Center Director Jobs in Illinois

Title: Advising and Academic Success Center Director

Department/Location: Advising and Academic Success Center, Elsah, IL

Position Type: Full-time, 12-month

Summary

Principia College is seeking an Advising and Academic Success Center Director. The Director provides leadership, vision, and oversight for the Advising and Academic Success Center, including supervision of personnel and management of daily operations. The Director develops and oversees programming that prepares advisors and students to engage in effective academic advising practices and supports student success across a range of academic needs.

The Director oversees initiatives related to academic accessibility and targeted student support, uses assessment and professional knowledge to respond to the diverse needs of Principia College students, and builds collaborative partnerships across campus to align department services with broader academic processes. The Director supports character education in accord with Principia’s mission and collaborates with campus partners to advance student learning and academic success. Reports to Associate Dean of Academics: Operations & Services.

Who We Are

At our award-winning Early Childhood through grade 12 Principia School in St. Louis, Missouri, and top-ranked Principia College in Elsah, Illinois, Principia faculty and staff make up a close-knit community of educators, coaches, and professionals taking a distinct approach to education—blending academic excellence with Christian Science-based character education. Principia’s team of over 500 employees supports not only Principia School and Principia College, but also a worldwide network of alumni and friends.

At Principia College, our globally focused curriculum honors diverse perspectives and develops creative changemakers who use their academic skills for good in service to themselves, their communities, and the world. In-depth study meets real-world experience through study abroad programs, internships, capstone projects, and a robust slate of student activities, including a world-renowned mediation team, top-ranked solar car team, national champion rugby club, and the nation’s oldest student-run public affairs conference.

Principia employees are part of an engaging academic community preparing students to be tomorrow’s leaders, thinkers, and changemakers. We strive to create a collaborative and inclusive environment where everyone feels they belong and are valued.

Primary Responsibilities

Advising Leadership and Administration

• Provides strategic direction for the Advising and Academic Success Center in alignment with institutional goals.
• Oversees day-to-day operations, including student-facing services, workflows, communications, records, budget, and department planning.
• Utilizes Banner system and other databases for the purpose of assigning advisors to students, advising, and for completing departmental tasks.
• Uses qualitative and quantitative data to assess advising and academic success programs and to recommend improvements.
• Oversees the creation of videos, scripts, and other tools to instruct incoming students about how to register and understand advising at Principia College.
• Develops, prepares, and presents initial training for all new advisors each year, as well as ongoing professional development throughout the year.
• Oversees advising-related systems, records, and communications to support accurate student guidance, efficient workflows, and timely intervention.
• May teach up to 4 SH of courses each year to enhance student success.

Academic Accessibility and Student Support

• Oversees programming, interventions, staff, and processes that support student academic success, including academic accessibility and targeted support for specific student populations.
• Oversees and develops departmental capacity to meet the diverse learning needs of students and helps coordinate effective responses in partnership with relevant campus stakeholders.
• Assists faculty and staff in understanding and responding to issues related to accessibility to learning.
• Advocates within the institution for practices, resources, and services that support students’ academic success.

General Leadership and Collaboration

• Hires, supervises, mentors, and evaluates departmental personnel, which may include advising staff, accessibility coordination staff, peer mentors, and postgraduate interns.
• Leads assessment efforts for departmental services and uses findings to improve programming, student support, and department effectiveness.
• Maintains departmental documentation, prepares annual reports, and oversees department budget and planning processes.
• Oversees departmental communication, including website content, publications, and outreach materials.
• Collaborates with faculty, staff, and administrators to strengthen advising, accessibility, and broader student success initiatives.
• Serves on college committees and participates in campus efforts that advance student success and academic excellence.
• Maintains professional development in academic advising, accessibility, and student success and contributes to institutional initiatives consistent with Principia’s mission and Academic Vision.
• May research, write, and present at professional conferences and associations.

Core Competencies

• Leadership & Management: Ability to supervise personnel, manage budgets, and guide program development.
• Communication: Speaks and writes clearly; listens effectively; adapts communication style to audience.
• Collaboration: Works effectively with faculty, staff, and students; builds strong professional relationships.
• Strategic Thinking: Considers complex issues from multiple perspectives and develops innovative solutions.
• Inclusive Practice: Demonstrates respect for diverse backgrounds and learning needs.
• Planning & Organization: Prioritizes effectively; manages multiple responsibilities; completes tasks accurately and on time.
• Professionalism: Maintains confidentiality; responds constructively under pressure; demonstrates sound judgment.

Minimum Qualifications

• Student of Christian Science Preferred
• Supportive of Principia’s mission, vision, and values.
• Master’s degree in a related field such as education, counseling, student affairs, social work, or a closely related discipline.
• Three to five years of progressively responsible experience in academic advising, accessibility services, student success, or a related higher education field.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate across departments and support student-centered, strengths-based learning.
• Experience with student information systems, databases, and common office software.

The statements above describe the general nature and level of work, but are not a complete list of responsibilities and are subject to change at the discretion of Principia.

Compensation and Benefits

We offer a competitive starting salary range for this position $78,200-$87,900, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

In addition to salary, our comprehensive total rewards package includes:

• Generous Employee Tuition Discount: Enjoy a 90% discount on tuition (pro-rated for part-time staff) for your eligible children enrolled from Pre-K3 through College (infant and acorn programs excluded).
• Relocation: Principia provides a relocation imbursement of up to 12% of your annual salary when moving from outside a radius of more than 50 miles.
• Professional Development: Access to learning opportunities, training programs, and career growth support.
• Comprehensive Benefits: Learn more about all our benefits here, including comprehensive health, dental, and vision plans, paid time off, a 403(b) retirement plan with Principia matching, and more.

Equal Opportunity

Principia, a mission-driven institution, believes every person has the right to an equitable and respectful educational environment and workplace. Principia does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, gender (identity or expression), sexual orientation, family status, disability, age, or military or veteran status.

In hiring, admissions, and related decisions, Principia—as an institution with a religious mission—gives preference, where appropriate, to Christian Scientists.