Academic Advisor III

About the role

The Academic Advisor III provides direct academic advising to individuals or groups of Bachelors and Masters level School of Social Work students to enhance the academic experience, student retention and completion. Assists with the administration and coordination of one or more essential academic advising program(s) or initiative(s). Assists with the training and onboarding of new academic advisors and may provide supervision of a small team of advisors and support staff.

Responsibilities

• Conduct academic advising for current and prospective students utilizing multiple modalities such as in-person, virtual, phone, and email.
• Provide guidance on academic topics such as degree requirements, relevant course selection, and provide students with assistance in setting and achieving educational and career goals.
• Help students make informed academic decisions teaching them how to track their own academic progress, locate and interpret appropriate policies, and to utilize the tools and resources available.
• Monitor the academic progress of a student caseload. This includes proactive outreach to provide students with just-in-time assistance.
• Conduct verification of degree progress, removal of holds, and approval of various forms to ensure timely student progression, etc.
• Analyze and interpret student data, transcripts, and placement results.
• Enter advising notes into MyMav following best practices for documenting student appointments/contacts.
• Provides daily oversight and implementation of advising best-practices, communication of program requirements, the creation of reports, and ongoing program improvement and assessment.
• Prepare reports and participate in data-driven analyses and decision-making processes.
• Speaks to various constituencies representing the School of Social Work and academic advising community (e.g., students, advisors, parents, faculty, administrators, etc.) regarding the advising process, orientation, and other activities.
• Affords assistance with the training and onboarding of new academic advisors and may provide supervision of a small team of advisors and support staff.
• Maintain a clear understanding of all applicable federal, state, and University policies and procedures.
• Keeps abreast of relevant academic programs and support services such as counseling and tutoring within a College and University and provide appropriate referrals to students.
• Participates in meetings, professional conferences, and individual professional development.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Social Work or related field.
• Four (4) years paid work experience in a human service field or in higher education or equivalent relevant experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Four (4) years of progressive academic advising experience at a public R1 University.
• Leadership and/or supervisory experience at an institution of higher education.
• Experience implementing, monitoring, and assessing student development programs/projects.
• Demonstrated willingness and/or experience working collaboratively with students and/or co-workers from a wide range of abilities, backgrounds, and experiences.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• High impact academic advising practices; CAS standards; University academic advising practices; Federal, state, and local policies and procedures governing academic advising functions; probation, dismissal, and reinstatement procedures; college/school major and degree requirement; and resources provided by academic advising associations such as NACADA and TEXAAN.
• A working knowledge and ability to utilize the University Catalog is essential.
• Student advocacy; written and verbal interpersonal communication; organizing information and projects; problem solving; adhering to deadlines; taking initiative; resource management; student recruitment and outreach; and navigating student information systems.
• Lead others; work professionally, collaboratively, and independently; build strong relationships with internal and external constituents; work with sensitive information and to maintain the highest level of confidentiality; run reports and assess efforts; track and monitor student progress and help implement appropriate student interventions; use a full array of organizational resources appropriately; apply student recruitment/outreach/retention skills; prioritize work with a high degree of initiative; manage multiple projects, assignments, and responsibilities; and proficiently use Microsoft Office Programs such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint.