Assistant Director of Success Coaching Program

Established in January 2022, the Course Achievement and Retention Center became the haven for students seeking academic support. The CARE Center mission is to connect every Westfield State student to opportunities fostering their academic growth and empowerment and form a circle of care around each student, supporting them in achieving their goals at Westfield State and beyond.

The State University SUCCESS initiative has provided the opportunity to expand the services provided by the Course Achievement and Retention Center to include success coaching. Westfield State's team of professional success coaches will help students define their goals, identify their values, and create a vision for their future. This work involves developing personalized plans and strategies to achieve those goals, taking into account the student's strengths and weaknesses. As change managers, success coaches help students identify and overcome limiting beliefs, habits, and behaviors that may be hindering their progress. Each success coach provides encouragement, accountability, and guidance throughout the coaching journey. The Senior Success Coordinator will lead a team of success coaches and provide holistic support to a caseload of students.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership and management over a team of professional success coaches, including but not limited to scheduling and assigning caseloads, reviewing workflow protocols, and promoting accountability among team members.
• Provide holistic support to a caseload of undergraduate students in defining their educational goals, identifying their core values, and creating a vision for their future; provide guidance on university policies, academic programs, and institutional resources.
• Develop personalized academic plans for a diverse student population; monitor academic progress and provide encouragement, accountability, and guidance through key academic processes to support student success and retention; maintain up-to-date documentation of outreach and intervention provided to assigned caseload.
• Connect students with relevant resources, tools, and support networks that can help them succeed; implement strategic initiatives for success to support students identified as in-need by an early alert system.
• Design, coordinate, and deliver an outreach and communication plan for all undergraduate students with a focus on persistence, retention, and success.
• Stay current with university policies and procedures related to admissions, enrollment, and degree completion.
• Advocate for students by identifying barriers to success and making appropriate referrals to campus resources, ensuring continued support through resolution.
• Build and maintain trusting, supportive, and collaborative relationships with students, faculty, staff, and key campus stakeholders.
• Assist in recruiting, hiring, training, and supervising student employees and graduate assistants.
• Represent the Course Achievement and Retention Center on university-wide committees and at institutional meetings.
• Attend and present at professional development events, including conferences and workshops at the local, regional, and national levels.
• Maintain proficiency in university technology systems including Banner, Degree Works, Starfish (Westfield 360), Argos/Managed Reporting, and Zoom.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Job Requirements:

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree in Higher Education, Counseling, Social Work, Student Affairs, or a related field from an accredited institution (or currently enrolled in a master's program).
• Understanding of academic and financial aid procedures within higher education.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively, demonstrating strong organizational skills, initiative, and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage several complex tasks under tight deadlines.
• Commitment to excellent customer service and student-centered practices with the ability to show empathy and compassion.
• Knowledge of FERPA and ability to handle sensitive student information confidentially.
• Experience creating and delivering presentations, workshops, and training sessions.
• Proficiency in data management and reporting systems; ability to interpret and report on student outcomes.
• Flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree from an accredited college or university and a minimum of two (2) years of professional experience in higher education (e.g., advising, admissions, financial aid, career services, programs serving first-generation college students, or other offices within higher education).
• Experience in student-facing roles such as academic advising, counseling, mentoring, tutoring, or similar support services.
• Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish.
• Familiarity with university systems such as Banner, Degree Works, Starfish, or other platforms.
• Prior supervisory or leadership experience.

Additional Information:

Salary: Salaries for current Westfield State University employees and individuals currently working for the state of Massachusetts must be calculated individually in accordance with collective bargaining agreements as well as state policies.

Employee Benefits: Benefits are an important component of an employee's total compensation package. Health Insurance, Retirement, Tuition Waivers & Discounts, Paid Time Off, and more as detailed in the benefits section.