This is a NON-CLASSIFIED employment opportunity. Visit the State of Colorado for Classified employment opportunities.
The Assistant Director of Retention will work collaboratively with staff in the Instructional Services, Student Services, and Student Experience and Equity Divisions. This position will provide a comprehensive set of support services designed to ensure the academic success of all new first-year and continuing students as measured by high retention and graduation rates, including equitable outcomes for first generation, low-income, and underrepresented students. This position will assist the Director of Retention in managing the college’s online New Student Orientation, conducting New Student Orientation programming, optimizing the use of EAB Navigate, and managing the work schedules, training, supervision, and evaluation of student staff.
Minimum Qualifications
- Completed Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.
- Three years of professional level experience in post-secondary or higher education student support services, orientation programs, academic advising, or student retention.
- Demonstrated ability to work with underrepresented student populations with efforts to close the opportunity gap.
- Experience with higher education technology platforms and ability to work with evolving technology to meet college needs.
Professional level experience is defined by the Colorado Division of Human Resources: A position that involves the exercise of discretion, analytical skill, judgment, personal accountability, and responsibility for creating, developing, integrating, applying, or sharing an organized body of knowledge. Colorado revised statute (C.R.S. 24-50-135(1) allows colleges to exempt positions from the State Personnel Classified System that are determined to be professional level work.
Preferred Qualifications
- Completed Master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in post-secondary/higher education student affairs, post-secondary leadership, organizational management, psychology, education, educational psychology, or a closely related field.
- Bilingual in Spanish.
- Experience working with EAB Navigate or a similar student support technology system.
- Project management experience.
- Two years of direct management or supervisory experience.
- Experience providing excellent customer service in a multi-cultural and diverse higher education setting.
- Understanding of the challenges community college students face while onboarding into a college community.
- Demonstrated experience effectively communicating and building rapport with a diverse population of faculty, staff, and students.
For full consideration, all application materials must be received by 4:00 p.m. on October 29, 2024. Applications accepted until position is filled.
Must be a State of Colorado resident or able to relocate to Colorado prior to first date of employment.
Application Instructions: Application must be submitted online. Incomplete applications may not receive full consideration. A complete application will include:
- Cover letter - Address the minimum and preferred qualifications in the order listed on the job announcement.
- Resume - Reflect experience, education, knowledge, skills, and abilities.
- Unofficial Transcripts - Unofficial transcripts for all degrees conferred. Official transcripts are required if hired for the position.
- Professional References - Provide names and contact information for three recent professional references who can address your expertise and background for this position.
This position may be eligible for a variety of employee benefits. Pikes Peak State College participates in the Colorado Public Employees' Retirement Association (PERA) contribution rates.
Note: Prior submission of application materials will not be considered.
Essential Functions
RETENTION MANAGEMENT
New Student Orientation
- Support the director in the design, development, maintenance, and implementation of student success and retention training sessions, reporting, communications plans, and administrative processes for the successful conduct of online and in-person orientation programs for new and returning students.
- Collaborate with Instructional Services, Student Services, and Student Experience teams across four campuses and two education centers to develop, optimize, and promote systems, protocols, and standards that ensure students receive consistent, proactive, and effective support and resources that improve achievement, engagement, retention, and graduation outcomes.
- Review and regularly update videos, websites, and other New Student Orientation content.
- Collaborate with other Student Services departments during the post-admission and pre-enrollment period in offering training workshops/videos/modules in financial aid literacy, course registration, end-user technology, computer literacy, add/drop/withdraw procedures, and other first-year training sessions.
Student Success Support
Recruit, hire, train, supervise, and evaluate student staff supporting workshops and interactive seminars designed to increase retention rates such as:
- Understanding and use of technology (Office 365, D2L).
- Development of time management strategies.
- Navigating institutional resources that promote academic success (Advising Services, Financial Aid, ACCESSibility Services, TRIO, Career Services, Single Stop, Student Experience services, Counseling Services, Tutoring et al.).
TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT, PROJECT MANAGEMENT
- Support a central care network made up of distinct programs in PPSC departments that provide retention services to students, including but not limited to, Advising & Testing, Financial Aid, MVP, the Learning Commons, COSI, Career Services, Counseling Services, Promise Programs, TRIO, and Student Experience.
- Monitor systems to ensure efficiency and effectiveness by collecting and analyzing performance data and user feedback.
- Develop work processes, implement software, and research other system initiatives designed to improve and increase retention rates and academic program completion.
- Collaborate with the director and assistant director of advising to establish, track, measure, analyze, and report key performance indicators native to EAB Navigate, including academic risk management, resolution of issues negatively impacting retention, and delivery of resources promoting academic success.
- Develop and maintain a handbook of best retention practices, campus-wide retention operations, and support services reference materials.
- Develop and lead student success initiatives based on qualitative and quantitative data analyses and assessments (polling, surveys, etc.).
- Provide EAB Navigate training to faculty on the availability, response to, and use of tools, such as Early Alert campaigns, scheduling tools, Hand Raise feature, and Progress Reports.
- Develop Super-User proficiency and knowledge of the EAB Navigate platform to offer:
- Onboarding new users o Updating current users on new features.
- Updating user access and performing security audits as needed (i.e., removing former employees, changing user roles and responsibilities, etc.).
- Developing infographics to clarify features, tools, and appropriate usage.
- Preparing and updating useful documentation and manuals for the use of EABNavigate360.
- Providing training for external partners as requested.
COLLABORATION
- Actively participating with CCCS and state committees and keeping the college informed of changes in state student success policies.
- Collaborate with other CCCS colleges and their retention programs, use of EAB Navigate and other retention technology, and student success practices by actively participating on related committees.
- Actively engage with professional national organizations such as NODA to stay informed of current practices.
- Promote a work environment that provides the highest standard in customer service to students, faculty, and staff, in-person, telephone, and online engagement that fosters a positive work environment.
- Work effectively with college faculty and staff, in developing and maintaining collegial, trusting relationships for the efficient and effective coordination of student success and support services.
- Establish a scheduled reporting system and the distribution of retention documentation of each individual PPSC campus.
General Duties, Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities
- Cultural competence and demonstrated evidence, understanding, and commitment to the concepts of diversity, multiculturalism, and their application in the workplace.
- Ability to analyze situations and make appropriate, innovative, and responsible decisions.
- Ability to design, implement, and monitor departmental goals and assessment activities as they relate to and support college strategic goals.
- Ability to foster and maintain strong relationships with state agencies and other educational institutions.
- Ability to travel to multiple campuses and off campus locations.
- Ability to work independently or as a member of the Educational Equity & Retention team, as well as with the faculty, students, and staff of the college community in a collegial and professional manner.
- Demonstrated evidence and understanding of the concepts of diversity and multiculturalism and their application in the workplace and higher education.
- Ability to effectively respond to inquiries from a diverse population of students, parents, staff, and the business community.
- Knowledge of project management principals in order to manage multiple, competing priorities and initiatives.
- Quantitative analysis, data literacy, and data-informed decision-making skills.
- Strong working knowledge of EAB Navigate, Banner (INB and SSB) or a similar Student Information System, and Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Access, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint).
- Supervisory experience with the ability to hire, train, and direct employees and student staff effectively.
As part of the State of Colorado, PPSC offers a competitive benefits package:
This job description reflects Pikes Peak State College’s best effort to describe the essential duties and qualifications of the job. It is not an exhaustive statement of all the duties, responsibilities or qualifications of the job. This document is not intended to exclude an opportunity for modifications consistent with providing reasonable accommodation.
EEO Statement: Pikes Peak State College is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Americans with Disabilities Act institution. We value diversity, strive for a more unified campus where all people are valued, treated fairly, and possess a sense of belonging. Pikes Peak State College encourages minorities, women, veterans and persons with disabilities to apply.
