Assistant Director of Student Services (2 Open)

About the role

The College of Architecture, Art, and Planning at Cornell University (Cornell AAP) includes the departments of Architecture, Art, City and Regional Planning, the Paul Rubacha Department of Real Estate, jointly led by AAP and the SC Johnson College of Business, the multicollege Department of Design Tech, and the Cornell Mui Ho Center for Cities. The college spans three locations in Ithaca, New York City, and Rome, Italy, each with world-class facilities and cutting-edge technologies. Cornell AAP is about acts of transformation. We are committed to reimagining and reshaping the world in new ways, every day. A vital college at one of the nation's foremost research universities, Cornell AAP brings faculty, staff, and students together from around the world to take up some of today's most urgent challenges and advance research, inquiry, and collaborative approaches to designing, making, and doing that make a more just and resilient future.

Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive academic advising to undergraduate and graduate students across AAP programs, supporting degree planning, policies, and co-curricular engagement.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for student concerns, including those in distress or experiencing academic difficulty, and connect them with appropriate campus resources.
• Collaborate with faculty, college leadership, and campus partners (e.g., Cornell Health, CAPS, Dean of Students, Student Disability Services) to deliver holistic student support.
• Develop and implement creative, student-centered advising strategies that advance innovative pathways for academic success and well-being.
• Analyze trends related to student performance and persistence, using data to inform proactive interventions and continuous improvement of advising practices.
• Create targeted communications and resources to support student success, particularly for first-year, transfer, and students navigating complex academic pathways.
• Contribute to the development and delivery of student success programs such as academic support initiatives and peer mentorship programs.
• Advise and support student organizations, including leadership development, training, and alignment with university policies and practices.
• Promote a culture of inclusion, belonging, and wellbeing while advocating for students in college and university forums and contributing to collaborative initiatives across AAP.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and 2 to 4 years relevant experience or equivalent combination.
• Demonstrated experience working with a broad array of stakeholders to craft and implement collaborative, high-quality academic, co-curricular, and extracurricular programming and events.
• Experience in program design, delivery, and evaluation.
• Ability to connect with students of all backgrounds and experience levels; experience advising them on academic, professional, and personal goals.
• Strong public speaking, writing, and editing skills.
• Demonstrated project management, organizational skills, and detail orientation.
• Must be able to balance significant complexity and competing demands in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to exercise a high degree of discretion in dealing with confidential information in accordance with University policies and FERPA regulations.
• Ability to attend meetings and events across campus.
• Ability to travel occasionally as needed outside of campus to attend conferences, trainings, and/or meetings with stakeholders and external vendors, although travel outside the university is expected to be limited to one or two times a year.
• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 2 to 4 years relevant experience or equivalent combination.
• Demonstrated experience working with a broad array of stakeholders to craft and implement collaborative, high-quality academic, co-curricular, and extracurricular programming and events.
• Experience in program design, delivery, and evaluation.
• Ability to connect with students of all backgrounds and experience levels; experience advising them on academic, professional, and personal goals.
• Strong public speaking, writing, and editing skills.
• Demonstrated project management, organizational skills, and detail orientation.
• Must be able to balance significant complexity and competing demands in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to exercise a high degree of discretion in dealing with confidential information in accordance with University policies and FERPA regulations.
• Ability to attend meetings and events across campus.
• Ability to travel occasionally as needed outside of campus to attend conferences, trainings, and/or meetings with stakeholders and external vendors, although travel outside the university is expected to be limited to one or two times a year.
• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.

Skills

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and projects simultaneously.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Knowledge of higher education systems and processes.
• Experience with data analysis and interpretation.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.

Benefits

Commensurate with experience.

Pay

$72,209.00 - $77,625.00

Schedule

Full-time, on-site