Academic Advisor/Recruitment and Retention Specialist

University of Washington Medical Center • Tacoma, WA

1d • $54,072 - $57,600

About The Position

The University of Washington Tacoma is an anchor institution that is deeply invested in its local communities and in student success. As one of three campuses of a world-class university, UW Tacoma is dedicated to interdisciplinary and innovative teaching and scholarship and to engaging the community in mutually beneficial partnerships. UW Tacoma’s commitment to access and diversity is central to an environment where students, staff, faculty and South Sound residents find abundant opportunities for intellectual, personal and professional growth. More information about UW Tacoma and its strategic plan can be found here. The School of Education at UW Tacoma has an outstanding opportunity for a full-time professional staff to serve as an Academic Advisor/Recruitment and Retention Specialist as part of our dynamic Advising Team. This position will closely collaborate with faculty and staff colleagues to ensure that all advising, recruitment, and retention activities align with the expectations outlined by the School of Education, the Washington State Professional Educators Standards Board (PESB), other relevant accrediting bodies/professional organizations, as well as our school-wide Strategic Enrollment Management Plan (SEM). This role will require active engagement with UW Tacoma students, local communities, professional organizations, and school districts to recruit, retain, and support students who represent the demographics of the South Sound. This role will report directly to the Enrollment & Student Services Lead (Advising Lead) in the School of Education. This role will be assigned a caseload of students by the Advising Lead. Strong candidates must demonstrate an ability and willingness to work effectively with a diverse range of students, administrators, faculty, staff, and external constituencies; and possess a work style that reflects cultural humility, flexibility, inclusive excellence, clear communication, and teamwork.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 2 years of academic advising or related experience serving diverse students.
• Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications, except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.
• Additional Requirements: A demonstrated commitment to serving diverse communities and learners.
• A clear commitment to advancing equity-centered approaches to advising, mentoring, and supporting diverse students.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to present complex information accurately and succinctly to diverse communities, groups, and individuals.
• The ability to work independently with minimal supervision, including attention to details and skills in project management, especially the ability to work in a self-directed way to manage multiple projects and tasks.
• Punctuality and other professional work habits are vital, as this team member often co-leads and co-plans (or does so on own) key events or meetings.
• The ability to provide accurate, confidential, sound, and timely guidance to students and other stakeholders who need information about program requirements.
• Proficiency with MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Willingness to learn new technologies.
• Technological proficiency with basic data, web-based, and other information systems.
• Ability to work collaboratively and effectively in a fast-paced environment with multiple deadlines and projects.
• Willing to work a flexible schedule with some evening and/or weekend hours.
• Must be able to frequently travel and occasionally travel to in-state meetings. Transportation and travel-related costs will be reimbursed in accordance with UW’s travel policy.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree with a minimum of 2 years academic advising or related experience.
• Experience advising diverse students in professional programs.

Responsibilities

• Academic Advising: Main duties include the following, which may include 1:1 and group advising:
• Recruitment and Pre-Admissions Manage the admissions process and monitor electronic application materials through UW MyGrad, Slate and/or other applicable recruitment and admission systems. Screen all applicant materials for minimum qualifications. Conduct preliminary review of all completed files, including transcript evaluation for potential prerequisite classes, calculating GPA, and obtaining required test scores as applicable. Provide assistance to prospective students from the first point of contact through submitting a completed application. Advising includes informing applicants of any required WA State tests for admission or completion of certification. Correspond with and support applicants regarding the status of their application files, providing accurate and timely academic and professional advising to prospective students. Discuss campus services, programs, and policies, and procedures in depth. Create and maintain application files that represent the e-files that are used for admission review by program faculty and post-admission advisors. Document and confirm pre-admission and final admission decisions, communicating final outcomes to prospective students and faculty program director(s) in a timely manner. Track and document student progress and acceptance.
• Retention & Support Work with the Advising Team, faculty program directors, the UW Graduate School, and other applicable units to support admitted students to complete admission steps. Work with the Advising Team and faculty program directors to retain and support students through degree requirements and program completion. Provide course scheduling advice and registration codes to enrolled students. Support admitted, enrolled, and returning students with tasks such as on-leave, reinstatement, course drops, grade appeals and petition requests. Provide enrolled students with information and resources related to campus services and wrap-around support as needed. Partner with appropriate faculty, instructors, program supports, and staff colleagues to address student concerns. Similarly, support students in navigating conflict and other challenging situations that may impede their performance and progress. Partner with faculty and staff, and other internal and external stakeholders, in coordinating and planning relevant school and career-related events and services.
• Academic Program Recruiting: Actively coordinate and participate in recruitment events in collaboration with the Advising Team and faculty program directors and program faculty, under the primary supervision of the Advising Lead. Examples of representative work include: Update and maintain recruitment materials, including program advertisements, brochures, and web content. Regularly update the school’s social media channels and presence (i.e., Facebook) with recruiting and program information. Develop new recruitment and social media channels as appropriate. Host multiple information sessions off and on site per year (including virtual sessions) that offer detailed information about our academic programs and student admission processes to the UW. Follow up with attendees as appropriate to continue the recruiting cycle and answer their questions in a timely manner. Serve as the school’s representative at UW Tacoma (UWT) meetings related to recruitment and advising. e.g., participate in Graduate Program Nights, local and regional recruitment fairs, and other UWT new/prospective student events. With the Advising Team, coordinate, schedule, and participate in career fairs and recruitment events in PK-12 districts and in the community, as well as at UWT (e.g., with class visits, Registered Student Organizations, etc.). Maintain and update lists of prospective students for each program. The goal is to move prospective students through the admissions process and have a high yield of admitted applicants who commit to/register for courses. Maintain close relationships with external organizations and actively network to recruit future students into our academic programs.
• Other Support Duties: Attend/participate in program and school-wide faculty-staff meetings. Provide program-related data, such as enrollment and retention numbers, as needed to key stakeholders. Serve on SOE and/or UWT campus committees, specifically those that are aligned to the position and candidate’s interests. Attend, organize and/or support SOE events such as new-student orientation, open houses, graduation ceremonies (i.e., Hooding), career fairs, etc. Provide occasional front-desk coverage as needed to support inquiries from the public during regular business hours.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees