Academic Advisor

About the role

The Department of Political Science at the University of Wisconsin–Madison seeks an enthusiastic professional to join our undergraduate team as an Academic Advisor. This position supports students pursuing the Political Science major, provides academic advising to certificate students, and assists with departmental initiatives as needed. Academic advisors build relationships with students, guide them through their academic experience, and collaborate with faculty and staff to support student success.

Responsibilities

• Proactively engages students as needed
• Serves as a main point of contact for students and provides information about educational options and academic requirements; assists with identifying and assessing interests, skills, and values to match appropriate field of study/career options, and refers students to appropriate institutional resources
• Participates in the campus-wide advising community providing input to leadership regarding the development of advising, recruitment, and co/curricular programs offered by the school/college
• Implements academic advising events such as workshops, panel discussions, and guest speakers
• Maintains confidentiality and accurate student records and processes and responds to academic inquiries according to established institutional and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) policies
• Maintains expertise with advised curriculum and may assist in developing and recommending exceptions for policy and curriculum
• Receives, processes, and responds to academic inquiries according to established policies and procedures
• Collaborates with department members on curricular planning, coordinating and managing student events such as graduation celebrations, student events, and mentoring programs, serving on relevant committees, and partnering with college and university offices to stay current on advising and curricular policies and practices
• Participates in Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration (SOAR) programming to advise prospective and incoming students

Qualifications

Required:

• Demonstrated ability to engage effectively with students throughout the workday, including managing multiple individual student meetings and interactions each day while remaining attentive, approachable, and responsive
• Ability to adapt to changing daily needs and priorities, including responding to drop-in advising needs, unexpected student questions, and shifts in scheduled activities while maintaining a high level of service and engagement
• Strong interpersonal skills with genuine enthusiasm for connecting with, assisting, and supporting department priorities
• Bachelor's Degree, required

Preferred:

• Minimum one year of experience in advising, mentoring, leadership development, or related student support roles, or one year of strong customer service
• Experience working with undergraduate students and supporting their academic, personal, or professional development is strongly preferred
• Experience planning and coordinating events or programs, and solving problems

Pay

The expected salary range for this position is $55,000 up to $58,000 for highly experienced candidates. Actual pay within this range will depend on experience and qualifications.

Benefits

Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and sick leave; competitive insurance and savings accounts; and retirement benefits.

Schedule

This is an on-site, student-facing position; however, advisors may be approved for occasional remote work. Most of the work for this position occurs during normal business hours, with occasional evening events.

How to apply

To apply for this position, select either "I am a current employee" or "I am not a current employee" under Apply Now. You will then be prompted to upload your application materials. The application has only one attachment field. Upload the following documents in that field, either as a single combined file or as multiple files in the same upload area:

• Resume/Curriculum Vitae
• Cover Letter

The materials should address your experience relating to the qualifications referenced above. Specifically, applicants should describe why they are interested in this position and how their previous experience makes them qualified. All listed application materials must be submitted for your application to be considered. Please submit only the materials specified; additional materials will not be reviewed.

The application deadline is 11:59pm on September 8, 2026.

Contact: Faye Lux, flux@wisc.edu, 608-263-1780