Reporting to the Associate Director of Academic Advising in the Excelsior University Advising Center, Division of Enrollment Management & Student Experience, the graduate-level academic advisor is a critical partner for students on their pathway to academic success. Excelsior academic advisors work with their students as individuals, helping them develop and navigate degree plans, connecting them with University support resources, and coaching them to overcome the challenges that sometimes arise while balancing life with school. Academic advising at Excelsior University is relational, not transactional, and the University prides itself on recruiting an advising team that understands the critical role advisors play in student success. In addition to advising duties, the academic advisor will have the opportunity to contribute to co-curricular community activities designed specifically to engage students. This is a full-time, hybrid role with a minimum of two days required per week at Excelsior's home office in Albany, NY, with the remainder of the days worked from home.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Cultivate strong working partnerships with assigned students; approach them as individuals requiring personalized time and attention.
• Customize support through the delivery method(s) most helpful to each student, including but not limited to video conference, text messaging, chat, phone, e-mail.
• Assist students in assessing goals; help them develop an educational plan for successful completion of degree or certificate.
• Guide students in course selection; assist in resolving academic problems; identify and monitor academic progress.
• Conduct proactive outreach to students who are exhibiting behaviors that put them at risk for academic failure or stop-out; provide coaching to assess the challenges behind the at-risk behaviors and identify a plan for remediation and follow up; provide moral support and confidence-building assistance.
• Assess appropriate courses of action consistent with the individual student’s goals and circumstances; serve as the introductory conduit—and ensure seamless hand-offs—between students and
• University support resources such as Accessibility Services, Career Services, student assistance program, Financial Aid, Writing Center, etc.
• Assist in the development and coordination of student programming and events including but not limited to recruitment events, orientation modules, success- and support-related webinars, engagement activities.

Qualifications:

• An earned Masters degree (or within 6 credits of completing a Master's degree) from a regionally accredited institution.
• It is preferred applicants have a minimum of two years’ experience working in college-level student services/student support, experience working with adult students, and/or online advising.
• Solid understanding of the characteristics and challenges of adult learners.
• Strong interpersonal skills and relationship building; genuine passion for helping people to better themselves through education; coaching for success mindset.
• Ability to interpret and clearly communicate (orally and in writing) complex processes and policies, in a manner easy to understand and befitting an institution of higher education.
• Strong technological skills, including the ability to quickly learn and adapt to the University’s suite of student service platforms and software.
• Keen analytical, judgment, and problem-solving skills.