Academic Advisor/Career Coordinator

General Statement of Job

This is a federally funded grant professional support staff position. The Academic Advisor/Career Coordinator manages the Project tutoring and study group programs, teaches up to two classes per academic year, provides one-on-one and group counseling, and serves as an academic skills resource and advisor to approximately 75 students.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

Essential Duties:

• Participates in recruiting and selecting students for the Project.
• Teaches one class per academic year that focuses on professional development and leadership skills.
• Maintains a caseload of 75 Project Stay students by assisting students in their academic pursuits by aiding them in class selection, educational goals, and graduation requirements.
• Assists in evaluating student applications for eligibility and level of need by reviewing academic records, placement tests and other standardized test results with students in order to develop course selections consistent with their career choices and degree requirements.
• Administers diagnostic tools, examines test data to determine individual service needs, and orients students regarding admissions, placement testing registration processes, policies, procedures, resources and programs.
• Advises Project Stay students on social, academic, financial, and career issues and provide referrals if necessary while developing a term-by-term schedule and an outline of program study; also exercising override authority to allow students with poor academic performance to register after considering the students’ needs.
• Writes an Individual Development Plan for each student in the caseload and charts each student’s progress toward graduation by reviewing degree audits and transcripts to verify fulfillment of graduation requirements.
• Assists in coordinating, presenting, and participating in all program workshops, leadership classes, cultural trips, campus visits, etc.
• Coordinates the Project Stay professional job shadowing and career exploration program.
• Promotes positive institutional climate by serving on campus committees as requested.

Education, Experience, and Licenses

• Master’s degree (M. A. or M.S.) in counseling, education, reading, English, math, or an area related to basic skills from accredited four-year college or university is required. Master’s degree in progress will be considered with expectation of completing degree in two years.

• Experience working in post-secondary setting strongly preferred. At least 2 years experience in counseling, advising, or teaching in basic skills is required.

• One-year experience working with college-age students, preferably students who are low-income, academically disadvantaged, or who have disabilities is required.

• Knowledge of Student Support Services/activities such as advising, counseling, assessment, career development, tutoring, financial aid, etc. is required.

• Experience in supervising student staff is preferred.

• A background similar to SSS students is preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Requires the ability to oversee purchasing authority up to $1,000 without approval from supervisor.
• Requires the ability to use small office equipment, including copy machines or multi-line telephone systems.
• Requires the ability to use computers for data entry.
• Requires the ability to use computers for word processing and/or accounting purposes.
• Requires the ability to use highly technical computer applications.

• Ability to participate in assessments by defining problems or goals, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions, write reports and present findings.

• Will be required to go through Master Advisor Training.

Physical Demands/Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel including the use of a computer keyboard; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear including the use of a telephone. The employee is frequently required to walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

NOTICE: The above job profile does not include all essential and nonessential duties of this job. All employees with disabilities are encouraged to contact Human Resources to review and discuss the essential and nonessential functions of the job. An employee with a disability can evaluate the job in greater detail to determine if she/he can safely perform the essential function of this job with or without reasonable accommodation.