Academic Advisor

About the Role

The Academic Advisor serves as a primary source of guidance and support for students throughout their academic experience at APUS, helping them make informed decisions, navigate University requirements and processes, overcome barriers, and maintain progress toward their educational and professional goals. This position also serves as an onsite representative of AMU/APU at Altus Air Force Base, providing in‑person and virtual support to current and prospective students and building strong relationships within the military community.

Primary Responsibilities

• Provide warm, high‑quality, student‑focused service across multiple communication channels, including in‑person, email, phone, chat, text, social media, webinars, and other virtual platforms.
• Proactively engage with students to understand their goals, answer questions, identify barriers, provide clear next steps, and support continued academic progress.
• Encourage, motivate, and guide students toward the successful completion of their academic and professional goals.
• Provide accurate academic advising related to degree requirements, course selection, academic planning, University policies and procedures, campus navigation, forms, and available student resources.
• Evaluate individual student situations using critical thinking and sound judgment to identify options, recommend solutions, and collaborate with other University departments on the student’s behalf when needed.
• Review and process degree changes and other academic requests accurately and timely, considering credit impact, time to completion, student goals, and other relevant factors.
• Utilize appropriate advising approaches based on the individual needs and circumstances of each student.
• Maintain knowledge of University programs, policies, procedures, systems, and resources, including requirements specific to assigned programs or student populations.
• Accurately and thoroughly document student interactions and advising activities in appropriate University systems.
• Identify and communicate student trends, recurring barriers, and opportunities to improve policies, processes, outreach, and the overall student experience.
• Participate in ongoing professional development, training, departmental committees, task forces, University initiatives, and other opportunities that support continued growth and organizational goals.
• Maintain a professional onsite presence and serve as a positive representative of AMU/APU within the military community.
• Establish and maintain strong professional relationships with military and civilian staff and other key personnel at the assigned installation.
• Maintain required access to Altus Air Force Base and comply with all applicable installation security, identification, safety, and access requirements.
• Support the effective operation of the onsite office, including maintaining current University materials and meeting applicable military education center standards.
• Represent the University at ceremonies, events, presentations, and other activities within the military community as needed.
• In the event the installation or Education Center is closed or inaccessible due to a government shutdown, emergency, weather event, security restriction, or other unforeseen circumstances, work remotely from an approved home workspace as directed by AMU/APU.

Requirements

• Ability to work independently in an onsite environment with remote leadership, exercise sound judgment, appropriately escalate concerns, and maintain regular communication with Academic Advising leadership.
• Ability to effectively manage multiple priorities and competing deadlines in a fast‑paced environment while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including active listening, relationship building, influencing, and communicating effectively with diverse audiences.
• Excellent student service skills with a positive, student‑focused approach.
• Strong critical thinking, decision‑making, and creative problem‑solving skills, including the ability to effectively advise and identify solutions in complex, ambiguous, or unstructured situations.
• Ability to navigate multiple systems, learn new technologies, and adapt quickly to changing processes, priorities, and expectations.
• Understanding of student development theory and its application within academic advising.

Schedule

This role requires working on‑site at Altus Air Force Base Monday‑Friday for an 8‑hour shift with a 30‑minute lunch during base operating hours. Required shift: 9:30 am – 6:00 pm Monday‑Thursday, and 8:00 am – 4:30 pm Friday.

About Us

American Public University System (APUS) is an online university based in Charles Town, WV, serving over 100,000 students. Our emphasis is on educating the nation’s military and public service communities with quality, affordable education. APUS is committed to equal opportunity for all qualified persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.