Assistant Director for Retention

Position Title: Assistant Director for Retention Job Category: Academic Staff Employment Type: Regular Job Profile: Student Affairs Assistant Director (C) Job Duties: The Assistant Director (AD) of Retention reports to the Director of Multicultural Student Services. The AD leads the development of holistic advising practices, academic/financial retention outreach and programs, and assessment of retention program initiatives which centre on student success, by utilizing one’s expertise on multiculturalism and social identities. In addition, the AD supervises two Retention Specialists that provide academic programs and services that support student success. The AD is responsible for overseeing Partners in Residence Initiative, AERIE living/learning community, UW System Wisconsin Tuition Promise, and assist in an emerging learning community. The review of applications starts on November 23, 2026. Applications received on or before November 23rd are prioritized and review will continue until the position(s) is/are filled. Initial interviews will be conducted virtually, with shortlisted candidates invited to campus. UW-La Crosse does not offer H-1B or other work authorization visa sponsorship for this position. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire and maintain work authorization throughout the employment term. If you have questions regarding this, please contact Human Resources. Key Job Responsibilities Academic and Financial Retention: Work with academic college and/or departments when advisingstudents with academic, financial and/or social challenges, andmake referrals when necessary to assist student's persistencethrough graduation. Serve as a liaison with the UW-La Crosse Financial Aid office;meet regularly with Financial Aid staff members to stay updated onregulations and policies such Satisfaction Academic Progress andother financial opportunities. Coordinate academic and financial retention emerging practicesand/or trainings for OMSS staff. Direct and assign OMSS staff on early alerts students and meetregularly with students who are in advisement load, academicprobation, academically ineligible and/or are attempting to reenterthe university. Ensure record keeping and use of EAB Navigate as a practice fortracking appointments, progress and campaigns. Develop and facilitate the high impact practice program and/orservices that relate to the retention and graduation ofstudents. Provide intrusive academic advising to various studentpopulations such as participants in high-impact practice programs,on academic progress, suspension, warning, and probation. Create opportunities for student engagement to advancelearning, leadership, and/or mentorship with retention baseprogramming. Identify student needs and strategize solutions to enhanceacademic success and academic program progress of probation,transfer, and new/continuing students. Engage with the recruitment and retention of a diverse studentpopulation and provide leadership for the development of living andlearning programs. Administration: Assists in increasing the access, outreach, retention andsuccess of underrepresented students, first generation students, low-income students, and other intersecting identities. Foster relationships with appropriate campus departments todevelop academic and career related programs to assist student'spersistence through graduation Collaborate with campus partners to coordinate supportinitiatives such as: financial aid, graduate preparation, mentalhealth awareness, and other initiatives to address program andservices related to retention. Oversee the hiring, training, evaluation, and supervision oftwo full-time professional Retention Specialists. Supervise, onboard, and conduct developmental performancereviews for professional staff. Establish methods/plan to measure and maintain ongoingassessment efforts to evaluate the quality of internal high impactpractice programs for retention program outcomes andeffectiveness. Oversee staff member of program implementation and assist inthe review of assessment for AERIE and Wisconsin Tuition Promiseand assess the findings on an annual basis. Coordinates transition and retention strategies for students toaddress differentials in attrition and retention. Work with Institutional Research office to develop strategiesand initiatives to collect data, evaluate/assess retention efforts,and help develop measurable strategies, learning outcomes, andaction plans for key student cohorts to improve retention andgraduation rates. Department and other campus retention efforts: Establish and maintain ongoing efforts to assess and evaluatethe quality of campus life for students and recommend appropriatesolutions to address campus life issues Serve on university committees Occasional weekend, evening work and travel is required. Other duties as assigned, reflective of unit and divisionalmission and values. Department: Multicultural Student Services Compensation: $60,000 / year Required Qualifications: Bachelors degree with an advanced degree preferred. Minimum 4 years full-time experience in a higher educationsetting, related field, or an equivalent combination of education,training, and experience Experience working with student populations in higher education via program development, implementation, and assessment. Experience or demonstrated ability to work with low income, first generation, transfer, and multicultural students in aneducational setting. Ability to work cooperatively/effectively to develop keypartnerships with various faculty, staff, and students throughoutthe campus community and community partners. Experience advising student groups. Demonstrated proficiency in oral and written communicationskills. Strong computer skills, including proficiency w/ MS Officeapplications. Demonstrated ability to work independently and as a part of ateam. Preferred Qualifications: Master’s Degree in Higher Education Administration, StudentAffairs & Administration, Leadership, or other closely relatedfield. Experience coordinating marketing, communication strategies,and working with internal/external stakeholders for projects. Knowledge and application of student development and learningtheory in the advancement of policies and procedures supportingstudent’s success. Direct experience in leading and executing activities thatpromote multiculturalism or working with multicultural studentgroups. Experience managing or supervising professional and/or studentstaff Strong computer proficiency with Workday, Canvas, andNavigate. Excellent communication, interpersonal and leadershipskills. INFORMATIONABOUTYOURBENEFITS Paid vacation for 12-month positions. Excellent flexible health insurance with low co-pays and goodcoverage. Paid holidays and paid sick days. After 5 years of employment, you become vested in ourretirement system which ensures income post-career. Benefits atUWLare highly competitive with local industry andsome of the strongest in state and nation. Benefit eligibility is determined at the point of hire. Thisinformation is provided for illustrative purposes only. Benefitsare also pro-rated based on the appointment percentage. UW is an Equal Opportunity Employer Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employmentwithout regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation,gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability,status as a protected veteran, or any other bases protected byapplicable federal or State law and UW System policies. We arecommitted to building a workforce that represents a variety ofbackgrounds, perspectives, and skills, and encourage all qualifiedindividuals to apply. #J-18808-Ljbffr University of Wisconsin La Crosse