Student Success Coach

SUMMARY

The Student Success Coach is a full-time staff member reporting to the Executive Director for Retention and Student Outcomes. The Student Success Coach plays a critical and supportive role in strengthening the success center’s efforts to provide the level of student academic performance to attain university’s retention and degree completion goals.  Student Success Coaches will work with all newly enrolled and continuing freshmen students, especially addressing the needs of students who are at a higher risk of attrition and/or failure, with the expectation that proactive early outreach and advisement to these students will reinforce their engagement and increase their likelihood of success.  Based on interests, education and work experience, each Student Success Coach is expected to specialize in and represent the Center for Student Success in one of the discreet student services, i.e. ADA, Title IX, retention, career services, that is vitally necessary to ensure that all students have an opportunity to persist and achieve success.

The Success Coach offers a structured, collaborative approach in providing a mix of student services, various advisement methods and a diverse group of professional resources to which student are referred to support academic success. Success Coaches provide services to prospective students from point of inquiry through application to the university, program selection/admission and enrollment. 

Success Coaches will be assigned to a specific academic division and will be expected to serve students majoring in a plan of study under their division and as such will specialize in the academic pathways, course prerequisites, sequences of course offerings of their assigned division.

Success Coaches support students by working closely with both first-year faculty to design transitional pedagogy and instructors of the college success course to assist students in improving their academic behavior and avoid barriers to persistence. 

The Success Coach’s overall goal is to play an integral role in the development of a first-year-experience (FYE) that teaches the student to successfully navigate a plan of study to attain their academic and vocational goals. 

Success Coaches are expected to demonstrate a working knowledge of Banner, Moodle learning platform and other such student success programs used by academic advisors/coaches and student support personnel to support student success.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Participate in planning and carrying out the SUSLA new student orientation in Fall, Spring and Summer
• Assist students with determining long-term educational and career objectives
• Help students to set short-term goals to meet their long-term objectives
• Assist students in setting career goals and facilitate referrals to the career center, service learning personnel when necessary.
• Support students in managing any anxiety they feel about pursuing a postsecondary program, and setting expectations for their academic behavior and performance
• Help students develop, manage and change their degree plan
• Educate students regarding Satisfactory Academic Progress guidelines
• Refer students to appropriate learning resources, specialized counseling for addressing socio/economic issues, stress and other such areas requiring professional interventions, when necessary
• Refer students to appropriate university departments (, Career Services, Tutorial Services, i.e. special remediation labs for English, Math, Library, etc.)
• Develop relationships between the student, faculty, and student services
• Work with students to assess and improve their preparation skills for academic tasks
• Assist students in assessing and improving general planning skills
• Work with students to maintain an appropriate life balance (family, work, school, etc.)
• Encourage and motivate students as they encounter critical moments
• Help students to improve critical thinking skills
• Provide positive verbal reinforcement for student accomplishments in the classroom and send notes at milestones
• Receive, process, track and resolve student performance alerts
• Advise students in both individual and group settings, teach students study skills and learning strategies to facilitate student success
• Monitor, analyze and report student progress and retention
• Regularly updates supervisor on overall student performance trends and identified needs
• Makes recommendations for process and quality improvements to the Center for Student Success.
• Maintains an established work schedule, including occasional evenings and/or weekends as required by Center for Student Success planning and operational needs
• Represent the Center for Student Success at recruiting events
• Teach up to three (3) University College Success courses per semester as an adjunct, which assists students in achieving academic success; provides personal resources to achieve academic and professional goals; and creates a learning community of first-time freshmen
• Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor
• Other: Some travel may be required.

 

MINIMUM EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Master’s degree in Academic Advising, Counseling, Education Administration or related fields from an accredited college or university
• 3 years student academic advising experiences of persons enrolled or preparing to enroll in a postsecondary institution or in areas such as career planning, education planning, or counseling in higher education
• Exceptional communication skills both oral and writing, specifically including organizational and analytical skills, use of personal computers and demonstrated knowledge of university systems and student programs for registration, student services and financial aid.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Knowledge of relevant student development theories and application of that knowledge in developing a robust philosophy of advising that includes prescriptive, developmental, coaching, and teaching approaches
• Knowledge of relevant academic programs and career pathways, the range and structure of majors, general education, and school and college requirements
• Experience in the interpretation of academic policies, regulations, and procedures
• Experience using data to plan, manage, and assess a program
• Proficiency with technology (EAB Navigate, Banner, Canvas, etc.)

 

TYPE: Full-time

COMPENSATION: $37,500-$47,500

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Review of applications begins September 8, 2025 and continues until position is filled.

• The application can be filled out online at SUSLA's Application for Employment
• Please attach cover letter, resume, transcript(s), and three references to application.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the duties.

 

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