Retention Advisor

About the role

The Retention Advisor owns the highest-risk window of the student journey — the middle of the program, where most attrition occurs. Working in Pod 2 (Persistence & Intervention) of the Student Success & Progression lifecycle model, this is a crisis-intervention and academic-recovery role focused on keeping students enrolled and progressing through SAP challenges, course failures, and life disruptions. The mandate is to convert would-be withdrawals into documented recoveries or approved pauses, and to reach students before the last date of attendance rather than after the drop. The role serves students in both Campus and Online modalities; Pod assignment is by journey phase, not modality.

Responsibilities

• Manage the SAP Warning and Probation caseload and build a documented Academic Recovery Plan for each student (SSP-P-06, SSP-S-03).
• Process course withdrawals and Interruption of Training (IOT), converting avoidable withdrawals into approved pauses with a defined re-entry pod (SSP-P-07).
• Run midpoint GPA intervention and re-engagement campaigns; work the MIA list daily from the 7-day non-participation trigger (SSP-P-05, SSP-S-02).
• Contact every at-risk student in the caseload weekly and document the attempt.
• Conduct synchronous video recovery check-ins and monitor GPA and attendance signals continuously.
• Participate in the Weekly At-Risk Student Review and trigger recovery mechanics for failed courses (SSP-S-05).
• Log 100% of contacts in the SIS the same day and execute clean handoffs into and out of Pod 2 (SSP-S-04, SSP-S-08).
• Meet Pod 2 accountability KPIs — retention rate, term completion, SAP Probation recovery, and MIA/at-risk contact coverage — as defined in the SSP scorecard framework (SSP-P-04).
• Follow owned SOPs: SSP-S-03 SAP Warning/Probation Intervention, SSP-S-02 MIA Outreach & Re-Engagement, SSP-S-05 Weekly At-Risk Student Review, SSP-S-04 POD Handoff Checklist, and SSP-S-08 Metric Logging & Scorecard Maintenance.
• Facilitating or co-facilitating student workshops on study skills, time management, and academic recovery (non‑essential).
• Contributing to intervention scripts, recovery‑plan templates, and outreach language (non‑essential).
• Case consultation and peer coaching for newer advisors (non‑essential).
• Assembling documentation samples for internal audit or ACCSC evidence requests (non‑essential).
• Pilot and acceptance testing of early‑alert or predictive student‑success tools (non‑essential).
• Temporary coverage of another Pod 2 advisor's caseload during planned absence (non‑essential).
• Representing Student Success & Progression in cross‑functional working groups, including scheduling, catalog, and 5‑Block implementation, when advising input is requested (non‑essential).
• Supporting re‑engagement campaigns for previously withdrawn or IOT students outside the current caseload (non‑essential).
• Attending commencement and other institutional events (non‑essential).
• Other duties as assigned by Manager, provided they do not displace or materially reduce capacity for the essential functions of the role (non‑essential).

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree.
• 2–3 years in retention, academic advising, case management, or crisis‑intervention and student‑support roles.
• Demonstrated ability to stay calm under pressure and manage a high‑stakes, high‑volume caseload.
• Data‑driven approach to identifying and prioritizing at‑risk students, with