The Association for association professionals in Chicagoland

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 Position:

1. Champion & operationalize the mission & vision of the AVMA Insurance Services across all student-facing initiatives.
2. 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.
3. Build a scalable Student Services infrastructure that outlines role responsibilities/duties, documents communication & educational outreach, outlines data/reporting metrics, & strategic forecasting (Student Service Playbook).
4. Strengthen & clearly articulate the student value proposition to increase meaningful engagement & long-term member retention.
5. Elevate the educational impact of Student Services to better prepare students for professional risk.
6. Build & mentor a high-performing Student Services team capable of executing strategic objectives with excellence & adaptability.

Core Responsibilities:

1. Leadership Expectations
   1. Champion adoption of new workflows & systems within the Student Services team.
   2. Maintain a student-first mindset while balancing compliance & operational excellence.
   3. Lead student-facing communication strategy.
   4. Lead annual strategic plan & clearly articulate implementation strategy to Student Services team members.
   5. Build & mentor a high-performing Student Services team capable of executing strategic objectives with excellence & adaptability.
   6. Support cross-functional collaboration with Trust Veterinarians, Head of Strategic Relationships, Marketing, & Pearl.
2. Strategic Student Engagement
   1. Provide consultation & support to SAVMA students (i.e., Student claims, Policy questions, etc.)
   2. Develop & execute national strategy for SAVMA engagement, recruitment, retention, & educational support.
   3. Supervise student ambassador training & development.
   4. Oversee student professional liability & LIFE enrollment growth & retention.
   5. Lead segmentation strategy for continuing students vs. graduating students vs. recently graduated students.
3. Coverage Administration & Compliance
   1. Ensure compliant opt-in processes & enrollment documentation.
   2. Oversee renewal cycles aligned with academic calendars (January, May, August).
   3. Manage group-pay institutions & institutional partnerships.
   4. Ensure accuracy & integrity of student data within CRM systems.
4. Academic & Institutional Relationships
   1. Serve as primary liaison to veterinary schools & SAVMA leadership.
   2. Coordinate current & future curricular & extracurricular engagement efforts.
   3. Develop communication guidelines for universities & institutional partners.
   4. Support sponsorship strategy (e.g., SAVMA Symposium, VBMA, All for Students).
5. Product Stewardship & Education
   1. Oversee student-facing insurance products including Student Professional Liability, Student LIFE, VetSTEPP, etc.
   2. Ensure educational messaging is clear, accurate, & risk informed.
   3. Partner with Marketing & Trust Veterinarians on risk education initiatives.
6. Data, Reporting, & Performance Management
   1. Establish KPIs for student enrollment, retention, presentation reach, & product adoption.
   2. Provide monthly/quarterly/annual reporting metrics for AVMA Insurance Services leadership.
   3. Partner with Head of Veterinary Services to improve data visibility & forecasting.

Deadline for application is Thursday, April 30. Application must include cover letter & resume (or CV). Submit to: apply@avma.org. 

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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 & Background:

• DVM/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.

About AVMA

Headquartered in Schaumburg, Illinois, with an office in Washington, D.C., the AVMA is structured to work for its members, and acts as a collective voice for its membership and for the profession. The AVMA provides many benefits to its members, including information resources, state and federal advocacy, opportunities to address issues affecting policies that govern the profession and practice of veterinary medicine, continuing education opportunities, quality publications, and discounts on personal and professional products, programs and services. The work of the AVMA is carried out by a dedicated staff of over 170. The organization is governed by an 18-member Board of Directors and has a $50M+ annual operating budget. Visit www.avma.org/AVMAcareers!

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