Assistant Director of Academic Initiatives - Academic Success Center - UTK

The Academic Success Center seeks a strategic and student-centered leader to serve as the Assistant Director for Academic Initiatives, a position uniquely positioned to strengthen academic recovery support and advance strategic priorities across the Academic Success Center.

The Assistant Director provides operational leadership for academic recovery programs, with direct oversight and leadership of dismissal reinstatement and Undergraduate Council Academic Appeals processes. Reporting to the Associate Director of Academic Initiatives, this position supports the broader academic recovery portfolio while leading the implementation of strategic projects and contributing to data and assessment efforts that inform continuous improvement and operational decision-making.

The Assistant Director directly supervises a team of Professional Academic Coaches, providing day-to-day leadership, feedback, and support to the staff they oversee. Through cross-campus collaboration and strategic project implementation, the Assistant Director strengthens Academic Success Center programs, processes, and student support. As a key member of the Academic Success Center leadership team, this role contributes to strategic planning, service enhancement, and the ongoing development of a high-performing, mission-driven unit committed to advancing the Division of Student Success's strategic goals.

Responsibilities

Academic Recovery Programs

• Provide support for Academic Success Center’s academic recovery support programs, including dismissal reinstatement, academic probation, academic alerts, and academic appeals, with direct oversight and leadership of dismissal reinstatement and Undergraduate Council Academic Appeals processes.

• Oversee the Undergraduate Council Academic Appeals process, including student communication, committee operations, case preparation, process implementation, and timely follow-up.

• Oversee the Academic Success Center's dismissal reinstatement process, ensuring consistent implementation and effective support for students navigating academic dismissal and return to the University.

• Partner with campus stakeholders including the Registrar, Financial Aid, Student Disability Services, faculty, academic colleges, and Undergraduate Council representatives to strengthen academic recovery support and ensure effective implementation of related processes.

• Evaluate academic recovery processes and student engagement to identify opportunities for continuous improvement and recommend enhancements that strengthen student support and outcomes.

Professional Staff Supervision and Academic Success Center Leadership

• Provide direct supervision and leadership to a team of Professional Academic Coaches, who serve as key members of student Vol Success Teams, including completing performance reviews, implementing feedback mechanisms, and delivering ongoing professional development to enhance both student outcomes and staff engagement.
• Assist in onboarding Professional Academic Coaches using a comprehensive coach training curriculum that addresses strengths-based student support, effective communication strategies, crisis intervention, and data-informed case management, ensuring coaches maintain the highest standards of practice.
• Foster a supportive and growth-oriented team environment by serving as a mentor to Professional Academic Coaches, championing their professional development, providing strategic guidance for managing complex student caseloads, and creating pathways for coaches to develop leadership skills within the Academic Success Center.
• Serve as a key member and strategic thought partner on the Academic Success Center leadership team, contributing to strategic planning, operational problem-solving, and identifying opportunities for service enhancement, process improvement, and innovative programming that addresses the evolving needs of students across Academic Success Center initiatives.

Strategic Initiatives & Project Management

• Lead the planning, coordination, and implementation of strategic initiatives that advance Academic Success Center priorities.
• Manage special projects from concept through implementation, including developing project plans, coordinating stakeholders, monitoring progress, and ensuring successful execution.
• Research emerging practices in student success and recommend innovative approaches that strengthen Academic Success Center services.
• Coordinate cross-functional workgroups to implement new initiatives and improve operational effectiveness.
• Support the Executive Director and Associate Director in advancing division and departmental strategic priorities.

Academic Success Data & Assessment

• Collaborate with the Associate Director of Academic Initiatives to develop reports, monitor trends, and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
  • Assist with program assessment, benchmarking, and documentation to support evidence-informed decision making.
  • Maintain accurate operational data related to Academic Success Center initiatives, academic recovery programs, and strategic projects.
  • Utilize institutional systems and reporting tools to monitor participation, outcomes, and operational effectiveness.

Other Duties as Assigned

• Duties or projects supporting the Academic Success Center, Vol Study Center, or Division of Student Success initiatives, as assigned.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Education:

  • Bachelor’s Degree

• Experience:

• Minimum one year in higher education administration, student affairs, education, or a related field.

• Experience supervising professional staff in an academic support or student success setting.

• Experience collecting, interpreting, and utilizing program or operational data to inform decision-making and continuous improvement.

• Experience working with students experiencing academic difficulty, including academic probation, appeals, or dismissal reinstatement process

• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

  • Knowledge of academic support in education.

  • Ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships with campus partners.

  • Ability to communicate effectively with a variety of student populations.

  • Ability to collaborate effectively with faculty and academic partners.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without need now or in the future for sponsorship for employment-based visa status.

Preferred Qualifications

• Education:

  • Master’s Degree

• Experience:

  • Master’s degree in any field and 3 years of experience by date of hire in a higher education setting (part-time work considered at half-time of experience).

• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

  • Experience overseeing academic recovery, intervention or student success programs.

  • Skill in coaching professional staff and developing leadership capacity.

  • Skill in managing multiple projects while balancing competing priorities and deadlines.

  • Knowledge of program assessment, data collection, and continuous improvement practices.

  • Skill in using Microsoft Excel for data analysis, including tools such as pivot tables.

Work Location

• Location: Knoxville, TN

• Onsite

Compensation and Benefits

• UT market range: MR10
• Anticipated hiring range: Minimum $58,000
• Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here
• Find more information on UT Benefits here

Application Instructions

To express interest, please submit an application with the noted below attachments. To be assured of full consideration, completed applications with all requested materials should be submitted.

• Resume

• Cover Letter

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has shaped leaders, changemakers, and innovative thinkers since its founding in 1794. The university is home to more than 38,000 students and 10,000 statewide employees—the Volunteers—who uphold the university’s tradition of lighting the way for others through leadership and service.

UT Knoxville offers over 900 programs of study across 14 degree-granting colleges and schools. As Tennessee’s flagship land-grant university, its footprint spans the entire state. The university holds the highest Carnegie classification for research activity and has deep partnerships with industry leaders and the US Department of Energy’s largest multidisciplinary laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The Knoxville campus serves and recruits for UT Knoxville, including the Institute of Agriculture and the Space Institute, as well as the UT Institute of Public Service.

UT Knoxville considers its employees its number one asset. With values that focus on work-life balance, compensation, and innovation leadership, all Vols are supported to advance professionally. Employees have access to career development and coaching, continued education, and an extensive list of development and training possibilities. The Volunteer employee experience implements structures and practices to attract and retain top-tier talent, fostering a strong staff community and supporting a culture of involvement and engagement for everyone.

The university holds a strong commitment to its land-grant mission of learning and engagement, with a tradition of service and leadership that carries that Volunteer spirit throughout the state and around the world. It has been ranked nationally as “Best Employer for New Graduates,” “One of America’s Best Large Employers,” and “Best Workplace for Women,” and has been designated as “Best Place for Working Parents” by Forbes Magazine.

Apply today and join the Tennessee Volunteer community!