The Student Success and Retention Specialist plays a key role in strengthening student success and course completion across priority courses that align with Government and Institute policy and focus. The role is centred on providing responsive and student?centred support to help learners stay engaged, work through challenges and progress confidently towards completing their studies.

The position leads student voice and feedback activities, including focus groups, listening posts and targeted consultation sessions, with a particular focus on commencing students in their first 6-8 weeks of training. These mechanisms ensure students feel genuinely heard and valued, while enabling the organisation to better understand the factors that influence student engagement, belonging, success and retention. The insights gathered inform improvements to service design, teaching practice and the broader student experience.

A core component of the role is providing proactive, personalised support for students enrolled in priority programs. This includes monitoring and reporting on indicators of disengagement, collating data from withdrawal surveys, conducting timely check?ins, and coordinating targeted supports in collaboration with delivery areas and Student Support teams. The role responds to students who may be considering withdrawal by listening to their concerns, understanding underlying reasons and connecting them with appropriate internal services to help them continue wherever possible.

ABOUT YOU

Qualifications and skills required for the role:

You will have a relevant degree or relevant post graduate qualification in education related services and experience or lesser formal qualifications with substantial experience in a relevant role including program design, Community Services or Education

You are a highly motivated individual with:

- Ability to coordinate activities and support the smooth delivery of programs, initiatives or events.




- Strong organisational skills with the capacity to prioritise tasks and manage competing demands with effective interpersonal and communication skills, and the ability to contribute to a positive team culture and work collaboratively across different areas.
- Demonstrated ability to collect, interpret and communicate qualitative and quantitative feedback to inform service improvements and operational decision-making.
- Experience working in an education, youth, community, or customer?focused workplace.
- Demonstrated ability to present information and facilitate group work, tailored to people from diverse cultural, social, ethnic and educational backgrounds

ABOUT US

Chisholm is one of the largest vocational training providers in the state with a team of over 1,400 dedicated staff supporting 41,000 students who choose to study at Chisholm and training at our modern campuses across Melbourne’s southeast and online. We partner with governments, educational institutes, and businesses worldwide, sharing our expertise in vocational education.

We offer over 400 courses that include nationally accredited pathways from secondary school programs and short courses, through to certificates, diplomas, and degrees.

At Chisholm, we embrace differences in gender, age, ethnicity, race, cultural background, disability, religion, and sexual orientation. We know that diversity and inclusion help us to attract, recruit, engage and retain a team of talented people.

Chisholm has zero tolerance for child abuse and all forms of harm to children.



All allegations and safety concerns will be treated consistently in accordance with Chisholm policy and procedure.

WHAT WE OFFER

- An Inclusive work culture – Chisholm is resolutely diverse. We celebrate our people’s unique contributions to achieving our ambition to transform lives through relevant and responsive high-quality education
- Professional Development – continue to grow your career
- Networking Opportunities with Industrial Partners
- State of the art facilities on our campuses
- Free on-site parking as well as locations close to public transport
- Free Employee Assistance Program – get the support you want. It’s confidential.

If this is the job for you, please apply online now. We look forward to receiving your application!

Important information about your application

Your application should include:

- a cover letter
- your resume
- contact details of three (3) referees.

Please note, appointment to this position is subject to satisfactory completion of Safety Screening requirements including:

- Verified copies of qualifications and transcripts as listed in your resume
- Current valid Employee Working with Children Check (at own expense)
- Verified copy of unrestricted rights to work in Australia
- Verified National Police Check (at own expense)

If you have any questions regarding the position or require further information, please contact Alice Curtis, Team Leader, Student Success & Employability at [email protected]

Applications for this position close 9am Thursday 22 October 2026.

We are committed to a fair and equitable merit-based recruitment process for all our candidates. If you have specific accessibility or support requirements, please contact our Belonging & Inclusion Lead by emailing [email protected]

Chisholm reserves the right to withdraw an advertised position at any stage.

Find out more about us by visiting us on our Website and social media sites.

📌 Student Success & Retention Specialist (Dandenong)
🏢 Chisholm Institute
📍 Dandenong