Head of Student Services & University Relations

Reporting to the Head of Veterinary Services, the Head of Student Services & University Relations provides strategic leadership & operational oversight for all AVMA Insurance Services student-facing initiatives. This role is responsible for advancing the organization's mission by overseeing & developing the Student Services Representatives while designing & executing a comprehensive engagement strategy that supports veterinary students from matriculation through graduation while strengthening student engagement, expanding participation in complimentary coverage offerings, & guiding the development of student-focused programs, education initiatives, & university partnerships. This position will include significant (~50%) travel.Position Focus: Serving as the subject matter leader for student engagement, coverage education, & enrollment processes, the Head of Student Services ensures a structured pathway that promotes risk awareness, professional preparedness, & a seamless transition into insured AVMA members. The role oversees outreach strategy, workflow optimization, & academic relationship stewardship to ensure consistency, scalability, & alignment with organizational priorities.The Head of Student Services cultivates strong relationships with university leadership, SAVMA chapters, student ambassadors, & veterinary students nationwide. Through campus visits & educational programming, convention seminars, & targeted communications, this position advances understanding of the products & services available through AVMA Trust.By integrating strategic planning, relationship management, & operational execution, the Head of Student Services drives long-term member value across the professional lifecycle & strengthens the Trust's role as a foundational partner to the veterinary profession.Goals of the PositionChampion & operationalize the mission & vision of the AVMA Insurance Services across all student-facing initiatives.Develop & demonstrate a clear, strategic understanding of the multi-stakeholder student services landscape – including AVMA, SAVMA, AAVMC, & individual academic institutions – to ensure aligned strategy, communication, coordinated engagement, & effective program execution.Build a scalable Student Services infrastructure that outlines role responsibilities/duties, documents communication & educational outreach, outlines data/reporting metrics, & strategic forecasting (Student Service Playbook).Strengthen & clearly articulate the student value proposition to increase meaningful engagement & long-term member retention.Elevate the educational impact of Student Services to better prepare students for professional risk.Build & mentor a high-performing Student Services team capable of executing strategic objectives with excellence & adaptability.Core Responsibilities1. Leadership ExpectationsChampion adoption of new workflows & systems within the Student Services team.Maintain a student-first mindset while balancing compliance & operational excellence.Lead student-facing communication strategy.Lead annual strategic plan & clearly articulate implementation strategy to Student Services team members.Build & mentor a high-performing Student Services team capable of executing strategic objectives with excellence & adaptability.Support cross-functional collaboration with Trust Veterinarians, Head of Strategic Relationships, Marketing, & Pearl.2. Strategic Student EngagementProvide consultation & support to SAVMA students (i.e., Student claims, Policy questions, etc.)Develop & execute national strategy for SAVMA engagement, recruitment, retention, & educational support.Supervise student ambassador training & development.Oversee student professional liability & LIFE enrollment growth & retention.Lead segmentation strategy for continuing students vs. graduating students vs. recently graduated students.3. Coverage Administration & ComplianceEnsure compliant opt-in processes & enrollment documentation.Oversee renewal cycles aligned with academic calendars (January, May, August).Manage group-pay institutions & institutional partnerships.Ensure accuracy & integrity of student data within CRM systems.4. Academic & Institutional RelationshipsServe as primary liaison to veterinary schools & SAVMA leadership.Coordinate current & future curricular & extracurricular engagement efforts.Develop communication guidelines for universities & institutional partners.Support sponsorship strategy (e.g., SAVMA Symposium, VBMA, All for Students).5. Product Stewardship & EducationOversee student-facing insurance products including Student Professional Liability, Student LIFE, VetSTEPP, etc.Ensure educational messaging is clear, accurate, & risk informed.Partner with Marketing & Trust Veterinarians on risk education initiatives.Data, Reporting, & Performance ManagementEstablish KPIs for student enrollment, retention, presentation reach, & product adoption.Provide monthly/quarterly/annual reporting metrics for AVMA Insurance Services leadership.Partner with Head of Veterinary Services to improve data visibility & forecasting.Salary Range: $160,000 – $165,000. Benefits: The AVMA Administrative Services offers a robust benefits package with access to health, dental, vision, life, AD&D, short-term disability, & long-term disability insurance; FSA & HSA plans; generous vacation & sick time; 11 Paid Holidays, an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) & 401(K) retirement plan; paid dues for the AVMA, one local VMA, & state licensure.Education & BackgroundDVM/VMD preferred.Demonstrated leadership experience within veterinary education, association management, or professional services.Experience in an academic setting is strongly preferred.Ability to teach, coach, & mentor student members.Strong verbal & written communication & time management skills.Strong understanding of professional liability, risk management, & member services.Proven ability to manage data-driven initiatives & operational systems.eoe/m/f/d/v#J-18808-Ljbffr