Athletic Academic Advisor & Eligibility Coordinator

Fort Lewis College•Durango, CO

1d•$52,500 - $58,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Athletic Academic Advisor & Eligibility Coordinator supports undergraduate athletes through their academic journey, fostering retention and timely graduation. In this role, the Athletic Academic Advisor & Eligibility Coordinator guides students in academic planning and degree exploration, ensuring compliance with NCAA Division II progress towards degree requirements, monitoring and certifying academic progress and establishing academic plans for student-athlete academic success. As the Eligibility Coordinator, this position works in coordination with the Associate Athletic Director to certify eligibility at the end of each semester. The Athletic Academic Advisor & Eligibility Coordinator manages caseloads of student athletes, maintains accurate academic plans in Workday, monitors student progress toward key milestones and coordinates support and follow up across academic, athletic and student support departments. This position directly advances the College’s Strategic Plan by supporting student persistence, retention, and timely progress towards degree completion. Through proactive, equity-minded advising and early academic intervention, Academic Advisors contribute to Fort Lewis College’s commitment to being a student-ready institution – reducing structural barriers, improving student experience, and supporting successful outcomes of all students. This role is well-suited for individuals who value relationship-building, problem-solving, and equity-minded student support in a collaborative, fast-paced, high-impact environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
Minimum of two years' experience working in advising, coaching, mentoring, education, compliance or student/athlete/client success support role.
Strong organizational, time-management, and follow-through skills, with the ability to manage competing deadlines in high-volume periods.
Demonstrated ability to interpret policies, rules, or guidelines and apply them accurately, consistently, and with sound professional judgment.
Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, including the ability to build rapport with students from broadly diverse backgrounds.
Ability to learn, retain and apply academic and eligibility policies, institutional processes, and advising tools in support of student success
Demonstrated organizational skills and attention to detail, particularly in maintaining accurate records and documentation.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in higher education, counseling, student affairs, education, or a related field
Experience in academic advising, student success, or retention-focused work within higher education
Familiarity with degree audit systems, academic planning tools, early alert platforms or CRM Systems (Workday Student, Slate, etc.)
Knowledge of proactive advising or caseload management models

Responsibilities

Academic Advising & Student Success Support (55%) Manage an assigned caseload of student athletes and provide individualized academic advising aligned with degree requirements and student goals within the NCAA Division II compliance standards.
Help students develop academic success plans, understand degree requirements, select courses, and explore majors, minors, and co-curricular opportunities.
Use advising systems and data to support accurate academic planning, track student progress and inform student decision‑making.
Support transfer students by reviewing prior coursework, evaluating degree progress, and developing clear pathways to degree completion within the NCAA Division II compliance standards.
Maintain and manage advising availability (appointments and drop-ins) and provide advising through individual, small group, and orientation sessions, including high-volume periods (e.g., orientation, registration, add/drop), while maintaining accuracy and a student-centered approach.
Apply professional judgment and maintain broad working knowledge of academic policies, institutional processes, and related financial aid considerations to guide students through complex academic decisions and next steps.
Help students identify challenges, address barriers, and stay on track toward graduation by providing accurate information and using sound judgment, connecting them to appropriate campus resources, and coordinating support with campus partners (including counseling, wellness, and support services) while maintaining clear advising boundaries.
Proactive Caseload Management & Outreach (20%) Advisors are responsible for actively managing their caseload through intentional outreach, engagement strategies, and use of data to support student progress and timely completion.
Develop and implement proactive outreach strategies aligned with key academic milestones and NCAA eligibility criteria (e.g., orientation, registration, academic standing, course alerts, credit momentum, advisor transition).
Monitor caseload engagement and outcomes, adjusting outreach and follow-up efforts to ensure students remain on track. This includes regular check-ins with students
Meet established performance expectations and measurable advising metrics – including outreach volume, timeliness, documentation accuracy, and quality of student engagement – to support re-enrollment and retention goals for your caseload, as defined by the Director
Balance walk-in advising availability with planned, developmental advising interactions.
Participate in team-based advising campaigns and shared outreach efforts to support student persistence and timely registration.
Use academic plans, milestone tracking, and advising data to identify students in need of support and conduct timely outreach.
Athletic Eligibility Coordination & Compliance (15%) Maintain compliance with NCAA, conference, and institutional eligibility requirements.
Monitor student athletes academic progress toward degree completion and eligibility benchmarks, including credit completion, GPA requirements, and satisfactory academic progress standards.
Coordinate eligibility certification processes in collaboration with Athletics, the Registrar, and Financial Aid, ensuring timely and accurate eligibility decisions each term.
Communicate eligibility status, risks, and required interventions to student athletes, coaches, and athletics leadership in a clear, timely, and student-centered manner.
Support proactive academic interventions for at-risk student athletes to promote persistence, eligibility, and timely degree progress.
Assist with eligibility certification timelines during high volume periods (e.g., term start, registration, and certification deadlines) while maintaining a student-centered advising approach.
Participate in required compliance trainings, eligibility updates, cross functional meetings, and ongoing professional development activities related to athletics academic support and certification processes.
Contribute to continuous improvement of eligibility advising practices, workflows, and student athlete support strategies within Skyhawk Station and Enrollment Management.
Professional Practice & Administrative Responsibilities (10%) Maintain accurate, timely, and compliant eligibility documentation, academic plans, and advising records in institutional and athletic systems to support eligibility certification, audit readiness, and student success, in accordance with institutional standards, NCAA regulations, FERPA requirements, and applicable data policies.
Apply institutional policy and professional judgment to ensure the accuracy of academic records, degree audits, and external compliance requirements, including scholarship verification, placement processes, and related academic determinations.
Maintain current knowledge of NCAA, conference, and institutional eligibility rules, academic progress standards, and compliance expectations impacting student athletes.
Apply consistent professional judgment when advising student athletes, balancing regulatory compliance with individualized academic planning and student success principles.
Track and document eligibility evaluations, term-by-term academic progress, and required follow-up actions for assigned student athletes.
Support reporting and data requests related to student athlete academic progress, eligibility outcomes, and retention metrics.
Ensure advising and eligibility records meet institutional, NCAA, and audit standards for accuracy, consistency, completeness, and confidentiality.
Demonstrate high attention to detail, confidentiality, and ethical practice in all eligibility related advising, documentation, and communication.
Contribute to a collaborative advising environment that supports consistency, equity, and high quality advising practices.
Maintain knowledge and awareness of digital accessibility requirements, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 508, and produce and remediate digitally accessible materials in accordance with Fort Lewis College standards.
Perform other duties as assigned.