Assistant Director of Academic Peer Coaching – Academic Success Center – UTK (8976)

Job Description

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.

Responsibilities

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

Qualifications

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

About Us

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has shaped leaders, changemakers, and innovative thinkers since its founding in 1794. The university is home to more than 38,000 students and 10,000 statewide employees-the Volunteers-who uphold the university’s tradition of lighting the way for others through leadership and service.

UT Knoxville offers over 900 programs of study across 14 degree-granting colleges and schools. As Tennessee’s flagship land-grant university, its footprint spans the entire state. The university holds the highest Carnegie classification for research activity and has deep partnerships with industry leaders and the US Department of Energy’s largest multidisciplinary laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The Knoxville campus serves and recruits for UT Knoxville, including the Institute of Agriculture and the Space Institute, as well as the UT Institute of Public Service.

UT Knoxville considers its employees its number one asset. With values that focus on work-life balance, compensation, and innovation leadership, all Vols are supported to advance professionally. Employees have access to career development and coaching, continued education, and an extensive list of development and training possibilities. The Volunteer employee experience implements structures and practices to attract and retain top-tier talent, fostering a strong staff community and supporting a culture of involvement and engagement for everyone.

The university holds a strong commitment to its land-grant mission of learning and engagement, with a tradition of service and leadership that carries that Volunteer spirit throughout the state and around the world. It has been ranked nationally as “Best Employer for New Graduates,” “One of America’s Best Large Employers,” and “Best Workplace for Women,” and has been designated as “Best Place for Working Parents” by Forbes Magazine.

Apply today and join the Tennessee Volunteer community!

Job Info

• Job Identification 8976
• Job Category Student Services
• Posting Date 07/13/2026, 11:55 AM
• Job Schedule Full time
• Locations 1506 Middle Drive, Knoxville, TN, 37996, US

Tagged as: Employment