Director, Orientation and Transition Programs

Job
Summary:

The Director of Orientation and Transitions Programs will play a pivotal role in designing and implementing a comprehensive, developmental curriculum that supports students at key transition points in their college journey. With a primary focus on first-year students, commuter students, and transfer students, this role will oversee the development of structured programs that foster student success, belonging, and engagement from the moment they enter the institution. The Director will plan and implement fall and spring orientation programs and will have significant responsibility for the peer mentor program, part of the Rollins College Conference (RCC). As a long-term goal, the Director will provide key vision and leadership in creating a sophomore-year experience.

Reporting to the AVP & Dean of Students, the Director will lead, supervise, and mentor a department comprised of a graduate assistant/part-time employee, 4 undergraduate student coordinators, and 40 peer mentors. The Director will have the opportunity to design and teach RCC 300, a leadership course for the peer mentors.

This position offers an exciting opportunity to shape an intentional, research, and best-practice-based approach to student transitions - one that recognizes the unique needs of students at different stages and ensures they are equipped with the skills, support, and experiences necessary for personal and academic success. 

• Student Success Initiatives and Curriculum Development
  • Design and implement a developmental curriculum that supports student learning, engagement, and retention at key transition points that also fosters academic success, social belonging, leadership development, and well-being.
  • Partner with faculty and campus partners to integrate academic and co-curricular experiences into the student transition framework.
    
    
• Orientation & Peer Mentor Leadership
  • Oversee the planning and execution of new student orientation, and commuter and transfer student programming.
  • Develop a robust peer mentorship program, including the recruitment, training, and supervision of student coordinators and peer mentors who also serve as orientation leaders.
  • Ensure that orientation and transition programs are engaging and responsive to the needs of all student populations.
    
    
• Collaboration & Campus Partnerships
  • Work closely with Student Affairs colleagues, faculty, and institutional leadership to align transition programming with institutional priorities.
  • Work in collaboration with Admissions in the development of effective communication strategies for engaging new students and their families.
  • Collaborate with the Associate Dean of CLA in the process of course registration for new students
  • Establish partnerships with academic departments, student affairs departments, and student organizations to enrich the student experience beyond the first year.
  • Leverage data and student feedback to continuously improve programs and measure impact.
    
    
• Administration & Assessment
  • Develop and manage budgets related to orientation, the peer mentor program, and transition programming.
  • Implement assessment strategies to evaluate program effectiveness and student learning outcomes.
  • Stay current on best practices and research in student transitions and retention and integrate findings into program development.
    
    
• Other Duties and Responsibilities
  
  • Serve on divisional or college-wide committees, task forces, and search committees.
  • Help the college research, design, and implement future sophomore-year experiences and initiatives.
  • Support Rollins events, including but not limited to: Convocations, Graduation, Family Weekend, Fox Day etc.
  • Mentor and engage with students during formal and informal occasions, while also being a leading supporter and advocate for student development.
  • Maintain key campus partnerships.

Minimum Qualifications & Education:

• Master’s Degree in Higher Education Administration, Student Affairs, College Student Development, Counseling, or a related field.
• Five or more years of progressively responsible experience in student success, transition programming,