Fast Facts

Fordham University is seeking a Vice Provost for Student Success to lead university-wide initiatives focused on enhancing student retention, academic growth, and career readiness within the framework of Jesuit educational values.

Responsibilities: The VPSS will provide strategic leadership on student success initiatives, analyze data to drive improvements, engage faculty in the student experience, and oversee integrated support services across multiple campuses.

Skills: Necessary skills include data-informed decision-making, collaborative leadership, strong communication abilities, and knowledge of student development theory.

Qualifications: Candidates should have a Master's degree and at least 10 years of advancing student success experience, along with a commitment to diversity and familiarity with Jesuit educational principles.

Location: New York, New York, USA

Compensation: $235000 - $270000 / Annually

Vice Provost for Student Success

Office of the Provost, Rose Hill, Lincoln Center, Westchester

Fordham University

Fordham University has an excellent reputation as a dynamic institution located in New York City. Founded in 1841, Fordham enrolls more than 16,000 undergraduate and graduate students in its 9 Colleges and Schools. 

• Fordham University offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to its employees, which includes medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance.
• We offer tuition remission  for employees and their dependents 
• A generous employer match towards a 403(b) retirement plan .
• As a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), Fordham is considered a qualifying employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness  (PSLF) program, a federal program designed to forgive student loan debt for employees of certain public and certain nonprofit employers.
• As part of its work-life balance program, the University provides generous PTO including 15 vacation days, 12 sick days, 4 personal days, 6 summer Fridays, and holidays that include paid time off between Christmas and New year.  
• University employees have access to the  Employee Assistance Program  (EAP) . EAP provides no-cost, professional, and confidential services, to help employees and family members address a variety of personal, family, life, and work-related issues.

Position Summary

Fordham University, the Jesuit University of New York, invites applications for the inaugural Vice Provost for Student Success (VPSS). Rooted in the Ignatian ideal of cura personalis (care for the whole person), this senior leader will shape and execute a university-wide strategy that promotes every student’s intellectual growth, well-being, and sense of belonging.

Reporting to the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, the VPSS will be Fordham’s chief architect for student success and retention, aligning academic and co-curricular resources to help students persist, graduate on time, and launch purposeful careers or further study.

The VPSS will directly supervise an integrated student-success ecosystem that includes the First-Year Experience program, the Career Center, Academic Records, Academic Support for Student Athletes, ROTC, and International Services. By convening a cross-functional Student Success Council of deans and vice presidents, the VPSS will foster seamless collaboration among campus partners across Fordham’s Bronx, Manhattan, and Westchester campuses. Leveraging robust data analytics and equity-minded best practices, the VPSS will champion systemic, proactive outreach and targeted interventions, especially for first-generation, low-income, and under-represented students, to close achievement gaps and ensure each student thrives from orientation through commencement and beyond.

This pivotal role carries responsibility for setting clear goals, developing measurement dashboards, and driving continuous improvement cycles that are grounded in evidence and reflective of Fordham’s Jesuit mission. The VPSS will craft compelling business cases for new initiatives, secure resources, and manage complex change processes that touch every facet of the student experience. Ultimately, the successful candidate will cultivate a culture of caring and shared accountability, empowering faculty and administrative partners to deliver to every student the holistic, transformative education that distinguishes Fordham University.

Essential Functions        

• Provides strategic leadership, vision, and overall direction for Fordham’s student success efforts, driving measurable outcomes aligned with the University’s Jesuit mission. This includes collaborating on initiatives such as new student orientation, academic advising, and the Ram Central technology platform.
• Analyzes data to identify trends, opportunities, and shortcomings in student success across all segments of the Fordham community. Clearly presents relevant data to colleagues university-wide to inform necessary actions and improvements.
• Chairs the Student Success Council, comprised of deans and vice presidents, to ensure comprehensive strategy development, effective execution, and the allocation of sufficient resources to drive student success.
• Integrates curricular, co-curricular, and student-support services to create a coherent, inclusive, engaging, academically challenging, and personally fulfilling experience for all students.
• Engages faculty in First-Year Experience conversations to ensure intellectual content is integrated inside and outside the classroom.
• Develops common goals, objectives, and metrics for academic advising in the first and second years to ensure consistency across arts and sciences and the Gabelli School of Business (GSB).
• Collaborates strongly with academic leadership to effectively implement the revised core curriculum.
• Delivers on the internship promise by expanding internship opportunities, advancing career readiness within academic curricula, and fostering greater collaboration between the Career Center and GSB’s Undergraduate Personal and Professional Development Center (PPD).
• Provides strategic oversight for International Services, ensuring seamless immigrant and non-immigrant assistance, proactive visa support, work authorization, and outstanding customer service to welcome and retain international students, faculty, scholars, and staff.
• Ensures the availability and effectiveness of student Support services across all campuses.
• Deepens collaboration across relevant divisions and offices to foster a unified coordinated approach to advance student success objectives.

Essential Functions Note

This list is not intended to be an exhaustive list.

The University may assign additional related duties as necessary.

Management Responsibilities  

Provides strategic leadership and supervises others who supervise. Responsible for hiring, training, developing, managing performance, administering corrective action, makes compensation decisions and for managing strategic views at a high level.

Required Qualifications: Education and Experience        

• Master’s degree, preferably in higher education administration, student affairs leadership, educational policy, or a related field.
• Minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience advancing student success, including at least five years directing complex, cross?functional teams.

Required Qualifications: Knowledge and Skills     

• Demonstrated success in improving student retention, graduation rates, and career outcomes through the application of data?informed strategies.
• Deep understanding of student development theory, academic advising models, and high?impact educational practices.
• Strong commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
• Collaborative leadership style coupled with excellent interpersonal, communication, and consensus?building abilities.
• Proven ability to navigate and partner effectively within a multi?campus, research?active university environment, including strong collaboration with faculty governance.
• Familiarity with Jesuit educational values and a passion for developing students with competence, conscience, compassion, and a commitment to service.
• Successful candidates should have a knowledge of and commitment to the goals of Jesuit Education.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Ph.D. or terminal degree.
• Experience leading successful first-year experience or academic advising initiatives.
• Record of scholarship or presentations on student?success innovation and assessment.

Minimum Starting Salary: $235,000

Maximum Starting Salary: $270,000

Note: Salary is commensurate with qualifications, experience, and skills.

START DATE: ASAP

APPLY HERE: https://careers.fordham.edu/postings/9475

ABOUT FORDHAM

Founded in 1841, Fordham is the Jesuit University of New York, offering an exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition to more than 16,000 students in its 9 colleges and schools. It has residential campuses in the Bronx and Manhattan, a campus in West Harrison, N.Y., the Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station in Armonk, N.Y., and the London Centre in the United Kingdom. 

Fordham University is committed to excellence through diversity and welcomes candidates of all backgrounds.

Fordham is an Equal Opportunity Employer – Veterans/Disabled and other protected categories