Vice President, Student Affairs

Salary: $97,452.94 - $160,797.13 Annually
Location : Winter Haven
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number:
Org: President
Opening Date: 11/13/2026
Closing Date: 12/13/2026 5:00 PM Eastern

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Description
The Vice President, Student Affairs is the chief officer of Polk State's Student Affairs department and reports directly to the President. The position has the overall responsibility of providing vision and strategic leadership for a comprehensive student-centered Student Affairs division that prioritizes exceptional customer service, student engagement, retention, and completion. The position oversees programs and services that support students throughout the student life cycle from interest to alumni, and includes student activities, athletics, disability services, wraparound services, conduct, and more. Through a coordinated approach, this position promotes responsive, accessible, and consistent service in a multi-campus structure to address students' needs throughout their educational journey. This position works collaboratively across campus departments to identify and address barriers to student success, strengthen student success and persistence, and advance institutional goals for retention, completion, and student achievement.

Essential Functions/Duties

Job Functions: Essential

• Provides leadership for a comprehensive array of student affairs programs focused on student success, including, but not limited to, recruitment, admission, registration, advising, records, career planning and placement, athletics, student conduct, student activities, student government, Student clubs and organizations, student advocacy, services for students with disabilities, institutional compliance, Upward Bound and TRIO programs, and other student support services as appropriate.
• Works collaboratively with Academic Affairs and Workforce to identify and address barriers to student success, strengthen early-alert and referral processes, and align academic and student support services to improve student retention and completion.
• Provides leadership for the development and coordination of comprehensive wraparound services that address students' academic, social, and well-being needs and reduce barriers to persistence and completion.
• Plans, designs, develops, and delivers district-wide student affairs programs that support the goals of the College.
• Recommends organizational structures, personnel, and resources to ensure a student-centered / learner-centered environment at all levels.
• Provides leadership for evaluating and ensuring quality in all aspects of the College's student affairs and student development programs and staff.
• Recommends, develops, and implements student affairs policies, procedures and practices which foster and promote student learning and success, and support the educational programs of the College.
• Works collaboratively with campus leadership, faculty, students, and other staff to promote recruitment, enrollment, retention, completion and student success.
• Develops, fosters, and promotes new opportunities for partnerships with public and private sector entities.
• Provides leadership for establishing multi-year tactical and annual operational goals designed to support the strategic goals of the College President and Board of Trustees.
• Assumes leadership and responsibility for establishing an environment which promotes respect for students, faculty, and staff.
• Participates in and supervises the preparation of detailed budgets. Provides effective and efficient fiscal management of assigned units within a centralized accounting/budget system.
• Supports College committee activities and special events through regular attendance and participation.
• Communicates an accurate image of the College to the public, is a positive and active representative of the College and is available to address crisis and other situations involving the College during non-traditional work hours.
• Maintains confidentiality of information.
• Contributes to a safe educational and working environment by participating in all emergency training initiatives.
• Performs all other duties as assigned by the College President.

Consulting Tasks:

• Serves with other personnel on committees.

Supervises the following Student Affairs Staff:

• Associate Vice Presidents.
• Deans, Student Affairs.
• Director, Student Activities & Leadership.
• Director, Disability & Counseling Services.
• Program Coordinator.
• Grant Program Directors as assigned (Upward Bound, Talent Search, TRIO). Director, Athletics.

Typical Qualifications

Required Skills

• Demonstrated understanding of and a commitment to Polk State College's vision, mission, and core values; teaching and learning; higher education and academic standards; regional accreditation, USDOE-recognized accreditation, discipline specific accreditation/approval, and student success.
• Knowledge and understanding of student development theory and programs.
• Knowledge of student due process policies / procedures; knowledge and understanding of the current issues and trends in student affairs and student development.
• Possess excellent written and oral communications skills.
• Knowledge and understanding of assessment methods.
• Skills in leadership and supervisory practices and techniques.
• Knowledge of current technology to support student affairs.
• Knowledge of mediation and/or conflict resolution strategies and methods; skill in mediating disputes between students, faculty, staff, and others.

Required Education:

• A master's degree or higher from an accredited college or university is required.
• Alternate Credential: A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with 8 years' experience in higher education student services that demonstrates progressively increasing responsibility, leadership, management, and supervisory experience.

Preferred Education:

• A master's degree or higher in Student Personnel Administration, Higher Education Administration, Educational Leadership, or related field of study is preferred.

Required Experience:

• A minimum of (5) five years' experience in higher education student services that demonstrates progressively increasing responsibility, leadership, management, and supervisory experience.
• Experience at the dean's level or higher is preferred.

Working Conditions/Additional Information

• Extensive weekend and evening work may be required.
• Extensive travel throughout Polk County is required.
• Must be able to work efficiently in a busy, multi-office work area.
• Must be flexible and able to adapt to changes as required.

Physical/Ability Requirements:

• Operate standard office equipment (please specify equipment): Must be able to efficiently operate personal computer and word-processing software

Salary and Benefits Information

• This position is level P21.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision coverage; short-term disability; paid holidays and sick leave; vacation (excluding faculty positions); retirement benefits for eligible employees; and college fee waivers.
Supplemental Information

Submissions that do not include all parts of the following required information will not be considered:

• a resume.
• an electronic job application (all sections MUST be completed).

Important Information