Administrator of Student Success Initiatives, 4S Programs

Position Title:

Administrator of Student Success Initiatives, 4S Programs

Location:

Big Rapids (Main Campus)

Department:

43000 - University College

Advertised Salary:

$41,272-$44,129. Salary commensurate with education, experiences and other requirements.

Benefits:
 

Comprehensive benefit package (health care, vacation, etc.). Please see the following link for a list of benefits offered with this position.

Admin / Admin Temp Benefit Plans

FLSA:

Exempt

Temporary/Continuing: 

Temporary

Part-Time/Full-Time:

Full-Time

Union Group:

N/A

Term of Position:

12 Month

At Will/Just Cause:

At Will

Summary of Position:

The Administrator of Student Success Initiatives serves as the primary lead for the Determined Dawgs Scholar Academy (DDSA), a comprehensive summer bridge and transition program designed to promote the successful transition, persistence, and academic achievement of students with elevated support needs.

As a member of the Office of Student Success Initiatives, the administrator provides leadership for the planning, implementation, assessment, and continuous improvement of DDSA and related student success initiatives. The position develops and facilitates educational programming, coordinates holistic student support services, collaborates with campus partners, and utilizes data to evaluate program effectiveness and inform strategic decision making. The administrator also supports grant implementation, compliance, assessment, continuous improvement, reporting, and grant solicitation and continuation while advancing institutional priorities related to student success, retention, belonging, and degree completion.

This is a temporary, grant-funded position through September 30, 2029. Continued employment is contingent upon successful performance and the availability of grant funding. The anticipated start date of this position is September 2026. However, this is an estimated date and can be revised if needed.

The selected candidate for this position must be authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire without employer assistance or sponsorship now or in the future. The university will not assist with any F-1 EADs, OPT, H1B, etc.

Position Type:

Staff

Required Education:

Bachelor's degree in Higher Education, Student Affairs, Education, Counseling, Social Work, Psychology, or a closely related field.

 

Required Work Experience:

• Experience coordinating student success, transition, retention, advising, academic support, educational programming, or related initiatives within higher education.

• Experience developing collaborative partnerships and working with students from a variety of educational, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds.

Required Licenses and Certifications:

Physical Demands:

• Office Environment
• Carrying
• Reaching
• Sitting
• Twisting
• Repetitive movement
• Standing

Additional Education/Experiences to be Considered:

• Master's degree in Higher Education, Student Affairs, Counseling, Education, Leadership, or a related field preferred.

• Experience with grant administration, program assessment, and project management.

• Experience teaching college success, first-year seminar, student development, orientation, or transition courses.

• Experience utilizing student success technologies, early alert systems, and data to inform student support strategies.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

Student Success Program Leadership:
• Provide leadership for the planning, implementation, and continuous improvement of the Determined Dawgs Scholar Academy (DDSA), including the four-week summer bridge experience and the associated three-semester student success seminar sequence.
• Develop, facilitate, and assess educational experiences that promote academic success, college readiness, belonging, resource utilization, leadership development, and successful transition to Ferris State University.
• Coordinate student engagement activities, workshops, campus experiences, and educational programming that reinforce program learning outcomes and contribute to student persistence and degree completion.
• Recruit, train, supervise, and evaluate student leaders, peer mentors, or Pack Leaders who support DDSA programming and student success initiatives.
• Monitor student participation, academic progress, and engagement while connecting students with appropriate campus resources through proactive outreach and coordinated intervention strategies.

Strategic Partnerships and Student Support:
• Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with faculty, academic advisors, student affairs professionals, enrollment services, and campus partners to ensure coordinated support for participating students.
• Work collaboratively with offices including Academic Advising, Financial Aid, Disability and Accessibility Resources, Career and Professional Success, Housing and Residence Life, Counseling, and other campus partners to promote holistic student success.
• Represent Student Success Initiatives and DDSA through campus committees, outreach activities, recruitment events, presentations, and professional conferences.

Assessment, Data, and Continuous Improvement:
• Develop and implement assessment plans that evaluate student learning, program participation, and program effectiveness.
• Collect, analyze, interpret, and communicate student success data to support evidence-informed decision making and continuous improvement.
• Prepare reports, presentations, and recommendations for university leadership and funding agencies regarding program outcomes and effectiveness.
• Collaborate with Institutional Research and other campus partners to ensure accurate collection, analysis, and reporting of student success data while maintaining compliance with institutional privacy requirements.

Grant Administration and Fiscal Stewardship:
• Support implementation of all activities associated with the KCP Select Student Support Services (4S) Grant.
• Assist with grant reporting, documentation, compliance monitoring, budget management, and evaluation activities to ensure adherence to grant requirements and university policies.
• Collaborate with university leadership in identifying opportunities for external funding and sustainability of student success initiatives.

Institutional Student Success Initiatives:
• Support university-wide retention, persistence, enrollment, and student success initiatives that advance the mission of the Office of Student Success Initiatives.
• Participate in strategic planning, program development, and continuous improvement efforts that strengthen institutional support for students with elevated academic, financial, social, or transitional support needs.
• Utilize institutional technologies, including Navigate360 and other student success platforms, to document services, monitor student engagement, coordinate interventions, and evaluate program outcomes.

General Responsibilities:
• Carries out responsibilities in accordance with university policies and applicable laws. 
• Cultivates an environment of belonging that values, respects, supports, and celebrates individual similarities and differences, allowing students, faculty, and staff to thrive authentically. 
• Support, promote, and develop university student enrollment and retention initiatives. 
• Any other duties assigned within the position classification area.

Marginal Duties/Responsibilities:

Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrated knowledge of student development theory, student success strategies, transition programming, retention initiatives, and holistic student support practices.
• Strong organizational, project management, and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, and presentation skills.
• Ability to develop collaborative partnerships across academic and student affairs.
• Experience interpreting and utilizing quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate program effectiveness and guide decision making.
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage projects while contributing effectively as a collaborative team member.
• Knowledge of assessment methodologies, continuous improvement practices, and evidence-informed program development.
• Demonstrated successful experience working directly with people from diverse backgrounds, including cultural, educational, socioeconomic, and life experiences.

Required Documents:

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Unofficial Transcript 1

Optional Documents:

Unofficial Transcript 2

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Unofficial Transcript 1 (REQUIRED): Applicants must attach a copy of an unofficial transcript of their Bachelor's degree. Transcripts must include the institution name, the applicant's name, the date the degree was attained, and the degree awarded. Finalists will be required to submit an official transcript. 

Unofficial Transcript 2 (OPTIONAL): Applicants who have completed college coursework or attained a Master's degree must attach a copy of their unofficial transcript. Transcripts must include the institution name, the applicant's name, the date the degree was attained, and the degree awarded. Finalists will be required to submit an official transcript.

Initial Application Review Date:
 

August 24, 2026

Open Until Position is Filled?:

Yes

Posting Close Date:
 

EEO Statement:

Ferris State University, an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer, is committed to enhancing equity, inclusion, and diversity within its community. Ferris offers employment opportunities to qualified candidates seeking careers in a student-focused environment that values opportunity, collaboration, diversity and educational excellence.  Learn more about the Ferris Mission and community at ferris.edu. The University actively seeks applications from women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and other underrepresented groups. For more information on the University’s Policy on Non-Discrimination, visit: Ferris Non-Discrimination Statement.