Academic Advisor

Student Services Advisor

Founded in 1896, the Gould School of Law has a distinguished past built on the principles of equity and excellence, and the courage to break new ground. USC first introduced legal education in Southern California. Today, the Law School continues to make history through its philosophy of innovation and through its people. USC Gould cultivates analytical ability, ethical values, and a spirit of collegiality that prepare students for meaningful careers benefiting society. It was one of the first law schools to engage students in clinical programs and remains a leader in experiential education.

USC Gould is seeking a Student Services Advisor within the office of Graduate & International Programs. Reporting to the Director of Online and Graduate Programs, this position provides advanced academic and career advising for students enrolling in the law school's Master of Studies in Law (MSL), online master's degree and certificate programs, and Progressive Degree Programs.

The ideal candidate will have prior experience in student services supporting non-traditional students, including online students, adult learners, and international students. It is critical for the candidate to have the ability to work both collaboratively and independently, prioritize, and multitask. Additionally, the successful candidate should have strong communication, time management, and organizational skills. They should demonstrate strong judgment, initiative, and the ability to manage complex student issues while collaborating effectively with staff, faculty, alumni, and university partners.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in higher education, student affairs, or related field
• 3-5 years of experience
• Knowledge of USC student and academic programs, policies and procedures, and USC's student information system. Experience supporting online programs and courses

Job Accountabilities:

• Provides comprehensive academic and career advising for online and graduate students
• Develops individualized academic plans that are related to the students' professional goals and in accordance with degree/certificate requirements
• Manages proactive outreach efforts designed to support student engagement, persistence, retention, and academic success
• Leads departmental registration operations, including student registration processes, registration communications, course petitions, enrollment and degree verification, and related academic processes
• Guides students through the orientation onboarding process to the university, including sharing law school enrollment processes, financial aid resources, scholarship funding, and online learning environment training
• Designs, implements, and evaluates professional development initiatives that connect classroom learning to career outcomes (e.g., workshops, speaker series, mock interviews, resume reviews)
• Creates and maintains student communications, handbooks, advising materials, and other resources that improve the student experience and support academic success
• Provides leadership, guidance, and mentoring to advisors performing similar work, particularly in orientation, academic planning, registration process, and advising best practices
• Collaborates with internal team members (staff, faculty) and external partners (USC departments, alumni) on a regular basis to develop innovative ways to engage students and facilitate their career search
• Maintains currency on a wide range of university policies, school-wide policies, and educational trends affecting graduate students and student affairs practices for professional programs
• Assists with both final exam administration and proctoring at the end of the Fall and Spring semesters and commencement each year.
• Performs other related duties as assigned or requested. The university reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

ATTENTION: Applicants must upload a cover letter and a resume to be considered for this position.

Hybrid Schedule: All staff are required to work three days in-person and may work up to two days remotely per week. Staff may be required to work more than three days in-person. Weekly schedule is dependent on business and department needs and may change at any time. New hires may be expected to work fully in-person during the probation and training period.

The Gould School of Law (Gould) considers candidates that demonstrate, through ideas, words and actions, a strong commitment to USC's Unifying Values. Gould holds a unique position in society, and within the university, as every aspect of these principles are influenced by and can be protected through legal rules and institutions. At Gould, we are proudly committed to maintaining a community in which each person respects the rights of others to live, work, and learn in peace and dignity, to be proud of who and what they are, and to have equal opportunity to realize their full potential as individuals and members of society.

The hourly rate range for this position is $34.35 - $38.74 (approx. $66.9K - $75.5K annually). When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

Minimum Education: Bachelor's degree. Additional Education Requirements: Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education. Minimum Experience: 3 years. Minimum Skills: Directly related experience in student services and programming with ability to lead.

USC is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy. USC observes affirmative action obligations consistent with state and federal law. USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal records in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for employers and the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and with due consideration for patient and student safety. Please refer to the Background Screening Policy Appendix D for specific employment screen implications for the position for which you are applying.

We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact USC Human Resources by phone at View phone number on click.appcast.io, or by email at View email address on click.appcast.io. Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.

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