What you will be doing...

As the Student Success & Retention Specialist, Office of L'nu Student Success, you will play a critical role in advancing student success, persistence, and completion outcomes for Mi'kmaq and Indigenous students at NSCC. Working collaboratively with students, faculty, academic leadership, and Student Supports teams, you will provide proactive, culturally responsive supports that help students navigate challenges and achieve their educational goals.

Grounded in Mi'kmaw ways of knowing, being, and doing, you will lead student success interventions and Early Alert initiatives that foster belonging, resilience, retention, and academic achievement while supporting the College's commitment to Reconciliation and educational equity.

In this role, you will:

• Coordinate and lead Early Alert and at-risk student support processes for Mi'kmaq and Indigenous students, ensuring timely outreach, intervention, and follow-up.
• Monitor student academic progress, attendance, engagement, and wellness indicators using institutional data and student success frameworks.
• Collaborate with faculty, academic chairs, counsellors, and other support teams to identify barriers and develop individualized student success plans.
• Coordinate, and document case conferences that support holistic, student-centered interventions.
• Connect students with academic, financial, personal, cultural, and community-based supports that promote persistence and success.
• Analyze student success and retention data to identify trends, evaluate interventions, and recommend continuous improvement strategies.
• Prepare quarterly and annual reports on retention initiatives, student outcomes, and program effectiveness.
• Act as a member of cross-functional committees and working groups dedicated to Indigenous student success, equity, and student engagement.

You possess a deep understanding of Mi'kmaq culture, history, Treaty Rights, and contemporary community realities. You are passionate about supporting student achievement and are committed to advancing equity, inclusion, student well-being, and Reconciliation through culturally safe and responsive practices.

Qualifications and Occupational Experience

• A university degree, diploma, or equivalent combination of education and experience in a relevant field such as Education, Indigenous Studies, Adult Education, Social Sciences, Human Services, Student Development, Learning Strategies, or a related discipline. Relevant Red Seal certification may also be considered.
• Minimum three years of recent related occupational experience demonstrating strong student support, leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving abilities.
• Lived experience as a member of the Mi'kmaq/Indigenous community.
• Experience supporting learners in educational, community, workforce development, or student services environments.
• Demonstrated experience facilitating meetings, case conferencing, coaching, conflict resolution, and collaborative intervention planning.
• Experience interpreting data and implementing evidence-informed strategies to improve student outcomes.
• Experience working with confidential information and maintaining professional standards regarding privacy, ethics, and student records.
• Experience working within frameworks governed by policy, procedures, and relevant legislation.
• Experience in a post-secondary, skilled trades, or applied learning environment would be considered an asset.
• Proficiency using Microsoft Office Suite and student information systems or equivalent technologies.

Relevant Skills and Knowledge

• Deep understanding of Mi'kmaq history, culture, traditions, Treaty Rights, and community strengths.
• Knowledge of student success, persistence, retention, and completion strategies in post-secondary education.
• Understanding of Early Alert systems, case management approaches, and collaborative intervention models.
• Strong ability to build trusting relationships with students, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, faculty, and community partners.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, coaching, and relationship-building skills.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining a high level of service and responsiveness.
• Commitment to trauma-informed, culturally safe, and strengths-based approaches to student support.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, Reconciliation, and social justice principles.
• Ability to work collaboratively within a complex post-secondary environment while exercising sound judgment and discretion.
• Commitment to lifelong learning, reflective practice, and continuous improvement.

As a condition of employment, Professional Support employees at NSCC must complete a part-time adult education program delivered by NSCC. This adult education program is a significant investment on the part of NSCC in the learning and development of new employees. To achieve regular status; all probationary, full or part-time Professional Support employees of the College must successfully complete the program within their probationary period. Term full-time Professional Support employees whose term appointment is twelve or more months are also required to participate in this program.

NSCC is committed to the full inclusion of all applicants. As part of this commitment, NSCC will ensure that applicants are provided reasonable accommodations, as required. If accommodation is needed to participate in the job application process, please contact Nikki Berrigan, HR & Talent Consultant, at [email protected]. Our Employee Workplace Accommodation Policy can be found here.

Unfortunately, we can not accept late or paper applications.