Director of Student Success

Bethel University•St. Paul, MN

11d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Student Success provides university-wide leadership for advancing Bethel’s Student Success Goals. Housed in Academic Affairs, this role serves as a central point of coordination, strategy, and accountability for student success efforts across the institution, working in close partnership with leaders in Student Experience, the Office of Inclusive Excellence, and other cabinet areas. The Director of Student Success advances vision and direction while remaining deeply engaged in the lived, ground-level work of student success. This role bridges strategy and implementation—ensuring that institutional priorities translate into aligned practices, coordinated initiatives, and meaningful outcomes for students. The position requires a holistic, integrated use of data—quantitative and qualitative—to inform decision-making, guide action, and assess progress.

Requirements

Master’s degree in education, higher education administration or related field
Minimum 3 years of strong and progressive leadership responsibilities in higher education, preferably with experience related to academic affairs.
Demonstrated experience leading strategic initiatives that impact student success.
Experience working with multiple stakeholders across an institution or organization.
Ground-level experience in some area of student success.
Strategic leadership: Ability to set vision, develop strategy, and implement innovative initiatives across complex organizations. Skilled at prioritizing and advancing multiple initiatives in a dynamic environment. Skills in change management and strategic planning.
Collaborative Leadership and Influence: Skilled at cultivating partnerships and building joint ownership of ideas, leading through collaboration and cross-departmental coordination rather than direct supervision. Demonstrated commitment to listening, learning, and integrating diverse perspectives
Student-centered approach: Deep commitment to creating transformative, mission-aligned student experiences.
Financial acumen: Recognition of financial considerations and the need to build for sustainability.
Communication excellence: Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills for diverse audiences, including the ability to utilize social media.
Analytical ability: Proficiency in using data for program evaluation, decision-making, and continuous improvement.
Technological Knowledge and Application: Ability to strategically and responsibly leverage current and emerging technologies—including AI—to support practice, data-informed decision-making, and continuous improvement, while anticipating and guiding future innovation.

Responsibilities

Student Success Coordination
Drive forward work to implement a shared, institution-wide vision for student success aligned with Bethel’s mission and strategic priorities.
Translate Student Success Goals into clear strategies, priorities, and coordinated initiatives across academic and co-curricular contexts.
University-Wide Coordination, Collaboration, and Communication
Serve as the central point person for undergraduate student success efforts, fostering alignment across Academic Affairs, Student Experience, the Office of Inclusive Excellence, and other campus partners.
Build strong collaborative relationships that support shared ownership, clarity of roles, and collective impact.
Co-Chair (with a Student Experience leader) and lead the Student Success Committee, setting agendas, facilitating collaboration, and ensuring the committee’s work advances institutional priorities and measurable student success outcomes.
Ensure clear and consistent communication related to student success priorities, initiatives, and outcomes across campus and to external partners when appropriate.
Data Leadership and Evidence-Informed Decision Making
Provide leadership for the collection, integration, analysis, and use of student success data, including both quantitative metrics and qualitative insights.
Ensure data is accessible, meaningful, and used consistently to inform planning, intervention, and continuous improvement
Implementation, Enablement and Continuous Improvement
Guide and provide hands-on leadership for the implementation of student success initiatives, including leading early implementation of select Student Success Task Force recommendations. This work includes coordinating timelines, responsibilities, and cross-unit collaboration, and serving as project manager across units until initiatives are clearly defined, operationalized, and sustainable within existing structures.
Identify barriers to student success and work collaboratively to design and enable effective solutions.
Ensure student success initiatives are designed, implemented, and revised in ways that are financially responsible and sustainable, working in collaboration with budget owners and campus partners.
Assessment, Reporting and Accountability
Monitor progress toward Student Success Goals and provide regular updates to university leadership and other stakeholders.
Lead or coordinate evaluation efforts that assess effectiveness, identify key insights, and inform ongoing strategy refinement.
Direct Program Leadership
Lead the Royal Bridge Program for students entering Bethel with no or few previous college credits
Lead the BRIDGE Living Learning Community for students entering Bethel with no or few previous college credits