West Virginia University Looking for Director of University Advising – Office of Undergraduate Education Full Time

Description 

The Office of Undergraduate Education at West Virginia University is currently accepting applications for a Director of University Advising.

About the Opportunity

The Director of University Advising will plan, implement and assess academic advising across the WVU system.  The incumbent will work closely with the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education and Executive Director of Student Success to ensure accurate, consistent and timely academic counsel for all students.  The Director of University advising will have a dotted line to advising coordinators in each of the academic units and will oversee the consistency of evaluation, training, and promotion processes for all undergraduate advisors. The incumbent will work to identify and adopt best practices in academic advising and standardize processes across WVU’s system.  

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 37.5-hour work week 
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
• 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year
• 18 sick days per year (for when you’re ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family’s, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits (this position is a benefits-eligible non-classified staff position)
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ’s.
• Wellness programs

What you’ll do:

• Research best practices in academic advising at peer and aspirant peer public research universities and work with assistant/associate deans, directors and coordinators who oversee academic advising.  Make recommendations on advising caseloads based on academic discipline and following national guidelines.  
• Analyze current advising structures and models and make recommendations to allocate resources in areas where services are below institutional expectations.      
• Identify best practices to better engage students and support those not meeting minimum academic performance benchmarks, including matriculation, retention, persistence and graduation.
• Utilize a dotted line to advising coordinators in each of the main campus academic units and will oversee the consistency of evaluation, training, and promotion processes across all professional advisors while standardizing training and development for contracted faculty advisors and part-time or graduate student advisors.
• Aid colleges and schools in structuring and delivering wraparound services (i.e. academic advising, coaching and mentoring, referrals).  
• Collaborate with the Office of Student Financial Services (SFS) and Office of Financial Aid to offer workshops designed to educate academic advisors (and faculty) on types of aid available, maintain satisfactory academic progress standards and appeal suspension of aid.      
• Work closely with Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education and Executive Director for Student Success to foster a culture of advising and student success. Educate the advising community on retention, persistence and completion initiatives and what role academic advisors serve in meeting institutional objectives. 
• Work with Executive Director of Student Success, college and school retention officers and advising directors with nudging students who haven’t registered for the upcoming term.  Establish communication plan for nudging students to register for the next regular term.
• Create, collect, and publish training and reference materials for academic advisors to effectively engage and support students from all demographics and levels of academic preparedness. 
• Serve as residential expert and point of contact in instances when the college or school is unable to resolve an academic issue.
• Coordinate with Office of University Registrar and Information Technology Services to plan and coordinate training for student information and learning management systems such as Banner, Navigate, eCampus and SOLE. 
• Assess current job classifications, market rates and career advancement opportunities for professional academic advisors; develop and implement a strategic plan for retaining and rewarding talented staff.    
• Develop and institute guidelines for onboarding new professional academic advisors.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in educational leadership, counseling or related field required.  
• Four (4) years experience in academic advising, coaching, mentoring services
• One (1) year experience leading others
• One (1) year experience in strategic planning and assessment 
• Demonstrated knowledge, skills and abilities in the following:
  • Leadership and innovation
  • Research methodologies and data analyses 
  • Intra and interpersonal communications
  • Presentational and public speaking
  • Persuasion and diplomacy
  • Conflict resolution
  • Proficiency with student information systems (i.e. Banner, Navigate)

About WVU

At West Virginia University, we pride ourselves on a tireless endeavor for achievement. We are home to some of the most passionate, innovative minds in the country who push their limits for the sake of progress, constantly moving the world forward. Our students, faculty and staff make this institution one of the best out there, and we are proud to stand as one voice, one university, one WVU. Find out more about your opportunities as a Mountaineer at https://talentandculture.wvu.edu/.

West Virginia University is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer and is the recipient of an NSF ADVANCE award for gender equity. The University values diversity among its faculty, staff, and students, and invites applications from all qualified applicants regardless of race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, nationality, genetics, disability, or Veteran status.  

Job Posting: Apr 18, 2022

Posting Classification: Non-Classified

Exemption Status: Exempt

Benefits Eligible: Yes