Columbia College Chicago
Director Student Success Center
Columbia College Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60290
Overview
Columbia College Chicago is an acclaimed undergraduate and graduate institution that provides a comprehensive education in the arts, communications, and public relations. The college is in the heart of Chicago, across from Grant Park, housed in iconic South Loop buildings. It seeks to innovate in education and support the success of young creatives. The college is a private urban institution with approximately 4,500 undergraduate and graduate students, offering a distinctive curriculum that blends liberal arts, creative and media arts, and business. The college is currently searching for a
Director of the Student Success Center . Under the direction of the Associate Vice President for Student Success, the Director provides strategic leadership for a centralized, student-focused hub that supports persistence, retention, and degree completion. The Student Success Center will house Persistence Initiatives, Academic Advising, Card Services, and Columbia Central, as well as flexible “pop-up” services and activities designed to holistically support student success. The Director will manage a team of professional staff dedicated to proactive, integrated student support, drawing upon human-centered design principles to strengthen the overall student experience. The Director will collaborate across Enrollment Management, Academic Affairs, and Student Services to ensure that all students receive coordinated, accurate, and timely support. Responsibilities
Direct and oversee student-facing services across the Student Success Center, including the Student Success Specialist/Columbia Central, Card Services, and related “pop-up” initiatives. Ensure seamless, proactive, and holistic service to students in matters related to financial aid, billing, registration, academic advising, veteran benefits, card services, and academic/financial appeals. Collaborate with Enrollment Management, Registrar, Academic Affairs, and Student Success leadership to align services with institutional policies, federal/state regulations, and student success best practices. Develop and manage strategic student outreach campaigns that identify and address enrollment and retention barriers; create scripts and communication flows to ensure consistent messaging. Assign caseloads of students to counselors and monitor outreach effectiveness. Prepare and deliver regular reports on retention and student satisfaction metrics to the Associate Vice President for Student Success. Oversee exception processes such as academic standing appeals, financial petitions, and professional judgment cases. Lead the implementation of flexible “pop-up” services to address emerging student needs throughout the academic year. Provide ongoing training, professional development, and performance management for staff to ensure service excellence. Maintain updated online resources, including the Student Success Center website and student portal content. Manage vendor relationships related to student support services. Lead, implement, and deliver mid-to complex projects as assigned, including needs assessments, timelines, resource identification, and stakeholder communication plans. Participate in professional development, project teams, and institutional committees. Perform other related duties and/or responsibilities as assigned or required. Qualifications
Master’s degree from an accredited institution in a related field required; Doctorate preferred. At least six (6) years of progressive higher education administration experience. At least four years of supervisory experience in Student Success, Academic Advising, Financial Services, Registrar, Graduate Student Engagement, or a One-Stop setting. Demonstrated experience leading, developing, and motivating diverse professional teams. Proven record of developing and implementing strategic initiatives to enhance student retention and success. Knowledge of federal and state financial aid regulations and registrar/academic support practices. Experience with student information systems and CRM platforms (Ellucian Colleague SaaS preferred). Knowledge of student development theory and emerging trends in student support. Strong interpersonal, communication, and collaboration skills, with the ability to work across units. Demonstrated organizational, problem-solving, and analytical abilities, with sound professional judgment. Flexibility, creativity, and innovation in addressing complex student success challenges. Applications for this position will close on October 31, 2025. Compensation and Benefits
Salary: Position Minimum Hourly Rate or Annual Salary: $85,000; Maximum: $102,500. The salary range reflects what we reasonably expect to pay for this position. Actual compensation offered or earned is dependent on experience, education and other factors including department budget. Columbia offers a rewarding work environment with competitive benefits including health, dental, and vision coverage; flexible spending accounts; commuter benefits; life and accidental death & dismemberment coverage; paid and unpaid leave options; work/life benefits; educational assistance programs; and retirement planning benefits. Additional information about benefits is available from the college. Additional Information
Position subject to a background screening This is a non-union position This is a full-time position This position is overtime ineligible Cover letter is required Qualified candidates of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Columbia College Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations concerning civil rights. The college does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law.
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Columbia College Chicago is an acclaimed undergraduate and graduate institution that provides a comprehensive education in the arts, communications, and public relations. The college is in the heart of Chicago, across from Grant Park, housed in iconic South Loop buildings. It seeks to innovate in education and support the success of young creatives. The college is a private urban institution with approximately 4,500 undergraduate and graduate students, offering a distinctive curriculum that blends liberal arts, creative and media arts, and business. The college is currently searching for a
Director of the Student Success Center . Under the direction of the Associate Vice President for Student Success, the Director provides strategic leadership for a centralized, student-focused hub that supports persistence, retention, and degree completion. The Student Success Center will house Persistence Initiatives, Academic Advising, Card Services, and Columbia Central, as well as flexible “pop-up” services and activities designed to holistically support student success. The Director will manage a team of professional staff dedicated to proactive, integrated student support, drawing upon human-centered design principles to strengthen the overall student experience. The Director will collaborate across Enrollment Management, Academic Affairs, and Student Services to ensure that all students receive coordinated, accurate, and timely support. Responsibilities
Direct and oversee student-facing services across the Student Success Center, including the Student Success Specialist/Columbia Central, Card Services, and related “pop-up” initiatives. Ensure seamless, proactive, and holistic service to students in matters related to financial aid, billing, registration, academic advising, veteran benefits, card services, and academic/financial appeals. Collaborate with Enrollment Management, Registrar, Academic Affairs, and Student Success leadership to align services with institutional policies, federal/state regulations, and student success best practices. Develop and manage strategic student outreach campaigns that identify and address enrollment and retention barriers; create scripts and communication flows to ensure consistent messaging. Assign caseloads of students to counselors and monitor outreach effectiveness. Prepare and deliver regular reports on retention and student satisfaction metrics to the Associate Vice President for Student Success. Oversee exception processes such as academic standing appeals, financial petitions, and professional judgment cases. Lead the implementation of flexible “pop-up” services to address emerging student needs throughout the academic year. Provide ongoing training, professional development, and performance management for staff to ensure service excellence. Maintain updated online resources, including the Student Success Center website and student portal content. Manage vendor relationships related to student support services. Lead, implement, and deliver mid-to complex projects as assigned, including needs assessments, timelines, resource identification, and stakeholder communication plans. Participate in professional development, project teams, and institutional committees. Perform other related duties and/or responsibilities as assigned or required. Qualifications
Master’s degree from an accredited institution in a related field required; Doctorate preferred. At least six (6) years of progressive higher education administration experience. At least four years of supervisory experience in Student Success, Academic Advising, Financial Services, Registrar, Graduate Student Engagement, or a One-Stop setting. Demonstrated experience leading, developing, and motivating diverse professional teams. Proven record of developing and implementing strategic initiatives to enhance student retention and success. Knowledge of federal and state financial aid regulations and registrar/academic support practices. Experience with student information systems and CRM platforms (Ellucian Colleague SaaS preferred). Knowledge of student development theory and emerging trends in student support. Strong interpersonal, communication, and collaboration skills, with the ability to work across units. Demonstrated organizational, problem-solving, and analytical abilities, with sound professional judgment. Flexibility, creativity, and innovation in addressing complex student success challenges. Applications for this position will close on October 31, 2025. Compensation and Benefits
Salary: Position Minimum Hourly Rate or Annual Salary: $85,000; Maximum: $102,500. The salary range reflects what we reasonably expect to pay for this position. Actual compensation offered or earned is dependent on experience, education and other factors including department budget. Columbia offers a rewarding work environment with competitive benefits including health, dental, and vision coverage; flexible spending accounts; commuter benefits; life and accidental death & dismemberment coverage; paid and unpaid leave options; work/life benefits; educational assistance programs; and retirement planning benefits. Additional information about benefits is available from the college. Additional Information
Position subject to a background screening This is a non-union position This is a full-time position This position is overtime ineligible Cover letter is required Qualified candidates of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Columbia College Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations concerning civil rights. The college does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law.
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