Job Listings

POSITION TITLE: University Retention Specialist

JVA#: 2025-19

DEPARTMENT Vice President of Student Affairs & Dean of Students

POSITION SUMMARY: Reporting to the Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students, the University Retention Specialist provides support services for students to promote purposeful engagement, retention, and academic success programs, including developing and implementing successful strategies to enhance student completion. The positions' focus will include first-year, readmit, adult, transfer, and graduate student outreach and early intervention initiatives. The Retention Specialist works in collaboration with colleagues within the Division of Student Affairs, faculty, various student support services professionals, and students at the university to ensure progression toward graduation leading to career or transfer goals. The position oversees the undergraduate Peer Mentor program, co-chairs the University Retention Committee, and coordinates the university New Student Orientation program. Together with professional and undergraduate staff, this position guides the numerous aspects of strategic initiatives, assessment, and key partnerships in service to the mission of the university. This requires working with colleagues within the Academic Affairs division as well as working closely with the Vice President of Student Affairs & Dean of Students, Provost, and related offices.

POSITION CLASSIFICATION/COMPENSATION: This position is Nonclassified and full-time, carries an Exempt status under the Fair Labor Standards Act, and serves at the will and pleasure of the President. Actual compensation will be commensurate with specific qualifications and experience related to the position. The position is dependent upon available state and/or grant funding.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Coordinates retention efforts with multiple university departments in the identification, advising, and counseling of students to provide direct support and with connecting students to retention services and programs on campus.
• Analyzes early alert data with the Academic Success Center staff to identify high-risk students and coordinates early interventions with advisors, faculty, and support services.
• Provides primary intervention to students who have encountered academic difficulty.
• Works with colleagues to assess student retention and to develop programs to enhance student success, retention, persistence, and improve graduation rates of students at the University.
• Reaches out to students facing academic challenges and assemble support teams for intervention.
• Serve as a liaison to at-risk students whether self-identified or faculty/staff-identified including the creation of programs to support student retention.
• Counsel students and intervene effectively with students who encounter academic difficulty to preserve their ability to earn their degrees.
• Provide specific one-on-one advising and support to the caseload of readmit and non-traditional students at the university, including monitoring progress via student meetings and program support.
• Oversee an effective Peer Mentor program designed to foster positive outcomes including high academic achievement and social acclimation.
• Provide direct support and daily coordination for the New Student Orientation program under the leadership and in conjunction with the Vice President of Student Affairs & Dean of Students.
• Serves as a key member of the University CARE Team and meet with students who are identified as needing support for retention and persistence purposes.
• Identifies gaps in services based on best practices in retention and creates programs to improve student success. Identifies specific cohort groups with targeted interventions.
• Creates, disseminates, and collects student surveys aimed at providing feedback on program and/or students’ needs.
• Develops and monitors the annual Office of Student Retention budget, ensuring adequate funding for the provision of a full range of retention services for students.
• Conduct exit interviews with students who withdraw to identify trends and develop targeted retention solutions.
• Manage an automated communication system with the purpose of engaging students and connecting them with appropriate campus and community resources.
• Utilizes data to guide interventions and monitors effectiveness and student progress.
• Works with colleagues involved with Institutional Effectiveness to compile data to assist in retention proposals and track key retention metrics to measure the effectiveness of retention strategies.
• Assists faculty and staff in identifying trends and researching best practices in student retention.
• Assists in developing an annual plan to implement student retention strategies.
• Participates in the process for systematic review and evaluation of the Student Retention program per the model adopted by the University, including the development and monitoring of outcomes and plans of action for improvement based on the assessment of those outcomes and plans.
• Serves on committees as appropriate and as appointed by the supervisor.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Vice President of Student Affairs & Dean of Students.

MINIMUM REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:  Bachelor’s Degree required. Leadership, supervision, and interpersonal skills related to people in general and particularly college students. Preference will be given to applications with prior retention specialist or counseling experience and to those applications that possess a working knowledge of student development.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: Master’s Degree in Higher Education, Student Personnel, Education, Counseling, or a related field preferred.

THE UNIVERSITY: The mission of Bluefield State University is to provide students with an affordable, accessible opportunity for public higher education. A historically black institution, Bluefield State University prepares students for diverse professions, graduate study, informed citizenship, community involvement, and public service in an ever-changing global society. BSU welcomes all qualified candidates to apply. More information about the University is available at www.bluefieldstate.edu.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE: Completed applications are to be submitted in electronic format only to humanresources@bluefieldstate.edu and must include:

1. Letter of interest specific to the position;
2. A completed BSU Employment Application (form available at https://www.bluefieldstate.edu/resources/human-resources/jobs);
3. Resume/CV;
4. Contact information for at least three professional references; and
5. Transcripts (unofficial transcripts are acceptable for the application process; official transcripts will be required of the selected candidate).

Please do not include photographs or any personal information (e.g. D.O.B, place of birth, etc.) on your application or supporting documents. Also, Bluefield State University does not provide H1B visa or employment sponsorship

DATE POSTED: April 16, 2025

CLOSINGDATE:For full consideration, applications must be received by 4:00 pm EST, April 30, 2025. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled; however, applications received after the deadline may not receive full consideration.