Associate Director of Student Retention - 001367

Western Carolina University continues to rank high on Forbes 'Best Employers' lists each year. Including:

2024 - Ranking in the top 8.5% on Forbes 'America's Best Midsize Employers' list, WCU was ranked 34 out of the top 400 employers across all industries.

2023 - Ranked in the top 20% on Forbes 'America's Best Midsize Employers' list, WCU was ranked 97 out of the top 500 employers across all industries.

2022 - Ranked 14th in the top 100 employers in North Carolina in Forbes 'America's Best Employers by State' list.
Western Carolina University is the UNC system's westernmost campus and has been consistently ranked as one of the top 15 public regional institutions in the South.
Employees of WCU are provided a comprehensive benefits package as well as other resources, policies and programs to ensure a happy and healthy work/life balance. Benefit eligible employees have access to dental, vision and health insurance plans - eligibility begins on the first of the month following date of hire. Retirement plan contributions begin on the eligibility date following election and include employer contributions for either a defined contribution or a defined benefit plan. Optional disability plans are also available.
Eligible employees have access to tuition waivers for up to three courses per academic year; employee may enroll at any of the constituent UNC System campuses. Also offered are free group exercise classes multiple times per week, a discounted membership to the campus recreation center, free vaccine and booster shots offered on campus, pretax flexible spending accounts, 12 paid holidays and 24 hours of paid community service leave each year. Leave earning employees (staff and 12-month faculty) who work at least half of the working days of their first month of employment will begin accruing vacation and sick leave immediately. Paid parental leave after 12 months of continuous service.
WCU offers an abundance of training and development programs, certifications, workshops and conferences - many of which are offered free of charge.

The primary location of this position is the Cullowhee, NC campus.

The Associate Director and is part of the leadership of the Office of Student Retention and will report to the Director of the Office of Student Retention. The Associate Director will supervise two Student Success Specialists.

The Office of Student Retention implements targeted interventions to support student success that are guided by evidence-based practices and institutional data and analytics. The Associate Director contributes to these efforts through coordination for the first-year experience course (USI 130), academic learning communities, and other high impact practices.

Responsibilities include:

The Associate Director role is highly collaborative, and the selected candidate must be able to collaborate with faculty and staff in the academic colleges, student affairs, academic support units, and athletics, as well as with public relations to strengthen new students' ties to the institution and promote academic success and persistence at the university. An institutional perspective, excellent communication, and consensus-building skills, as well as an ability to interpret significant student data and generate appropriate action plans resulting from data collection are essential.

Application materials must be submitted online. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until a candidate has been selected for hire.

Please include cover letter, resume and a list of 3-5 professional references (with complete contact information).

For questions or additional information please contact Kristin Daiber at kdaiber@email.wcu.edu