, and vision packages as well as several add-on perks to make your benefits package truly customizable to you and your family needs. Available benefits based on employment status (Full Time vs Part Time).

• FREE Tuition - Employee, Spouse, and Dependents*
• Tuition Exchange Opportunity - Dependent of Employees*
• Generous Paid Leave - Sick, Vacation, and Holidays
• Comprehensive Group Health Plan (Medical, Dental, and Vision)
• Group Medical Plan includes Teledoc, Surgery Plus, Wellness Incentive Program and more!
• 100% Employer-Funded Health Reimbursement Account
• 100% Employer-Paid Short Term Disability Insurance
• 100% Employer-Funded Employee Assistance Program (healthcare and dependent options)
• Employer-provided life insurance
• Discounted On-Campus Dining Meal Plans
• Nationwide Pet Insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• 403b Retirement Plan
• Wellness Center

*Eligibility based on meeting required service period

2025 ICUBA Benefits Guide_St Leo