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University of North Carolina at Asheville

Student Success Specialist

Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Western North Carolina, UNC Asheville is the designated public liberal arts campus in the University of North Carolina system. UNC Asheville is nationally known for the quality of our student-centered teaching, mentoring of undergraduates in research, interdisciplinary learning, and striving to be an inclusive campus community.

UNC Asheville’s commitment to increasing and sustaining the diversity of our faculty, staff, and students is reflected in our strategic plan goals of diversity and inclusion, and social sustainability. Women, traditionally under-represented minorities, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

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Please see Special Instructions for more details.

Applications must be submitted online no later than 11:59 p.m. (EST) on the closing date for each specific position. Please note that any documents submitted to Human Resources or the hiring departments become property of UNC Asheville and will not be returned.

Official verification from each college/university you have attended are required upon employment, and will be requested directly from the college/university by Human Resources or from the National Student Clearinghouse. Any expense will be the responsibility of the employee. Educational degrees must be from an appropriately accredited institution.

If no applicants apply who meet the required competency and training and experience requirements, management may consider other applicants. Salary would be determined based on competencies, equity, budget, and market considerations.

It is the policy of UNC Asheville to conduct pre-employment background investigations on all candidates selected for employment. If hired, the candidate will be required to submit proof of eligibility to work in the United States. New employees are paid only by direct deposit to the financial institution of their choice.

Posting Details

Position Information

UNC Asheville Overview

Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Western North Carolina, UNC Asheville is the designated public liberal arts campus in the University of North Carolina system. UNC Asheville is nationally known for the quality of our student-centered teaching, mentoring of undergraduates in research, interdisciplinary learning, and striving to be an inclusive campus community.
UNC Asheville is committed to promoting diversity and a work environment that encourages knowledge of, respect for, and the ability to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds. The successful candidate is expected to foster an inclusive work culture where uniqueness of beliefs, backgrounds, talents, capabilities and ways of living are respected and welcomed.

Position Type

EHRA Staff

Title

Student Success Specialist

Position Number

001455

Recruitment Range

$50,000-$51,500

Work Schedule and Hours

Typical office hours are Monday-Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm. However, the University is seeking employees to work a variety of schedules, ranging from a traditional schedule to non-traditional such as Sunday through Thursday from 12:00pm to 9:00pm. Schedules may be altered either intermittently or on an ongoing basis to accommodate student needs. Work on nights and weekends, and additional hours are expected to meet the needs of students.

Schedules must be flexible due to specific office peak times, i.e.

during June, August, and January student orientation
prior to and during regular registration periods
prior to and during the first week of the semester
yield programming for continuing students

The Office of Academic Advising is committed to providing scheduling options that balance institutional, office, and personal needs.

Full-Time / Part-Time

Full-Time

Months per Year

12 Months

Position Summary

The Student Success Specialist provides high-touch, holistic academic support for continuing and prospective students to promote retention, persistence and degree completion. This role carries an advising caseload and works closely with students on academic planning, registration, academic probation and recovery, and student engagement. The Student Success Specialist collaborates across campus with faculty and staff to center student belonging and academic success This work will be guided along five key areas:

Address enrollment and advising issues:

Serves as an academic advisor for an assigned caseload, providing academic planning, degree progression guidance, and registration support
Supports students on academic probation experiencing academic difficulty through recovery planning, progress monitoring, and coordinated outreach
Interpret and communicate academic policies and procedures; serve as a liaison between students, student supporters, faculty, and campus partners

Strengthen Student Academic Engagement and Belonging

Supports targeted first-year student initiatives and programming that promote academic belonging and persistence
Collaborate with campus partners on student programming, engagement efforts, and high-impact practices (e.g., research, internships, study abroad).
Participate in campus events to promote student engagement with the Academic Success Center
Connecting students to campus and community resources; providing academic and non-academic support, identifying student’s strengths and goals to create a personal plan of action for the completion of their respective degree program, and serving as liaison between students, faculty, and other campus partners.

Targeted Outreach, Retention, and Data-Informed Practice

Utilizes predictive analytics, midterm progress alerts, and other data tools to identify students in need of proactive outreach
Conducts timely, intentional outreach and develop individualized action plans that address academic and non-academic barriers
Contributes to institutional retention and student success initiatives

Campus Collaboration and Operations

Participates in orientation programs, admissions yield events, and student success initiatives
Serves on campus committees and working groups related to student success
Support front desk operations and daily functions of the Academic Success Center
Engage in ongoing professional development and continuous improvement efforts

Promoting high impact practices and high achievement opportunities:

Helps students connect to opportunities and high impact practices—research, internship, study abroad, and others—that better prepare them to have greater success not just while here at UNCA, but beyond.

The Student Success Specialist should be prepared to work in an office that balances continuous improvement and creative thinking to offer the best possible experience and support for students, but also provides a stable set of protocols that will have been developed with shared governance and adhere to the overall vision of Academic Affairs, the University, and the System.

FLSA

Exempt

Required Education/Experience/Skills

Master’s degree and at least two years of work experience in college student services. May also consider a Bachelor’s degree and equivalent combination of training and experience. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

Preferred Education/Experience/Skills

Master’s degree and at least two-four years of work experience in college student services. The ideal candidate will demonstrate experience in working with a broad range of students, staff, faculty.
An understanding of the academic challenges faced by college students from diverse cultural backgrounds is crucial. Significant experience in designing/developing and implementing mentoring programs is highly preferred, as is experience in working with students from backgrounds that have been historically underrepresented in higher education.

Preferred qualifications include experience carrying an advising caseload, supporting students on academic probation, working with diverse student populations, and contributing to retention-focused initiatives.

Strong communication skills, the ability to manage multiple priorities, and skills in navigating complex student situations are essential.

The ability to use word processing and spreadsheets for tasks such as advertisements, mail merging, and data collection/reporting.

Experience with student information systems and related technologies (e.g., Banner, Slate, Argos, predictive analytics tools, Moodle, Zoom, Google Apps) and comfort learning new systems is preferred.

The ideal candidate will have excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively with both faculty and staff.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Knowledge of trends and best practices in student retention and academic success.

Knowledge of trends and issues in higher education.

Ability to work with a diverse population of students, faculty and staff.

Skill in navigating difficult situations and ability to proactively problem solve.

Ability to multi-task and work with changing priorities and initiatives.

Posting Detail Information

Special Instructions to the Applicant

Posting Number

E0551

Posting date

03/03/2026

Closing date

03/24/2026

Open Until Filled

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

* How did you hear about this employment opportunity?
- UNC Asheville website
- The Chronicle of Higher Education
- Higher Ed Jobs
- Indeed
- Inside Higher Ed
- LinkedIn
- HERC
- NC Works Online (formerly Employment Security)
- UNC System website (northcarolina.edu)
- X (formerly Twitter)
- Circa (formerly Local Job Network)
- NorthCarolinaDiversity.com
- Other