Student Services Advisor

What if I told you it is possible to find a Company that lived to educate, inspire and empower others while creating a family atmosphere that truly appreciates and respects their team? Would you apply? What if I threw in strong Company values, outstanding benefits, and the opportunity for you to make a tangible impact and feel appreciated?
See below for a feel of what the Company culture is (REALLY) like. Hint: it's amazing.
At Westcliff, we are constantly striving to be the best while valuing each of our team members as human beings and succeeding together!
Westcliff is a leader in innovative global education. We are respected for our transformative, technologically advanced programs and initiatives with a focus on excellence, social responsibility, and diversity. Our tagline – “Educate. Inspire, Empower.” – is a summary of our Mission Statement. As it suggests, the main focus of our University is to strive to enhance the opportunities of our students and employees to enjoy success through empowerment, as a result of their education and hard work.
With diversity and inclusion at the forefront of Westcliff’s core values, we promote a culture that celebrates diversity and inclusiveness regardless of, but not limited to, race, gender, sexual orientation, family status, religion, ethnicity, national origin, physical disability, veteran status, or age. By joining the Westcliff team, you’ll be playing a significant role in our growth, having an opportunity to put your personal touch on Westcliff’s progress as we grow and succeed together!
Position Title: Student Services Advisor
Job Summary
The Student Services Advisor (SSA) fulfills the crucial role of providing ongoing advisement and support to current students at the university with specific regard to their progress on reaching their academic goals. Under the direction of the Dean of Student Affairs, the SSA proactively identifies student issues based on observations of student activity and performance measurements and student and faculty feedback, conducts timely student outreach through multiple channels as needed, and troubleshoots and/or provides resources to help students resolve the issue(s) and resume progress on their educational path. The SSA is a collaborative position that supports other departments, staff, and faculty. The SSA must be well-versed on university policy and procedure to properly advise students, and the SSA takes an active role in contributing to the desired university culture of inclusion, supportiveness, championing success, along with supporting other departmental projects and initiatives as assigned.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provides accurate and relevant guidance to online and/or on-campus students based on their degree program according to university policies and educational goals to support students in their pursuit of satisfactory academic progress and continuous enrollment through graduation
• Holds one-on-one advising sessions with all new and continuing students assigned to him or her each semester to review academic plans, motivation, progress toward degree completion, and general well-being
• Conducts ongoing reviews of student activity and performance to identify predictive factors for concern including absences, failure to submit work, and poor academic performance
• Provides students with timely and thoughtful communication related to course reminders, attendance, upcoming deadlines, and university events, among other items
• Regulates frequency of outreach beyond the minimum requirement to support students who fall into special categories, such as new students, at-risk students, and students nearing graduation
• Collaborates with at-risk students to problem-solve challenges contributing to at-risk status and identify opportunities to improve status, including course retakes, use of the Academic Resource Center, increased engagement with faculty and peers, time management and study skills, and other strategies as needed
• Conducts exit interviews with students who indicate their intention to withdraw from the program as needed
• Conduct outreach to students who have withdrawn to provide options for re-entry into the program
• Initiates, responds to, and maintains communication with faculty, academic leadership, and writing/content specialists in the Academic Resource Center to keep all invested parties updated on student statuses and opportunities to support
• Contributes to a departmental repository of resources to aid students with academic and life issues (i.e., transportation, low-cost healthcare, mental health resources, etc.), and connecting students with those resources as needed
• Actively participates in the planning and execution of campus events designed to support student life, engagement, and success, including new student orientations, workshops, and social events
• Provides all necessary and appropriate documentation to the Office of the Registrar to ensure student statuses and records are accurate and up-to-date
• Accurately document student interactions and documents into the student information system
• Contributes to the overall success of the department by performing all other duties as required

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required

• Excellent oral, written, digital, and interpersonal communication skills suitable for a professional work environment
• Understanding of the benefits of higher education and methods of support and intervention that are effective in meeting the needs of college students, particularly international students and student athletes
• Commitment to supporting student success in higher education
• Capacity to effectively collaborate within and across departments to achieve

goals and support the university mission

• Ability to multi-task and effectively manage time and priorities to meet deadlines ‘
• Flexibility and a willingness to volunteer for assignments
• Goal-driven and results-oriented
• Proficiency in MS programs such as PowerPoint, Excel, and Word
• Proficiency in G-Suite programs such as Docs, Slides, Sheets, Forms
• Ability to carry/lift loads between 25-50 lbs (occasionally)
• Some travel between campuses may be required

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Administration, Education, Counseling, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred)
• 1-2 years of experience providing excellent customer service required
• Previous experience in post-secondary education strongly preferred
• Previous experience in the use of software platforms for online classes (i.e.Moodle, E-college, Blackboard, etc.) preferred

LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERThe above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for the position. All job requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health and safety of themselves or other employees. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related duties requested by their supervisor in compliance with Federal and State Laws. Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities. To perform this job successfully, the employee must possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently. Continued employment remains on an at-will basis unless otherwise contractually bound.Westcliff University is an Equal Opportunity EmployerStudent Advisor