Undergraduate Academic Advisor

About the role

The University of Pittsburgh is seeking an Undergraduate Academic Advisor for the School of Public Health. The Academic Advisor provides comprehensive academic advising to all undergraduates within the school, as well as advising assistance to undergraduate students or prospective students outside of the school with interest in the school’s programs. We seek a positive, conscientious, student-centered individual to help prepare students for lives of impact by connecting them with educational experiences tailored to their specific goals and needs.

Responsibilities

• Utilize advanced advising knowledge, theory, and practical experience to serve as an academic liaison for students to identify academic and career goals, select appropriate courses, and plan for degree attainment.
• Manage small to medium-sized, moderately complex projects.
• Assist students from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives and with a broad range of academic interests that intersect, including adult/non-traditional students, first generation students, students from underrepresented backgrounds, students interested in medical school and/or careers in the health sciences, and students at various stages in the academic decision-making process, including undecided/undeclared students and declared majors.
• Help students identify academic and career goals and assist with appropriate course selection and degree planning.
• Connect students to helpful resources and services and monitor degree progress.
• Continually build on a foundation of advising theory and practice to deliver a high level of student service within dynamic and changing environments.
• Participate in and assist with the planning and implementation of unit and/or University-sponsored activities, including, but not limited to: retention and outreach efforts, internal working groups/committees, new and continuing student programs, graduation review, onboarding programs for new students, and remediation efforts for students experiencing academic difficulties.
• Use various software packages and platforms to fulfill responsibilities and adapt to new technologies without sacrificing quality.
• Serve as a committed advocate for a diverse student body and successfully build and foster inclusive relationships with students and colleagues.

Requirements

• Master’s degree.
• Minimum of two years of relevant experience.
• Combination of education and relevant experience will be considered in lieu of education and/or experience requirement.

Skills

• Excellent organization, communication skills, timeliness, cooperation, collaboration, and accuracy.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple simultaneous demands, inclusive of balancing a sizeable caseload of students with administrative, creative, and/or project-driven responsibilities.
• Ability to understand and appreciate the perspectives of various communities, including communities of color.
• Patience, flexibility, energy, and a sincere desire to assist students.

Essential Functions

• Ability to use a computer for PeopleSoft, Microsoft Office Suite, and other software systems.
• Ability to communicate via telephone, email, and in person, and attend recruitment events/fairs to represent the school.
• Ability to work extra hours during peak seasons.

Physical Effort

The position is essentially sedentary but may require travel to conferences and some lifting of materials.

Work schedule: Monday–Friday. Hybrid arrangement combining on-campus and remote work as determined by the department.

Hiring range: $53,000–$58,000 annually.