Assistant Director of Student Success and Academic Advising

Rice University•United States,

2h•Onsite

About The Position

Under general supervision, the assistant director, academic success, provides technical advice, problem-solving assistance, answers to questions regarding program goals, and policy interpretation. The assistant director will design, develop, and coordinate projects. This position will also participate in committees and task forces involving student success and academic advising. Ideal candidates should have extensive skills and experience in academic advising, student support, and the approach utilized in a rigorous academic program to ensure student success and positive learning and experiential outcomes. The ideal candidate for this role is enthusiastic about supporting graduate students and enjoys interacting with students, staff, and faculty. They thoughtfully exercise diplomacy, discretion, and judgment in engaging stakeholders. They thrive working both independently and as a member of a team, taking initiative to improve processes and work collaboratively across teams. They also should have excellent time management and organization skills, be proactive, detail-oriented, and service focused.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree
Two or more (2+) years of professional experience
Strong verbal and written communication skills
Ability to exercise diplomacy and foster rapport with stakeholders
Advanced problem-solving skills
Ability to manage a high volume of student meetings, email traffic, and projects
Strong organizational and time management skills
Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office suite
Strong data analysis skills
Ability to work independently and as part of a team
Adept at problem-solving, creating contingency plans, and handling issues when necessary
Strong client service orientation and attention to detail

Nice To Haves

Experience working in an institution of higher education advising or student support function
Ability to utilize or quickly learn enterprise student systems (current examples include Banner, DegreeWorks and EAB Navigate)
Graduate degree

Responsibilities

Administers an area or program in student services, evaluates and recommends decisions on program eligibility
Reviews decisions recommended by other staff
Collaborates with others to help resolve program issues and concerns, interprets policies, and mediates complex and sensitive issues
Resolves multi-dimensional matters in response to students in crisis, at risk, or who have other program issues, counsels students and parents on sensitive and confidential issues
Reconciles complex issues; analyzes diverse transactions from multiple sources
Summarizes data from multiple sources, prepares management reports and presentations.
Develops and implements plans for outreach efforts, develops and maintains external community and represents the department and university at meetings and events
Provides advice to students on a range of issues, including, but not limited to, academic progress, academic program policies, career plans, accessibility, community standards, etc., in order to assist them in making appropriate choices and decisions
Informs students of research, fellowship and scholarship opportunities, makes recommendations and may award grants
Serves as a subject matter expert to other departments; represents the unit or department
Serves as a key member of university wide teams or projects
May oversee, analyze and assist in financial processes and development of budgets
Performs all other duties as assigned
Manages student success tracking processes for students who may not be meeting academic standards (GPA, performance, or satisfactory progress toward degree)
Takes ownership of integration of multiple tools, on behalf of the department and school, including academic advising CRM system (e.g., EAB NAVIGATE)
Coordinates communications with students regarding course selection, choices for elective courses, resources to aid in academic success, and degree completion