Marywood University · 1 week ago
Executive Director of Retention
Scranton, PA
Full-time
Onsite
Lead/Staff, Director/Executive
5+ years expMarywood University seeks a collaborative, data-informed, and student-centered Executive Director of Retention to lead the institution’s strategic efforts to improve student persistence, retention, and degree completion. The Executive Director will design, implement, and assess institution-wide retention strategies while building and leading a dedicated retention team to support proactive outreach and coordinated student support efforts.
Higher Education
Hiring Manager
Rachel Hartz
Responsibilities
Lead the development, implementation, and continuous refinement of a comprehensive, data-informed retention strategy aligned with Marywood University’s mission and enrollment goals
Serve as the primary institutional leader for undergraduate and graduate retention, persistence, and re-enrollment initiatives
Identify barriers to student persistence and recommend policy, process, and programmatic solutions to improve outcomes
Partner with Institutional Research and Academic Affairs to analyze retention and persistence data, identify trends, and develop targeted interventions for at-risk student populations
Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) related to retention, progression, and degree completion
Utilize dashboards, reports, and predictive analytics to inform strategy and communicate progress to campus leadership
Design and oversee retention programs including early alert, outreach campaigns, re-enrollment initiatives, and coordinated intervention efforts
Collaborate with faculty, advisors, and student support units to strengthen early identification and response to academic, personal, and financial challenges
Ensure retention initiatives are inclusive, equitable, and responsive to the needs of diverse student populations
Build, supervise, and lead a retention-focused team, including hiring, training, and ongoing professional development of staff as resources allow
Establish clear goals, expectations, and assessment practices for retention personnel
Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement within the retention team
Work closely with Academic Affairs, Student Experience, Advising, Financial Aid, Residence Life, and other campus partners to promote shared ownership of student success
Serve on institutional committees related to retention, assessment, and student success
Communicate retention priorities, initiatives, and outcomes effectively to campus stakeholders
Qualification
Required
Master's degree in Higher Education Administration, Student Affairs, Educational Leadership, Data Analytics, or a related field
Minimum of 5 years of progressive professional experience in student success, retention, enrollment management, advising, or a closely related area within higher education
Demonstrated success using data and assessment to improve student retention and persistence
Experience leading cross-functional initiatives and collaborating with academic and administrative partners
Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills
Company
Marywood University
A private, Catholic college in Northeast Pennsylvania that offers 100 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs
201-500 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageCompany data provided by crunchbase