Dean Student Experience and Academic Support

The Dean of Student Experience and Academic Support holds a supportive role to the Chief Academic Officer responsible for executing delegated academic operational tasks and ensuring smooth academic functions. They chair specific committees as directed manage institutionalwide training and ensure the success of the Academic Forum. The Dean of Student Experience and Academic Support is responsible for driving initiatives that enhance the academic experience for students ensuring a high level of support that promotes retention and success. This role involves managing studentcentred academic support services overseeing the resolution of student queries and leading student success programmes. The Dean works collaboratively with various academic and administrative departments to ensure a smooth and supportive learning environment.

Key Responsibilities

1. Student Experience and Support

• Studentcentred Initiatives
  

Lead and coordinate initiatives that enhance the overall student experience focusing on improving student engagement satisfaction and academic outcomes.

• Student Support Programmes
  

Develop and manage academic support services tailored to the needs of students including advising tutoring and special programmes for underprepared or atrisk students.

• Engagement Tracking
  

Monitor and assess student engagement and support outcomes to ensure continuous improvement regularly reporting findings to the Chief Academic Officer.

2. Academic Support and Success

• Support Services Integration
  

Collaborate with academic and administrative teams to integrate support services into the curriculum ensuring students receive guidance throughout their academic journey.

• AtRisk Student Interventions
  

Develop early intervention strategies for students showing signs of academic difficulty working with faculties to ensure timely support.

• DataDriven Decisions
  

Analyze performance and retention data to identify trends and propose evidencebased interventions aimed at improving student success.

3. Resolution of Student Queries

• Query Resolution Management
  

Address student queries that have not been resolved at the departmental level working closely with academic and administrative departments to ensure swift and effective resolution. The Dean is responsible for escalating complaints to the Chief Academic Officer if those complaints remain unresolved.

• Efficient Systems
  

Maintain a structured system for tracking student queries ensuring issues are resolved within established timelines and that key trends are identified for continuous improvement.

4. Collaboration with Academic and Administrative Teams

• CrossFunctional Collaboration
  

Work alongside academic faculties and administrative departments to ensure that academic support services are seamlessly integrated into the student experience.

• Faculty Engagement
  

Support faculty in identifying and assisting students who need additional academic support providing tools and resources to enhance student success in their modules.

5. Committee Involvement and Institutional Training

• Academic Forum Leadership
  

Organize and facilitate the Academic Forum ensuring that it runs effectively and that action items are tracked and implemented.

• Committee Chairing
  

Chair relevant committees focused on enhancing student support and academic operations fostering collaboration across departments.

• Institutional Training
  

Lead the planning and delivery of training initiatives for academic and support staff focusing on improving teaching strategies and student engagement.

6. Enhancing Student Success and Retention

• Retention Strategies
  

Lead initiatives aimed at improving student retention focusing on targeted programmes for atrisk students. Ensure that retention strategies are datainformed and responsive to student needs.

• Programme Development
  

7. Quality Assurance and Compliance

• Support Institutional Standards
  

Collaborate with institutional quality assurance and regulatory risk teams to ensure student support services meet regulatory and institutional standards.

• Programme Assessment
  

Regularly assess the effectiveness of academic support programmes and student success initiatives ensuring alignment with institutional goals and regulatory requirements.

8. of Delegated Academic Operations

Implement operational tasks as directed by the CAO ensuring the seamless of academic operations.

Assist in operational strategy .

9. Weekly Briefings and Updates

Provide weekly briefings and updates to the CAO regarding all academic operations student queries faculty support and teaching enhancement activities.

Ensure that the CAO is fully informed of the progress on all delegated tasks.

10. Support in Teaching and Learning

Execute teaching and learning strategies as directed by the CAO and Senate ensuring alignment with institutional goals.

Assist in the enhancement of academic delivery and teaching quality without leading faculty development or curriculum design.

11. Acting for the CAO

Stand in for the CAO when required including attending meetings and overseeing committees but with no authority to make strategic decisions.

Ensure all actions during the absence of the CAO are aligned with the CAOs directives and require prior approval.

12. Limited Communication with Stakeholders

Ensure that all material external communication with stakeholders including students faculty or outside parties is first approved by the CAO.

Maintain strict adherence to institutional communication protocols as directed by the CAO.

Requirements

Qualifications

• Educational Requirement
  

A Doctorate in Higher Education Educational Leadership or a related field.

• Experience
  

Extensive experience in student services academic support or higher education administration with a focus on enhancing student experience and success.

• Leadership
  

Proven ability to lead crossfunctional teams and manage academic support programs that align with institutional priorities.

• StudentCentered Approach
  

Strong commitment to improving the student experience and supporting academic success.

• Collaboration and Communication
  

Excellent communication and collaboration skills with a proven ability to work across departments and engage with students under the CAO s direction.

• Data Analysis
  

Proficient in using data to drive decisions related to student support retention and program development.

Organisational and Operational skills

Strong organizational and operational skills with an ability to execute detailed instructions from the CAO.

Experience in managing academic processes and supporting teaching and learning strategies.

• Leadership
  

Demonstrates the ability to lead initiatives that improve student success and support faculty collaboration.

• ProblemSolving
  

Uses data and feedback to identify challenges and implement solutions that enhance the student experience.

• Accountability
  

Takes responsibility for ensuring the successful delivery of student support programs with regular reporting on outcomes to the CAO.