Director of First Generation Student Success GFPC 2

Posting Details

Position Information

Working Title Director of First Generation Student Success GFPC 2 Department Student Retention Initiative Position Category Support Staff Posting Number SP00884 Position End Date (if other than Permanent) 09/30/2031 Hours per Week 37.5 Salary Range The anticipated salary will be $56,079 annually and includes an extensive benefits package and tuition waiver for the employee and dependents. Full/Part Time Full Time Type of Position Temporary

Position Summary Information

General Description/Position Purpose

Join a vibrant and purpose-driven community at Shippensburg University, located in the scenic Cumberland Valley and spread across a beautiful 210-acre campus with over 40 buildings. We offer a dynamic academic environment with 45 undergraduates, 22 graduate, and 2 doctoral programs. At Shippensburg, our mission is more than words-we are committed to inclusive collaboration, fostering a strong sense of belonging, and celebrating the achievements that drive positive change in our communities. Be part of a team that values innovation, impact, and shared success

Shippensburg University offers outstanding benefits to eligible employees!

• Effective first day of employment: low-cost medical insurance plus free dental, vision, hearing, and prescription coverage.

• Choose from two generous retirement plans:

• Alternative Retirement Plan (ARP): 5% employee contribution, 9.29% employer contribution, Immediate vesting.

• State Employees' Retirement System (SERS): 8.25% employee contribution, 2.25% employer contribution + pension calculation, 10-year vesting requirement.

• Generous paid time off, employer-paid life insurance, and so much more!

See full details in link below

Full Benefits Summary (PDF)

This grant-funded position is anticipated to continue through September 30, 2031.

This position will required to work some weekends and evenings for specialized programs

The Director of First Generation Student Success is responsible for supporting first-generation students at Shippensburg University and increasing their retention and graduation rates, with special emphasis on first-generation students who are Pell Grant recipients. Using a case-management approach through Navigate360, the Director will support students from recruitment and onboarding through degree completion by managing Early Alerts, conducting proactive outreach, monitoring attendance and academic progress, and connecting students with appropriate resources.

The Director will lead Tri-Alpha Honor Society initiatives, coordinate First-Generation Student Celebration Day, develop a layered mentoring network, support family engagement, and collaborate with the Career Center on networking, alumni engagement, and experiential learning opportunities. Additional responsibilities include supporting retention strategies, assessing academic, financial, and personal wellness, providing financial literacy and wellness programming, creating engagement opportunities focused on first-generation experiences and belonging, establishing a designated space for first-generation students, tracking participation and student outcomes, providing regular reports and assessment data, and supervising a graduate assistant.

Other duties may be assigned as needed.

A full job description will be provided at the time of the scheduled interview.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master's Degree required from a regionally accredited institution;
• 2-3 years of experience working in higher education working directly with students
• Ability to take initiative and plan, organize, coordinate, and perform work in complex situations where competing priorities exist.
• Effective interpersonal, problem solving and communication skills
• Demonstrated experience in building positive working relationships with campus constituents
• Commitment to an inclusive and diverse campus environment

Preferred Qualifications

• 5 years of experience working as a student success coach or other student success related position in higher education
• Experience working with Navigate360 or a comparable student success platform
• Experience supervising graduate and undergraduate students
• Experience with federally funded grants and data reporting
• Breadth of knowledge about first-generation college students including promising, effective, and best practices.

Posting Detail Information

Open Date 10/09/2026 Close Date Open Until Filled Yes Special Instructions Summary

For full consideration, all candidates must apply online at https://jobs.ship.edu with acceptance of materials continuing until the posting is filled. Materials submitted in other formats including paper applications will not be considered. All applications and inquiries will remain confidential.

Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania is an Equal Opportunity Employer and, in compliance with federal and state laws and university policy, is committed to providing equal educational and employment opportunities for all persons without regards to age, color, national origin, race, religion, disability, veteran status, or sex. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.

Additional Information

All Shippensburg University employees are expected to demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to the University's core values of teamwork and collaboration, dependability, initiative, problem solving, and clear communication. University employees are expected to demonstrate good interpersonal and communication skills with all members of the campus community. They will strive to maintain integrity, effectiveness and efficiency by upholding customer service throughout all levels of performance.

All university employees are required to comply with university policies, state and federal laws/statutes prohibiting any type of Discrimination, Harassment or Retaliation.

Safeguarding confidential, personal data and/or records of employees, students, customers and other related constituents is the responsibility of all University employees. It is the duty of all members of the University community to take part in the maintenance of a safe campus.

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• • Are you currently covered by the SCUPA collective bargaining agreement?

• yes

• no

• • Are you a current employee of Shippensburg University?

• Yes

• No

• • What interests you about working at Shippensburg University?

• Benefits

• Salary

• Tuition Waiver

• Working in Higher Education

• Closer To Home

• • Do you have a Master's Degree required from a regionally accredited institution?

• Yes

• No

• • Do you have 2-3 years of experience working in higher education working directly with students?

• Yes

• No

• • How did you hear about this employment opportunity?

• Employer website

• Indeed

• CareerLink

• HigherEd Jobs

• LinkedIn

• Advertisement/Publication

• Personal Referral

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

• Resume
• Cover Letter / Letter of Application
• Unofficial Transcripts 1
• List of References

Optional Documents