Director of Student Services

Dean of Journalism

The Director of Student Services provides vision, leadership, and day-to-day management for undergraduate academic advising and student services within the School of Journalism at the University of Missouri. This position leads a team of professional advisors and staff dedicated to creating an inclusive, student-centered environment that fosters academic success, personal growth, and timely graduation.

Reporting to the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies, the Director plays a key role in coordinating advising practices, overseeing academic policies and processes, supporting student success initiatives, and guiding communication strategies for undergraduate student engagement. The position also ensures coordination and leadership of major student-facing events, including commencement ceremonies.

Job Duties:

* Lead, supervise, and support professional academic advisors, office staff, and student workers, including mentoring, performance management, and ongoing professional development.
* Direct all aspects of academic advising, ensuring proactive practices that support all student populations.
* Oversee student service components of new academic initiatives, including transfer student support, retention programs, and student success communications.
* Utilize student data and predictive analytics to inform strategy and advise faculty and administration on retention and graduation practices.
* Coordinate all academic actions, including appeals, dismissals, probation, and dean's list honors.
* Ensure compliance with FERPA, university academic policies, and institutional standards related to advising and student services.
* Collaborate with faculty, administrators, and university offices to improve advising outcomes and streamline student support operations.
* Maintain a limited ongoing advising caseload and provide additional advising support during peak periods and high-demand cycles.
* Provide guidance and support to faculty and staff on undergraduate student matters, policies, and procedures.
* Partner with the Director of Communications and other staff to lead planning and execution of commencement ceremonies.
* Oversee programming and communications related to Summer Welcome, Fall Welcome, group advising, and other onboarding or outreach events.
* Coordinate student records management, including transfer and readmission applications.
* Contribute to the scholarship application and award process by assisting with collection and communication of relevant student data.
* Represent the college on relevant university committees related to advising and student affairs.

Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Occasional evening and weekend responsibilities

A Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience and at least 6 years of experience from which comparable knowledge and skills can be acquired is necessary

A Master's degree in related field; experience with academic advising in higher education; supervisory skills and experience; experience with student-facing programs in higher education; prior work with student engagement and retention initiatives; experience working in collaborative, team-oriented environments; strong communication skills; effective project management skills; Demonstrated proficiency with student information systems, advising and retention platforms, learning management systems, and data visualization tools (e.g., Starfish, Stellic, Canvas, Power BI, Cognos), or the ability to quickly learn new technologies and platforms as needed.

Salary Range: $69,097.60 - $102,024.00/year

Grade: GGS-12

University Title: Director I Student Support Services

Internal applicants can determine their University title by accessing the Talent Profile tile in myHR.

Letter of interest, resume and completed application

Columbia offers small-town friendliness with big city features and a high quality of life for people of all ages and interests. Founded on education and known as an ideal college town, its location also makes it an attractive spot for businesses and travelers. Located on Interstate 70 and U.S. Highway 63, Columbia is right in the middle of the state and the nation. Just a couple hours' drive from St. Louis and Kansas City, Columbia is Boone County's largest population center offering big-city culture, activities, and resources with a low cost of living. Columbia is home to a variety of restaurants and entertainment venues and hosts more than a dozen festivals each year. If you want to grow your career, continue your education, raise a family, and retire, Columbia is a good place to be!

This position is eligible for University benefits. As part of your total compensation, the University offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision plans, retirement, paid time off, short- and long-term disability, paid parental leave, paid caregiver leave, and educational fee discounts for all four UM System campuses. For additional information on University benefits, please visit the Faculty & Staff Benefits website at https://www.umsystem.edu/totalrewards/benefits.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of Missouri is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

To request ADA accommodations, please call the Director of Accessibility and ADA at 573-884-7278.