Project Director/Academic Success Coach, Student Support Services
PRIMARY DUTY:
The Program Director of Student Support Services (SSS) provides strategic
leadership, oversight, and day-to-day management of Northwest’s federally funded TRIO SSS program. The SSS program supports 180 eligible
students demonstrating academic need who are first-generation, low-income, or have documented disabilities. This role is responsible for
critical program and grant management functions, including participant recruitment, selection, assessment, and engagement; delivering
effective support services; maintaining compliance with federal regulations; and using data to drive continuous improvement.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Provide leadership for the SSS program to ensure strong student engagement,
effective program services, and progress toward program outcomes. - Develop and execute assessments of all program components to
monitor progress towards objectives, guide data-informed improvements, and adapt as needed to enhance outcomes for program participants. - Oversee recruitment, selection, planning and implementation of Summer Bridge program, and continued engagement of 180 program
participants annually, ensuring compliance with federal guidelines and supporting long-term student retention and success. - As
Academic Success Coach, assess and monitor the academic, social, personal and career progress of 90 project participants and meet
individually with project participants to discuss, identify and address possible barriers to completing an undergraduate degree. - Maintain Project Database and ensure timely, accurate submission of compliance reports to the Department of Education, including
documentation of student participation and budget expenditures, in full accordance with federal requirements. - Supervise SSS
professional staff and student mentors through clear goal setting, regular feedback, formal performance evaluations, and professional
development opportunities, while fostering a student-centered, collaborative team environment focused on achieving program outcomes. - Serve as liaison between students and university professional staff and employees. Collaborate with campus service providers to
conduct workshops and events and encourage program participants to fully utilize all available support. - Work with the Trio
Specialist to develop and manage the program budget to ensure compliant, effective use of federal funds. Monitor expenditures, coordinate
procurement, prepare financial documentation, and maintain financial records in accordance with federal and institutional requirements. - Lead completion of Annual Performance Report in collaboration with supervisor
- Assist supervisor with grant writing
- Serve on various university committees along with other duties as assigned.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Education: Master’s degree in the area of Counseling, Education, Psychology or related field
- Experience: Three years’ experience in a related field
- Skills: Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a broad range of
University and community members
Supplemental Information:
- WORKING CONDITIONS:
Office-style setting, some conference and program travel required - SUPERVISORY
RESPONSIBILITIES: Directly supervises SSS pro-staff and student mentors - EQUIPMENT/MATERIALS
USED: Computer, social media and presentation material - TYPICAL PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Ability to lift 20 pounds
COMMUNITY: Northwest Missouri State University is located in
Maryville, Missouri, a community of 12,000 with a diverse economy and a strong industrial base. Maryville is located 45 miles north of St.
Joseph, Missouri, 90 miles north of Kansas City, Missouri, and 110 miles southeast of Omaha, Nebraska. For more information visit the city’s
website at .
UNIVERSITY: With an enrollment of about 9,000 students, Northwest is a coeducational, primarily residential four-year
university that offers a broad range of undergraduate and selected graduate programs on its Maryville campus and through Northwest
Online.
Founded in 1905 and ranked by U.S. News and World Report among the top public regional universities in the Midwest, Northwest
boasts a high retention rate and a graduation rate in the 95th percentile among its peers. Additionally, results of the Ruffalo Noel Levitz
Student Satisfaction Inventory show Northwest students are more satisfied than students at national peers, and 78 percent of Northwest
students report they would repeat their University experience, compared to 75 percent of students surveyed nationally at their respective
institutions.
Furthermore, the University is a national model for student success and career placement with 93 percent of bachelor’s
degree earners and 99 percent of master’s degree earners securing employment or continuing their education within six months of completing a
degree at Northwest, according to the most recent data.
Northwest places a high emphasis on profession-based learning to help
graduates get a jumpstart on their careers while maintaining competitive tuition rates and generous financial assistance to help minimize
the financial barriers students may face when pursuing a college degree.
Students have opportunities to build their résumés with
experiences on campus in nearly every area of study, including the Horace Mann Laboratory School, National Public Radio affiliate KXCV, the
R.T. Wright Farm, Mozingo Outdoor Education Recreation Area, a partnership with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency or Knacktive, a
student-driven integrated digital marketing communications agency. In conjunction with its emergency and disaster management program,
Northwest organizes and hosts Missouri Hope, an annual mass casualty training exercise that attracts first responders and emergency workers
from throughout the nation and provides hands-on training in preparation for a natural disaster.
The University’s vibrant and diverse
learning community also offers more than 150 student organizations, and textbooks and a laptop are included in tuition, saving students an
estimated $6,900 over four years. Northwest offers 1,200 student employment positions, allowing students to build professional skills
through its internationally benchmarked student employment program.
For more information about Northwest and its performance, visit
.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Until filled
DATE AVAILABLE: May 1, 2026
TO APPLY: Follow the steps of the online application process. Please contact the
Office of Human ËÄ»¢Ó°ÊÓ at 660-562-1121 or email ewilmes@nwmissouri.edu if more information is
needed regarding the process.