Career Center

Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Success Initiatives

JOB SUMMARY:

The Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Success Initiatives will provide leadership in developing, directing, implementing and monitoring the progress of strategic initiatives that advance academic excellence and student success and align with The University of Alabama System's (UAS) mission, vision and core principles. Reporting directly to the Senior Vice Chancellor (SVC) for Academic and Student Affairs, this position is designed to enhance the System's capacity to accomplish critical UAS strategic priorities and address higher education challenges facing the State of Alabama and beyond. In partnership with the SVC and the Assistant Vice Chancellor for System Analytics and Business Intelligence, the successful candidate will take a leading role in planning, coordinating and monitoring strategies and tactics designed to foster academic and student success across the University of Alabama System. Emphasis will be placed on initiatives in support of closing the achievement gap for Pell-eligible, first generation and traditionally underserved populations; reducing employment shortages in critical in-demand occupations within the state; reducing the time to degree for all UAS students, with a focus on identifying and removing barriers to degree attainment; and supporting system-wide achievements in other strategic areas that reinforce the value of a college education and the overall impact of The University of Alabama System in improving the lives of its graduates and citizens throughout the State of Alabama.

The successful candidate is expected to have the professional poise, experience and understanding of the higher education environment that allows for effective engagement with high-level System and campus officials, including the Chancellor and members of the System's senior staff; members of the Board of Trustees; campus Provosts, Administrative Vice Presidents, Deans, Department Chairs and Faculty; as well as with other personnel, student leaders and external stakeholders. In addition, the Assistant Vice Chancellor will assist the SVC in the development of policy recommendations connected with the office; coordinating efforts that support a dynamic inventory of UAS academic programs; strengthening collaboration between academic and student affairs personnel across campuses; and helping the System maximize resources in support of academic excellence and student success.

PROFESSIONAL EXPECTATIONS:

With a focus on providing value-added support and resources to our students and UA System campuses, the successful candidate will be expected to:

1. Demonstrate the capacity to provide system-level leadership in managing complex, collaborative, multi-year projects, with strategically-focused outcomes;
2. Actively engage groups of diverse administrators, faculty, and staff, often from multiple campuses, toward shared goals that support academic and student success;
3. Effectively work in tandem with the Assistant Vice Chancellor for System Analytics and Business Intelligence to identify and analyze important data sets in support of academic and student success initiatives and consistently monitor and report progress on assigned Office, System and State-wide goals;
4. Demonstrate solid professional judgment in prioritizing tasks and making decisions;
5. Responsibly represent the interests of the UAS Office of Academic and Student Affairs in the absence of the Senior Vice Chancellor in System, Board, campus and community-related matters, as delegated;
6. Stay abreast of important trends and best practices in support of academic and student success initiatives and provide thought leadership in key areas of professional expertise; and
7. Demonstrate an innovative, efficient, collegial and can-do approach to performing the routine and ad hoc duties of the role.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Partner with the Senior Vice Chancellor in executing the general responsibilities of the Office and represent the Office in administrative and Board-related matters in the absence of the SVC, as delegated;
2. Work with the System Office of Academic and Student Affairs leadership and other System leaders in the development and monitoring of important benchmarks and key performance indicators related to Academic Excellence and Student Success;
3. Collaborate across the System to identify and implement best practices, processes and platforms to maximize the effectiveness of academic and student affairs programs, projects and initiatives designed to enhance student outcomes;
4. Assist in ongoing office efforts to keep System- and Board-level academic and student affairs policies relevant and current;
5. Work in collaboration with the Office's senior leaders to forecast and anticipate needs and support campus efforts related to the introduction of new academic/student-related programs and initiatives;
6. Participate in state-wide and national meetings and professional development opportunities related to the work of the Office as designated or approved; and
7. Engage in other professional duties and responsibilities as assigned.

JOB SPECIFICATIONS:

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Attitudes Required of the Position:

1. Knowledge: In-depth familiarity with academic and student affairs practices and processes within the higher education setting, with direct knowledge of the general structure, operations and challenges faced by major public universities and systems.
2. Skills: Experience in identifying critical issues in higher education and developing strategic goals and objectives to effectively address them; strong critical thinking skills; and excellent written and oral communication skills, to include effective report writing and presentation skills.
3. Abilities: The ability to gain and maintain internal and external colleague and stakeholder trust to undergird System requests and working relationships; the ability to work both collaboratively and independently in support of unit goals; and the ability to identify professional gaps in office and System services and make appropriate recommendations to effectively address them.
4. Expected Characteristics: A professional presence with a collegial personality that supports the needs and expectations of a small, but high-performing, office team; keen attention to detail and a commitment to professional excellence; the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community; a self-motivated, solutions- and deadline-oriented professional who seeks to be on the cutting edge of higher education performance and effectiveness; an individual of personal integrity who values a diverse and inclusive workplace and demonstrates respect for self and others.

CREDENTIALS AND EXPERIENCE:

Required Qualifications:

• A master's degree, with a minimum of eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience in higher education; academic, faculty or student affairs; and/or student outcomes/student success.

Preferred Qualifications:

• The above-referenced professional experience;
• A doctoral degree; and
• Leadership or administrative experience in coordinating/managing strategic initiatives in a college or university setting, within a higher education system or within a related post-secondary coordinating agency

About the University of Alabama System

Committed to excellence in teaching, research, and service, the University of Alabama System includes three doctoral research institutions - The University of Alabama, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, and The University of Alabama in Huntsville- and the UAB Health System, a world-class academic medical center. The UA System educates more Alabamians than any other university system and provides transformational research in areas ranging from aerospace to biomedicine to transportation. As the largest employer in the state, the overall economic impact of the University of Alabama System exceeds $10 billion a year.

Note to applicant: Applications must include a letter of interest, resume, and full contact information for three references who will not be contacted without permission.

Background Investigation Statement: Prior to hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation. A prior conviction reported as a result of the background investigation DOES NOT automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration for this position. A candidate with a prior conviction will receive an individualized review of the prior conviction before a hiring decision is made.

Equal Employment Opportunity: The University of Alabama System is an equal opportunity employer (EOE), including an EOE of protected vets and individuals with disabilities.

Application deadline: 11:59p CST Friday, April 21