Senior Director, Office of Student Success

The Senior Director of the Office of Student Success serves as the College of Pharmacy’s chief student success officer, providing strategic leadership, program development, and operational oversight for a comprehensive portfolio of student success initiatives. Reporting to the Associate Dean for Student Success, the Senior Director is responsible for advancing a coordinated agenda that fosters student engagement, persistence, well-being, and achievement across the Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences (BSPS) and the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) programs.

This position leads a talented team of professional staff and student leaders dedicated to academic support, career services, registration, first generation student success, leadership programs, and major student events. The Senior Director plays a central role in shaping policies and practices that reduce operational barriers, promote wellbeing, and enhance the student experience.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership:

• Set the vision and direction for undergraduate and PharmD student success services and programming in the College of Pharmacy.
• Serve as senior advisor to college leadership on matters related to student success, student experience, and retention/progression outcomes.
• Collect, analyze, and use data to drive continuous improvement in the office’s efforts.

Student Support & Engagement:

• Oversee holistic student services that promote engagement, well-being, and career readiness.
• Direct signature initiatives such as new student onboarding, leadership development, and first-generation student success programming.
• Partner with faculty and academic leaders to identify and address barriers to retention and progression.

Policy & Academic Administration:

• Oversee implementation of academic policies and procedures, including the PharmD Honor System, and ensure effective administration of processes involving academic standing, early alerts, excused absences, progression requirements, and appeals.
• Serve as an ex officio member of relevant college committees.

Supervision & Resource Management

• Lead and mentor a team of 10+ staff and students, fostering a collaborative, student-centered culture. This includes 6 direct staff reports, including a Program Manager, a Program Director of Undergraduate Studies, a PharmD Student Success Specialist, a First Generation Student Specialist, a Senior Career Counselor, and a College Registrar.
• Manage the operational budget and resources for the Office of Student Success in consultation with the college’s business office and the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Educational Innovation.

Collaboration & Partnership

• Build and sustain strong partnerships with campus-level offices and professional partners.
• Represent the college in university-wide student success initiatives, ensuring alignment with institutional goals.

Required Qualifications:

Master’s degree in higher education, student affairs, or a related field. At least 7 years of relevant experience in student success, student affairs, or related academic administration. Demonstrated success in supervising and developing professional staff. Proven record of advancing student success through strategic initiatives and data-informed decision-making. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to collaborate across diverse stakeholders. Strong fiscal and management operational skills.

Desired Qualifications:

Doctoral degree or equivalent experience in higher education, student affairs, pharmacy/health sciences education, or a related field. At least 12 years of relevant experience in student success, student affairs, or related academic administration, including at least 10 years of progressive leadership experience. Experience in a health sciences or professional school environment. Strong knowledge of best practices in student success in a higher education setting. Familiarity with college student development theory and its application to academic and co-curricular initiatives. Experience leading cross-cutting initiatives with faculty, staff, and college/university partners. Experience with accreditation-related student success standards.

About the College of Pharmacy: Established in 1885, The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy is a global leader in pharmaceutical education, research and clinical practice. As part of one of the most comprehensive health sciences campuses in the nation, the college is home to world-class faculty, dedicated researchers and top-notch students who are leading the way in patient care outcomes, drug discovery and translational pharmacology. The college has received nearly $60 million in research awards over the past five years. Additionally, we are the only school of pharmacy in the nation to have twice received the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) 2023 Lawrence C. Weaver Transformative Community Service Award for our dedication to addressing unmet needs through education, practice and research. We are consistently ranked as a top ten school in the nation and are currently ranked fourth by U.S. News and World Report. Learn more at pharmacy.osu.edu.

Application instructions: Please submit a cover letter, CV/resume, and contact information for three references. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. The pay range for this job profile is $81,800.00 - $115,000.00. The offer for this position will fall within this range based on internal equity, unit's available budget, and the candidate's qualifications. The College of Pharmacy believes in a healthy work/life balance, therefore, the work arrangement for this position is hybrid (i.e., remote and in-office), subject to change based upon the needs of the organization and as determined by College Leadership.