Assistant Director of Academic Peer Coaching - Academic Success Center - UTK

The Academic Success Center seeks an innovative and student-centered leader to serve as the Assistant Director of Peer Coaching, a position uniquely positioned to shape how peer support is delivered, sustained, and scaled across the Division of Student Success. 

The Assistant Director provides operational and developmental leadership for the peer coaching program, which connects undergraduate students with trained peer coaches to support strengths-based academic skill-building, goal-setting, and persistence. Reporting to the Director of Academic Coaching and in collaboration with division partners, this position holds responsibility for the full lifecycle of the peer coaching program: recruiting, selecting, training, and developing peer coaches; overseeing service delivery and session quality; and managing the data and assessment infrastructure that informs continuous improvement. 

The Assistant Director directly supervises a team of Professional Academic Coaches and the Academic Success Center's peer coaches, serving as a hands-on leader who invests in the growth, accountability, and professional development of the staff they oversee. In partnership with Academic Success Center leadership and divisional offices, the Assistant Director also provides support to peer coaches across the division in the areas of hiring, training, assessment, and quality assurance. As a key member of the Academic Success Center leadership team, this role contributes to strategic planning, service enhancement, and the ongoing development of a high-performing, mission-driven unit committed to advancing the Division of Student Success’s strategic goals.

Peer Coaching Program Development and Oversight (35%)

• Design and refine the peer coaching service model, including appointment structures, session frameworks, and outreach touchpoints that maximize student engagement and impact

• In collaboration with divisional partners, develop and oversee curriculum for peer coaching training and development courses, including session guides, resource toolkits, and skill-building materials that peer coaches use in their work with students

• Establish and maintain a cohesive framework of policies, protocols, and accountability structures that ensure consistency and quality across all peer coach placements, in alignment with the Academic Success Center and the Division of Student Success's broader academic peer coaching philosophy.

• Partner with individual offices and units to coordinate peer coach selection and assignments, ensuring a consistent and equitable selection process while supporting unit-level identification of needs

• Design and implement targeted strategies to deepen peer coaching engagement across student populations, with intentional and proactive outreach to first-year students and those who would benefit most from peer-delivered academic support.

• Partner with Academic Success Center assessment staff and the Division of Student Success analytics team to review participation data, outcomes, and trends to inform program adjustments and recommendations.

• Monitor qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate peer coaching effectiveness, identify opportunities for improvement, and support evidence-based decision-making

• Develop and administer student learning outcome assessments related to peer coaching participation, and use findings to refine program delivery and training content

Peer Coach Supervision, Training, and Development (30%)

• Provide consistent, individualized supervision to a team of Academic Success Center peer coaches, offering meaningful feedback and professional guidance that supports their development and ensures accountability to the highest standards of program practice 
• Conduct ongoing evaluation of peer coach performance through observation, structured feedback, and data analysis, using findings to drive continuous improvement in peer coaching quality and program effectiveness 
• Cultivate a cohesive and growth-oriented team culture among all peer coaches, fostering opportunities for connection, critical reflection, and shared learning across the full arc of the academic year 
• Intentionally integrate competency development into every stage of the peer coach experience, ensuring peer coaches can clearly and confidently articulate the skills, knowledge, and professional growth they are gaining through their work 
• Design and sustain clear pathways for peer coach advancement and recognition, including opportunities for leadership roles, certifications, and experiences that support career development

Supervision and Professional Staff Management (10%)

• Provide direct supervision to a team of Professional Academic Coaches, who serve as integral members of student Vol Success Teams, conducting meaningful performance reviews, implementing structured feedback mechanisms, and delivering intentional professional development that strengthens both staff engagement and student outcomes 
• Guide the onboarding of Professional Academic Coaches through a comprehensive training curriculum that addresses strengths-based student support, effective communication strategies, crisis intervention, and data-informed case management, ensuring every coach enters practice equipped to perform at the highest standard.

Academic Success Center Leadership and Internal Operations (10%)

• Serve as a key member and strategic thought partner on the Academic Success Center leadership team, contributing to strategic planning, operational problem-solving, and identifying opportunities for service enhancement, process improvement, and innovative programming that addresses the evolving needs of students across Academic Success Center initiatives
• Prepare regular reports for Academic Success Center leadership, translating data into clear narratives about program reach, utilization trends, and student impact

Cross-Unit Collaboration & Campus Outreach (10%)

• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with offices and units across the Division of Student Success, serving as a consistent and knowledgeable partner in efforts to advance peer coaching quality, alignment, and impact division-wide
• Partner with divisional offices to support peer coaches across the Division of Student Success in the areas of hiring, training, assessment, and quality assurance, ensuring a cohesive and high-quality peer support experience regardless of placement
• Serve as a visible representative of the Academic Success Center at university events, including new student orientations, open houses, and recruitment and transition programs, raising awareness of available support resources across the institution
• Engage directly with the student body to promote awareness of and connection to peer coaching services, serving as an advocate for the program and the broader Academic Success Center

Other Duties as Assigned (5%)

• Duties and/or projects relating to student success initiatives as assigned within the Academic Success Center and the Division of Student Success

Required Qualifications

• Education: 

  • Master’s Degree

• Experience:

  • Master’s degree in any field and 3 years of experience by date of hire in a higher education setting (part-time work considered at half-time of experience).

• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: 

  • Knowledge of academic support in education

  • Ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships with campus partners.

  • Ability to communicate effectively with a variety of student populations.

  • Ability to collaborate effectively with division and academic partners.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without need now or in the future for sponsorship for employment-based visa status.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience:

  • Completed master’s degree; 

  • Minimum one year in higher education administration, student affairs, education, or a related field.

  • Experience supervising professional staff in an academic support or student success setting.

  • Direct experience managing or coordinating peer coaching programs or comparable peer-led programs.

• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

  • Knowledge of peer coaching, peer learning, or peer education models and their application in higher education settings 

  • Skill in supervising and mentoring both professional and student staff, with the ability to provide feedback that supports growth and ensures accountability 

  • Ability to manage multiple priorities and complex program operations in a dynamic, team-oriented environment 

  • Ability to think strategically about program design while remaining attentive to the day-to-day needs of students and staff

  • Experience supporting program growth, scaling, or innovation within academic support services.

Work Location

• Location: Knoxville, TN

• Onsite

Compensation and Benefits 

• UT market range: MR10

• Anticipated hiring range: Minimum $60,000

• Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here

• Find more information on UT Benefits here

Application Instructions 

To express interest, please submit an application with the noted below attachments. To be assured of full consideration, completed applications with all requested materials should be submitted.

• Resume

• Cover Letter