Director of Undergraduate Academic Success

Department: Academic Affairs

Classification: Administrative Faculty

Job Category: Administrative or Professional Faculty

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type: On site required

Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department:

The Office of the Provost is the primary central administrative unit for the university’s academic programs. Its range of interests include curriculum, instructional personnel, assessment, accreditation, international initiatives, and oversight of the overall academic mission. Within the Office of the Provost, the Office of Undergraduate Education manages undergraduate academic programs that stretch across all colleges and schools at George Mason University. These include university-level curriculum approval, general education (Mason Core), University Studies programs, the Office of Academic Advising, and Mason Impact initiatives that support transformational learning for undergraduate students, including the Office of Student Creative Activities and Research (OSCAR), Office of Community Engagement and Civic Learning (CECiL), and Office of Fellowships. In all of our work, we seek to inspire undergraduate students to become engaged citizens and well-rounded scholars who are prepared to act in a diverse, global world, by creating and sustaining innovative programs that enhance our students’ academic experience and contribute to their academic success. We are dedicated to ensuring that students from all backgrounds have equal access to all of our programs.

About the Position:

The Director of Undergraduate Academic Success is a collaborative leader who coordinates and represents advising across the university, oversees the Office of Academic Advising within the Office of Undergraduate Education, and collaborates with numerous partners (e.g., Registrar, Success Coaching, New Student & Family Programs, Career Services) to contribute to academic success initiatives. The Director coordinates academic advising practices across campus, represents undergraduate advising to central initiatives and groups, and directly oversees Exploratory (undeclared) advising, pre-health advising, and training, technology, and quality improvement initiatives related to advising. The Director actively contributes to the development of policies and procedures to improve the quality of the undergraduate education experience, and leads collaborations with numerous campus partners in areas and initiatives that promote undergraduate academic success, retention, and completion. The Director also serves on the senior leadership team in the Office of Undergraduate Education.

Responsibilities:

Oversees Office of Academic Advising 

• Manages the Office of Academic Advising, including direct supervision of Assistant Director, Pre-Health Advising Coordinator, and Academic Advising Coordinator;
• Acts as “Dean” in addressing actions and appeals from Exploratory (undeclared) students; and
• Formulates and oversees implementation plans related to strategic goals for Exploratory Advising and Pre-Health Advising. 

Coordinates and Represents Academic Advising across the University 

• Convenes and leads the Academic Advising Leadership Council to support high quality and consistent advising and student success initiatives across academic units;
• Facilitates communication among students, advisors, faculty, and staff about undergraduate academic advising;
• Supports training and professional development opportunities for academic advisors, in collaboration with the Mason Academic Advising Network;
• Leads outcome assessment efforts related to undergraduate academic advising across the university; and
• Represents the perspectives/interests of undergraduate academic advising on central groups (e.g., committees, task forces) working on related initiatives.

Collaborates with Partners to Advance Undergraduate Academic Success 

• Helps facilitate partnerships between academic advising and other university services (e.g., New Student Orientation, Success Coaching, Career Services);
• Collaborates with units in Enrollment Management, University Life, and other groups to help develop and lead retention and student success initiatives;
• Partners with Career Services, Learning Services, Success Coaching, and other relevant groups to advance advisors’ awareness of such resources; and
• Collaborates with academic units, Registrar, policy groups, and other relevant units to advance the development and implementation of policies to support undergraduate academic success. 

Other tasks as assigned to support academic advising, student success, and the overarching mission of the Office of Undergraduate Education

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in related field;
• Considerable experience (generally minimum five years) in academic advising or academic affairs, with increasing levels of responsibility;
• Experience working successfully in a team environment, while also taking initiative in working towards shared goals with minimum supervision;
• Demonstrated experience successfully managing campus-wide projects and initiatives at a college or university;
• Demonstrated leadership, management, and supervisory experience in an academic environment;
• Comprehensive knowledge of best practices in academic advising and student academic success;
• Knowledge of trends and practices to support student retention;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Demonstrated presentation skills;
• Demonstrated supervisory and management abilities;
• Demonstrated interpersonal, collaborative, and relationship-building skills; and
• Demonstrated commitment to the academic success of all students.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Terminal degree in a related field;
• College-level teaching experience;
• Experience in academic administration at George Mason University or a comparable institution;
• Active participation in NACADA or related professional organization;
• Knowledge of Salesforce CRM; and
• Knowledge of Ellucian Banner.

Instructions to Applicants: 

For full consideration, applicants must apply for Director of Undergraduate Academic Success at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a Cover Letter/Letter of Intent with Resume for review.

Posting Open Date: May 14, 2025

For Full Consideration, Apply by:  June 8, 2025

Open Until Filled:  Yes