Academic Director

Job Description

Job Description

About the Role  

As the Academic Director at Mansfield Hall, you will support neurodivergent young adults as they build the academic, executive functioning, and self-advocacy skills needed for college and adulthood. 

Our students are bright, capable, and full of potential. Many are navigating learning, attention, social, or executive functioning differences that make traditional college environments hard to manage on their own. They are not looking for someone to do the work for them. They need structure, coaching, accountability, and steady support from people who believe they can grow. 

That is where this role matters! 

You will work directly with students to help them manage coursework, organize assignments, plan registration, communicate with professors, use campus resources, and build practical systems for follow-through. You will also partner with families, collaborate with campus partners, and support staff in understanding each student’s academic plan and growth goals. 

This role is about more than grades. Academic progress is often where deeper growth becomes visible. Students learn how to ask for help, recover from setbacks, communicate more clearly, manage stress, and take increasing ownership of their lives. 

You will be a strong fit for this role if you care deeply about young adults, enjoy building systems, communicate well with families and teams, and can balance support with clear expectations. 

As Academic Director, you will:  

• Coach students through academic planning, coursework management, executive functioning, self-advocacy, and college success skills. 

• Meet individually with students to help them organize assignments, manage deadlines, prepare for registration, access accommodations, and use campus resources effectively. 

• Build individualized support plans that help students move toward greater independence over time. 

• Track academic progress, anticipate barriers, and help students respond before small issues become larger problems. 

• Communicate regularly with families and stakeholders about student progress, concerns, strengths, and support strategies. 

• Collaborate with college partners, accessibility offices, academic support centers, and internal Mansfield Hall staff. 

• Supervise, coach, and develop staff as assigned. 

• Provide training and guidance to direct support staff around learning differences, executive functioning, academic development, and self-advocacy. 

• Participate in team meetings, Director meetings, community meetings, and the on-call rotation. 

• Represent the academic program during tours, admissions conversations, and public-facing events as needed. 

You’ll be a great fit if:  

• You take pride in helping young adults build confidence and independence. 

• You understand that academic challenges are often connected to executive functioning, emotional regulation, communication, and self-advocacy. 

• You believe students need both compassion and accountability. 

• You can support students without rescuing them from every hard moment. 

• You are organized and able to keep track of details, plans, deadlines, and communication across multiple students. 

• You communicate clearly with families, especially when situations are nuanced or emotionally charged. 

• You enjoy coaching staff and helping a team get aligned around student needs. 

• You bring calm to complexity. 

• You are comfortable when progress is not linear. 

• You believe the goal is not just helping students get through a semester but helping them build skills that last beyond Mansfield Hall. 

You might not be a good fit if:  

• You are looking for a traditional academic advising role focused mostly on course selection and registration. 

• You prefer working only with students and not with families, staff, or outside partners. 

• You are uncomfortable holding students accountable when they are struggling. 

• You need every day to be predictable. 

• You prefer quick fixes over long-term skill-building. 

• You find it frustrating when growth is slow, uneven, or hard to measure right away. 

How We Care for Our Staff  

At Mansfield Hall, caring for students starts with caring for the people who support them. 

This is meaningful work, but it is also human work. It takes patience, judgment, emotional steadiness, and real energy. We do not want staff to feel like they have to carry that alone. 

Mansfield Hall offers paid time off, a paid two-week Winter Break, medical insurance options, dental and vision coverage, employer-funded wellness dollars, disability coverage, life insurance, 401(k) retirement savings, meals and drinks during on-site shifts, cell phone and internet support, and reimbursement for required work expenses. 

Just as important, we work to build a culture where staff are trusted, supported, and treated as full human beings. We value rest, clear communication, shared responsibility, and a team environment where people step in for one another. 

Qualifications  

• Bachelor’s degree in behavioral sciences or related fields required. Graduate degree preferred. 

• Three to five years of experience supporting diverse learners or working in higher education, student development, coaching, residential programming, disability support, behavioral health, or a related field. 

• Experience managing direct reports, mentoring staff, or working in a team-based support model. 

• Strong organizational, communication, documentation, and relationship-building skills. 

• Ability to support students, families, colleagues, and campus partners with professionalism and care. 

• Commitment to inclusive, student-centered programming and positive team culture. 

• Equivalent combinations of education and experience will be considered. 

Compensation  

Pay: $55,000 - $60,000 per year 

Job Type: Full-time