Director Of Student Success

POSITION SUMMARY

The Baker School Office of Student Success is responsible for developing and maintaining the highest quality student experience for Baker School undergraduates, beginning with pre-collegiate interactions and recruiting, and extending through degree completion and job placement. The Director of Student Success (DSS), who reports directly to the Dean of the Baker School, sets a strategy to achieve this goal and manages a team of student success professionals in pursuit of this goal. The DSS works with the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Director of Undergraduate Studies, and the Executive Director of the Institute of American Civics (IAC) to create a holistic undergrad experience for Baker School majors and a best-in-class experience for all students in Baker School and IAC programs. This new position is responsible for ensuring each Baker student finds their own unique mix of challenge and opportunity at the school, developing academic and professional skills as well as a network to facilitate career success. In collaboration with the Director of Advancement, the DSS maintains ongoing engagement with the broader Baker network to build a community of partners committed to Baker student success. The DSS's success will be measured by meeting recruitment, retention, degree completion, and job placement targets.

FUNCTIONS/RESPONSIBILITIES

STRATEGIC PLANNING, TEAM LEADERSHIP, AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

• Sets a strategic plan for the Office of Student Success, in collaboration with Baker School leadership team, and effectively communicates the plan.

• Leads a team of four full-time student success professionals and numerous part-time contributors in executing the strategy.

• Measures OSS KPIs, evaluate needed tactical shifts, and ensures an environment of continuous improvement.

• Coaches the student success team as they progress through their careers in the Baker School, ensuring team members are meeting the highest professional standards and advancing their own career goals.

BUILDING AND MANAGING A BAKER COMMUNITY FOR STUDENT SUCCESS

• Builds and maintains a campus network to advance Baker student success. Serves as primary Baker liaison to financial aid, enrollment management, division of student success.

• Oversees Baker-specific student success initiatives, including retention programs, career readiness activities, and internship and job placement.

• Oversees the advising operations of the OSS, in collaboration with the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

• Oversees Baker student interactions with Baker School visitors.

• Maintains key external stakeholder interactions, including Baker alumni, for the purpose of building a Baker community for student success that supports internship placement, job placement, and career mentorship.

• Builds a strategy for parent interaction that advances student success.

OVERSIGHT OF RECRUITMENT, ENROLLMENT, AND ONBOARDING

• Oversees Baker School recruitment activities, including precollegiate efforts, in collaboration with the Education Outreach Program Manager, and others, ensuring the Baker School meets its undergraduate student recruitment goals.

• Oversees admission, enrollment, and scholarship award activities to ensure high quality students enroll at the Baker School.

• Oversees Baker School orientation and first year programs, including the Baker School Living Learning Community, to facilitate student retention.

OVERSIGHT OF BAKER EXPERIENTIAL AND ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES AND OPERATIONS

• Oversees OSS staff as they work with IAC faculty and staff to produce and integrate IAC co-curricular programs into the Baker School, ensuring these activities advance the strategic vision of the Baker School and the IAC.

• Oversees the student experiential and enrichment activities of the OSS, including study abroad trips, travel tours, clubs, and other co-curricular activities.

• Oversees OSS-managed selection processes for selective Baker School and IAC programs.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION: Master's Degree Required in Economics, political science, public policy, public administration, or other social science discipline

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES: Ability to innovate, collaborate and problem solve. Knowledge of academic programs in the fields of public policy, public administration, and public affairs. Understanding of University systems and procedures with respect to admissions, course scheduling, and advising. Ability to engage with students, faculty, staff, and administrators in coordinating and scheduling student success activities. Skilled in communication, collaboration, leadership, management, sound judgment, and negotiation; using innovative solutions to solve problems and modify solutions when competing policies are present. Ability to collaborate with unit directors in coordinating all student success activities. Ability to give presentations to different groups (e.g. K-12 administrators, students, teachers, counselors, families, etc) as needed.

EXPERIENCE: At least 6 years of experience in higher education, public policy, public administration, or a related field.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION: Doctoral Degree in Economics, political science, public policy, public administration, or other social science discipline

EXPERIENCE: Two years experience working in an administrative capacity in an academic setting. Experience within the field of Public Policy preferred.

APPLICATIONS

Applicants should submit the following:

• Cover letter

• Current resume

• List of three references

ABOUT THE BAKER SCHOOL

The Howard H. Baker Jr. School for Public Policy and Public Affairs (Baker School), was established in 2023 to honor the distinguished life and legacy of Howard H. Baker Jr., a former US Senator, Senate Majority Leader, White House Chief of Staff, and Ambassador to Japan. Located in a 51,000-sq. ft purpose-built facility, the Baker School evolved from the Baker Center, which for twenty years has operated as a think-tank producing research, public engagement programming, and an active set of student programs. The Baker School is very excited to add degree programs and to grow its research programming into independent research centers. In addition, the Baker School houses the Institute of American Civics, which is responsible for encouraging civic knowledge and civic participation among UT undergraduates and the state at large.