Student Success Manager

Job Title 

Student Success Manager

Job Description

Student Success Manager, Year One Foundation Program – University of Alberta

Role Summary

We are looking for a passionate leader who can bring their experience in international education, student success, and team leadership to our growing team as a Student Success Manager. The Student Success Manager is a collaborative and student-centred leader with exceptional relationship-building, people management, and operational leadership skills, a commitment to service excellence, and the ability to foster an inclusive, high-performing team culture. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key leadership role in a first-of-its-kind program in Canada with a prestigious university partner.

The Student Success Manager provides strategic and operational leadership for the Year One Foundation Program's Student Success portfolio, ensuring the effective delivery of services and initiatives that support student success, engagement, wellbeing, retention, and progression. The role oversees advising, student support, orientation, transition, and engagement programming, and is responsible for developing and maintaining the policies, processes, and service standards that support a high-quality student experience.

As a member of the Program leadership team, the Student Success Manager leads and develops the Student Success Team, oversees complex student wellbeing and student of concern matters, and drives continuous improvement through the evaluation of services, student feedback, and performance data.

We welcome applications from those with experience gained from many sectors who can demonstrate their skills and approach are transferrable to Kaplan International Pathways.

Kaplan International Pathways has equity, diversity, and inclusion as core values. We welcome applications from suitable candidates whatever their background, and especially from women and those who identify as Indigenous and visible minorities who are under-represented in our workforce at this level.

Main responsibilities and Functions

Reporting to the Program Director, you will have responsibility for:

Student Success Team Leadership

•Recruit, onboard, and retain Student Success Team members to support program objectives and service delivery needs.

•Provide direct supervision to full-time and casual staff, and indirect supervision to student staff and volunteers as required.

•Coach, mentor, and support team members to enhance performance, professional growth, and service excellence.

•Set team priorities, goals, and performance expectations aligned with Program and institutional objectives.

•Monitor, evaluate, and provide regular feedback on individual and team performance.

•Address performance concerns and support the successful resolution of employee relations matters.

•Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing team culture focused on student success.

•Manage staff workloads, schedules, and resource allocation to ensure effective and efficient service delivery.

•Identify staff training and development needs and facilitate learning opportunities to build team capacity.

•Lead continuous improvement initiatives that enhance team effectiveness, service quality, and the student experience.

Student Success Portfolio Leadership

•Provide strategic and operational leadership for the Student Success portfolio to ensure the effective delivery of student support services and programs.

•Oversee implementation and evaluation of student success, engagement, and wellbeing initiatives that support students' transition into and through the Program and progression to the second year of their degree. These may include, but are not limited to new student orientation, workshops, peer support programs, student ambassador initiatives, social events and activities, and graduation programming.

•Develop and maintain policies, procedures, and service standards for the student advising function to ensure high-quality, consistent service delivery.

•Lead the training, coaching, and ongoing development of the Student Success Team to promote effective advising practices and student outcomes.

•Monitor the quality, consistency, and effectiveness of advising services through regular review, evaluation, and performance feedback.

•Ensure accurate documentation, case management, and tracking systems are maintained to support advising and student support activities.

•Lead the continuous improvement of the student experience through the collection and analysis of student feedback, assessment of program effectiveness, and implementation of service enhancements.

•Partner with the Academic Operations Manager to develop and manage communication, support, and reporting frameworks for sponsored students.

•Collaborate with the Academic Operations Manager to coordinate key academic processes, including registration, program changes, academic advising, and student progression.

•Oversee Program Office service delivery, including staffing coordination and management of shared Student Success communication channels.

•Provide direct student support through one-on-one advising on academic, settlement, wellbeing, and other student success matters, including complex or escalated cases.

•Manage the Student Success portfolio budget in line with Kaplan policies.

Students of Concern

•Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of protocols for identifying and responding to students of concern.

•Coordinate and oversee responses to complex, high-risk, and escalated student wellbeing cases.

•Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure timely and appropriate support for students experiencing wellbeing concerns.

•Provide guidance, consultation, and support to the Senior Advisor, Wellbeing on case management strategies and interventions.

•Monitor and review student wellbeing cases to ensure consistent, effective, and student-centred support practices.

•Promote adherence to established wellbeing policies, procedures, and response protocols across the Student Success team.

•Maintain appropriate documentation and records related to student wellbeing concerns and interventions.

•Assess risk and escalate complex or high-impact student wellbeing cases to the Program Director as appropriate.

•Identify trends and emerging student wellbeing needs and recommend improvements to support services and response processes.

Program Leadership

•In cooperation with Program Director, management of Program operations to ensure targets are met in line with agreed timelines and annual budgets

•In collaboration with YOFP Strategic Management Team, support the ongoing development, implementation, and evaluation of policies, procedures, and process that guide Program operation

•Support for recruitment activities including facilitating on-campus visits for agent partners, overseas team members, and other guests as required

•Working closely with KI finance teams to ensure student accounts are in good standing for progression

•Ensuring all data and information is accurate and kept up to date in University and Kaplan provided systems to support required Program operations and reporting

•Ensuring all quality assurance systems are properly implemented within the Program, complying with Kaplan and University Academic Rules and Regulations and quality assurance systems

•Actively contributing to senior steering for Kaplan International Pathways Canada and participation in specific Kaplan Pathways-wide developments and projects as appropriate

•Representing Kaplan on appropriate committees and boards within Kaplan and externally

•Any other duties as required from time to time by the Director and other senior leaders

What you bring to the Role

To be successful in this role, you will have:

•University degree in related field is required

•Minimum four years of experience leading and managing teams within a post-secondary, student services, or comparable customer-focused environment.

•2-3 years of experience supporting student success, engagement, wellbeing, and advising, preferably in a post-secondary or international education setting.

•Demonstrated experience working with international students and diverse populations in a cross-cultural environment.

•Leadership skills, including strategic planning and an ability to set goals and communicate them effectively.

•Ability to create and build effective teams.

•Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

•A good understanding of post-secondary environments and an ability to work collaboratively within an academic community.

•Strong understanding of business processes and data collection and analysis.

•Strong program planning, project management, and workshop facilitation skills

•Ability to mediate and manage conflict effectively.

•Strong written and oral communication skills.

•Ability to learn and navigate YOFP programs and processes and University of Alberta programs and processes

What we provide:

Remuneration will be dependent on your experience; however you can expect a base salary of between $95,000 and $105,000 CAD per annum. We also offer a range of benefits including 26 days of annual leave, extended health and dental care plan, employer matched pension benefits and more.

Location and start date

You will be based on site with the Program, situated on the North Campus of the University of Alberta in Edmonton. Anticipated start date of January 2027.

Application Process

A complete application package will include:

A current resume and cover letter

Year One Foundation Program

The University of Alberta’s Foundation Program is a joint educational partnership between Kaplan International Pathways Canada and the University of Alberta that commences with a first intake in January 2025. The University of Alberta is a Top 100 ranking world university and is situated in Edmonton, Alberta. The Foundation Program (‘Program’) offers international students who do not meet direct entry requirements, an opportunity to gain admission to the University after successfully completing the 3-term (1-academic year) Foundation Program which consists of ten (10) 3-credit courses which count toward the first complete year of a Bachelor’s Degree, as well as non-credit bearing classes designed to supplement course or skill gaps and set students up for successful post-secondary studies ongoing at the University.

The Program is supported by Kaplan staff, starting at the point of attraction and recruitment, right through to completion and progression from the program. University instructors teach credit-bearing courses and Kaplan manages all operational aspects of the program as well as provides supplemental learning, well-being, and community building services to enrolled students. The students are University of Alberta students from day one.

Location

Edmonton, AB, CAN

Employee Type

Employee

Job Functional Area 

Operations

Kaplan lnternational is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity. If you require any adjustments or additional support within the recruitment process, please contact us directly.