Academic Advisor - A&H

California State University, Bakersfield • Bakersfield, CA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

As a unit under the Division of Strategic Enrollment Management and Student Support, the Department of Undergraduate Advising is responsible for supporting students throughout their academic journey by providing guidance and resources to ensure their success. Through a case management model, academic advisors offer personalized support tailored to the unique needs of each student. This includes assisting with class registration, academic planning, and helping students navigate their degree requirements. The department also plays a key role in connecting students to essential campus resources, such as faculty mentoring, tutoring, counseling, and career services, ensuring they have the tools and support necessary to thrive. Additionally, advisors foster student development by encouraging engagement in co-curricular activities, academic exploration, and timely progress toward graduation. Under the general supervision of the Director of Undergraduate Advising and with daily lead direction from the designated Advising Coordinator, the Academic Advisor is responsible for delivering consistent, accurate, and up to moderately complex academic advising services to both current and newly admitted/readmitted, from their first year through degree completion. The Advisor provides information on policies, procedures, and academic requirements related to specific programs or majors within the assigned college. Additionally, the Advisor supports students in exploring career paths, assessing academic strengths, connecting them to student support services and resources across campus, and establishing goals. This role is focused on providing academic guidance that promotes student success, persistence, and timely graduation. The Academic Advisor will also collaborate with various campus stakeholders, including staff, faculty, administrators, and colleagues across divisions, to foster student achievement.

Requirements

• Equivalent to graduation from a four-year college or university in one of the behavioral sciences, public or business administration, or job-related field and equivalent to two (2) years of professional experience in one of the student services program areas or in a related field.
• Experience should give evidence of competence and indicate the potential for further growth.
• Specialized experience during which the applicant has acquired and successfully applied the appropriate knowledge and abilities may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.
• Regular and reliable attendance required.
• Excellent ability to exercise confidentiality, discretion, and independent judgment and to handle moderately sensitive interpersonal issues.
• Must plan and carry out day-to-day activities without immediate direction and work occasionally on Saturdays or evenings for special events.
• General knowledge of the methods and problems of organizational and program management.
• General knowledge of research and interview techniques and of the principles of individual and group behavior.
• Ability to interpret and apply program rules and regulations.
• Ability to use initiative and resourcefulness in planning work assignments and in implementing long-range program improvements.
• Ability to obtain factual and interpretative information through interviews; reason logically; collect, compile, analyze and evaluate data and make verbal or written presentations based on these data.
• Ability to advise students on routine matters where required.
• Ability to recognize multicultural, multisexed, and multi-aged value systems and work accordingly.
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with faculty, CSU administrators, student organizations, private and public agencies and others in committee work, and student advising and community contacts.
• Ability to rapidly acquire a general knowledge of the overall operation, functions, and programs of the campus to which assigned.
• Demonstrated ability to make decisions and carry through actions having implications with regard to other program or service areas.
• Demonstrated customer service experience requiring a very high level of diplomacy and professionalism.
• Ability to use tact and diplomacy to effectively handle a broad range of high level and sensitive interpersonal situations with diverse personalities, and to respond appropriately to conflicts and problems.
• Ability to initiate, establish, and foster communication and teamwork by maintaining a positive, cooperative, productive work atmosphere in the University with the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships within a diverse population and with those from various cultural backgrounds.
• Excellent communication skills; ability to effectively communicate information in a clear and understandable manner.
• Thorough knowledge of English grammar, spelling and punctuation.
• Ability to interpret, communicate and apply policies and procedures.
• Ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills with the ability to set own priorities to coordinate multiple assignments with fluctuating and time-sensitive deadlines.
• Excellent computer skills and competence with a variety of computer applications including word-processing, spreadsheets, databases, on-line systems, Internet as well as online calendaring and email.
• Working knowledge of or ability to quickly learn University infrastructure.
• Must be willing to travel and attend training programs off-site for occasional professional development.
• Must be able to work occasional holidays and adjust working hours to meet special jobs.
• May be called back periodically to perform work as needed on an emergency basis.

Nice To Haves

• A master’s degree in a job-related field.
• Experience within a higher education setting.
• Prior knowledge and use of PeopleSoft or other student records database systems.
• Demonstrated skills in an institutional/educational environment possessing a customer-oriented and service-centered attitude.

Responsibilities

• Learns and stays current with the curriculum and program requirements for all majors within the assigned college to ensure accurate and informed academic advising.
• Develops an individualized academic plan for each student based on the unique needs of each student.
• Actively advises students through the degree attainment process.
• Meets with students on a regular basis to track their academic success.
• Sets goals for academic progress to ensure completion of their academic programs.
• Identifies options for students to satisfy degree requirements.
• Evaluates and makes recommendations on petitions and amendments to student's program of study to assist their completion.
• Identifies academic options for students such as degrees, minors, graduation requirements, curriculum, course selection and registration, career options and extracurricular activities.
• Assists students in establishing realistic and attainable academic and career goals.
• Works with students to evaluate and understand their academic records.
• Meets with students to advise and connect them to applicable retention resources such as the Center for Community Engagement and Career Education, faculty mentoring, tutoring, Student Health Center, Counseling Center, and/or Financial Aid.
• Works collaboratively with other academic units and services in the college and throughout the university to facilitate comprehensive student support.
• Provides personalized guidance and support to students navigating academic challenges or obstacles, fostering persistence and success.
• Monitors and tracks student performance, identifying areas where students may require additional academic or personal support, and implementing intervention strategies as needed.
• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of university policies, resources, and academic programs to effectively advise and guide students.
• Delivers clear and consistent communication through individual appointments, email correspondence, phone calls, and text messaging to support student needs.
• Effectively interprets and communicates university, college, and program-level academic policies and procedures to ensure student understanding.
• Monitors and documents students’ academic progress in electronic records, updating RunnerConnect and submitting changes to student profiles through ServiceNow and/or OnBase as needed.
• Communicates regularly with students to provide timely updates on academic progress, deadlines, and available resources to support their academic journey.
• Responds promptly to student inquiries through various channels, offering clear, accurate, and helpful information to guide their decision-making.
• Collaborates with university staff/faculty and external partners to relay important academic information and updates, ensuring all parties are informed and aligned on student needs and progress.
• Participates in advising-related initiatives that support student success, retention, and completion within the assigned College.
• Assists with orientations, workshops, outreach activities, and special events related to advising and student success.
• Engages in ongoing professional development related to advising best practices, case management models, student success strategies, and campus systems.
• Serves on committees or workgroups as assigned and collaborates with campus partners to improve advising processes.

Benefits

• CSUB offers a best-in-class benefit package for eligible employees that includes an array of medical plans, choice of dental plans, vision coverage, retirement participation in CalPERS, CSU tuition waiver, up to 24 vacation days per year, sick leave with unlimited accrual, 15 paid holidays per year and more!

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees