Director, Focused Initiatives for Student Success (FISS)

Class Description

Responsible for developing, implementing, evaluating, managing, and leading the newly created department of Focused Initiatives for Student Success (FISS). The FISS Director will lead and direct the initiatives which are focused on ensuring students who have challenges in the college environment have available resources and support to meet any of their unique needs. The Director will work closely with the Vice President of Institutional Advancement and the Assistant VP of Student Affairs. The Director will also collaborate with the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations to develop funding initiatives for external funding support for program(s). The Director takes a leadership role in the College's strategic plan and works collaboratively with Student Affairs, Pathways, and other college-wide academic and student support areas. The Director is responsible for establishing rapport, problem-solving, and providing a broad range of services to ensure students have the resources to achieve successful outcomes at CCBC. 

Under the direction of the Vice President of Institutional Advancement, the Director of FISS is responsible for offering strategic direction in improving academic success, retention, and graduation rates of students in need of academic support and wholistic guidance. The Director oversees the program, including fiscal management, resource development, program development, and coordinating related support. The Director serves as a liaison, advocate, and educator concerning the unique needs, experiences, and challenges of CCBC's students. The Director also serves as the primary manager of the FISS Advisory Board and manages a team of full and part-time professionals.

Minimum Requirements

Master’s degree in education, Counseling, Business and Management or related field, and five (5) years of successful experience in educational administration, program management, or grants administration. Successful candidates possess a minimum of three (3) years of supervisory experience and (3) years of experience working with, assisting, and developing programs for students who face challenges achieving success at college. Experience working with programs fostering retention or achievement of students in need of academic support and wholistic guidance to complete their CCBC program. Sensitivity to and understanding the needs of students from a wide range of academic, socioeconomic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds of college students and individuals is required. Willingness to work a flexible schedule to accommodate the program's needs, including evenings and weekends is required.

Compensation within the posted range is determined by a candidate's education level and/or years of experience in the field. 

 Generally, employees are hired in the lower third of the scale.  

For Best Consideration Please Submit Application, Resume and Portfolio (or Link) By: April 7, 2025

Class Specific Essential Duties

1. Prepare, analyze, and submit timely College, and other reports as required or requested.
2. Serve as liaison between College departments, vendors, donors, and other external organizations.
3. Provide guidance and leadership to all areas of the College related to improving the experiences of student populations who need academic support and wholistic guidance to complete their CCBC college program, leading to increased retention and graduation outcomes.
4. Develop, recommend, and implement academic support services to enhance student retention and success.
5. Provide presentations on the FISS program and its impact on student success and performance/outcomes to various audiences (e.g., students, faculty/staff, trustees, external partners, etc.).
6. Coordinate research efforts in developing the FISS program's mission and strategic plan.
7. Identify future goals, strategies, and solutions to enhance student success and achievement for student populations in need of academic support and wholistic guidance and integrate with other institutional planning.
8. Build a partnership with the College's Office of Institutional Effectiveness to identify key performance indicators for establishing baseline data to monitor performance annually as initiatives are implemented for continuous improvement.
9. Use multiple channels of communication to connect with students who received "Early Alerts."
10. Work collaboratively with specific College departments to facilitate FISS programming and support. Collaborations may include and are not limited to: facilitating student tutoring and College success workshops; programs, services, and activities that are accessible to students with disabilities; assist and coordinate new student orientation programs; support faculty in developing and implementing programs to help FISS students navigate the transfer process to four-year schools; develop and implement focused events on campus that engage the College community and address the needs of FISS students.
11. Provide oversight of the Success Mentors Program and co-curricular experiences and activities to promote excellence.
12. Work with faculty to develop new academic programs and strengthen existing programs to respond to the needs of students.
13. Serve on Institutional Standing Committees and other committees as assigned within and outside the college.
14. Select, supervise, and evaluate assigned staff charged with managing the FISS programs staff.

Position Specific Essential Duties

1. Responsible for program development, planning, and implementation. Including establishing strategy, initiatives, goals, objectives, and assessment measures for the program. 
2. Effectively recruit /screen students for participation in the program.
3. Design services, training, and special events for participants. 
4. Assist with providing relevant counseling/advocacy for students participating in the program. 
5. Regularly meet with Vice President to review the program's status and present recommendations for resource needs, services, and activities enhancements. 
6. Collect, analyze, and report program data. Work with the College's research department to develop longitudinal and track KPIs to improve performance outcomes of students in need of academic support and wholistic guidance and adjust as needed.
7. Develop Annual Report on activities, interventions, individual student and target group progress and outcomes, goals, and objectives.
8. Create informal communication networks among participants and between participants and program staff (i.e., telephone lists, email lists, social media).
9. Serve as the Lead Retention Advisor and provide leadership to other part-time mentors and advisors.
10. Create annual reports on the strategic plan, including recommendations for improving outcomes based on results from previous years.
11. Assist the Dean of Student Development in developing programs and services that counsel and foster success for FISS students to ensure they understand the academic policies associated with academic performance.
12. Identify and assist in writing grant proposals in support of FISS programs. Continually review and apply for external funding and help steward donors who support FISS programs.