Director of Academic Advising and Student Success

Virginia Tech • Blacksburg, VA

1d • $80,000 - $90,000

About The Position

The College of Architecture, Arts, and Design seeks a collaborative and student-centered Director of Academic Advising and Student Success to join our Academic Affairs unit in a holistic approach to providing integrated support for undergraduate academic advising and success. The position will serve as a vitally important member of the AAD Academic Affairs team, contributing to a collaborative and coordinated approach to undergraduate academic advising, student support, and student success across the college’s four schools. The unit aims to support students from recruitment through graduation by fostering academic engagement, motivation, and meaningful integration across the undergraduate experience. Along with all members of the dean’s office academic affairs unit, this position partners with our university colleagues and cross-campus units to promote student persistence, achievement, wellbeing, and timely progress to degree. Key responsibilities and expectations of the position include: Leading the undergraduate academic advising team and advising functions for the college Managing data analysis and reporting for advising, retention, and graduation Serving as an advising representative and liaison on behalf of the college to university committees and partners; or identifying a designee to do so, as appropriate Designing, developing, and implementing initiatives, interventions, and strategies that promote students’ academic success Serving as primary advisor for Explore AAD students (AAD’s undecided majors) and teaching the First-Year Experience course (AAD 1004) for those students every fall. Coordinating transfer credit evaluation review and processing (including AP, IB, CLEP, and VCCS transfer guide.) Collaborating with colleagues and partners to support a seamless, student‑focused experience from recruitment through graduation The successful candidate will be creative and highly collaborative; with proven commitment to build and maintain constructive and trusting professional relationships; and demonstrable skill in managing sensitive circumstances and conversations in a respectful and thoughtful manner. The successful candidate will enhance and strengthen an academic advising team and academic affairs unit deeply committed to supporting our students’ success and well-being.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in higher education, student affairs, counseling, education, or a related field; or a bachelor’s degree with equivalent training and/or professional experience in academic advising or student services.
• Demonstrated knowledge of academic advising principles and practices aligned with NACADA’s core competencies (conceptual, informational, relational).
• Experience conducting data analysis and leveraging metrics to monitor student progress and inform programming and interventions that support persistence
• Proven ability to motivate teams toward shared goals by fostering a collaborative working environment and engaging individuals' expertise.
• Excellent communication, problem‑solving, and interpersonal skills; ability to work both collaboratively and independently.
• Demonstrated success in working effectively with diverse populations, including students, faculty, staff, families, alumni, and campus partners.
• Demonstrated strengths in organization, time management, priority-setting and meeting deadlines.
• Proven commitment to maintain high level of confidentiality and handle sensitive information in compliance with FERPA and university policies.

Nice To Haves

• Professional experience in higher education academic advising, student success, or academic affairs within a college or departmental unit.
• Experience with university academic policies, degree audits, graduation clearance processes, and early academic alert/referral systems.
• Experience coordinating new student orientation, first‑year/transfer initiatives, or new student welcome programming.
• Experience training and onboarding advisors, facilitating professional development, and/or skill-building in advising best practices.
• Demonstrated skill with student information and success management systems and advising technologies (such as Navigate, Banner, Slate); competency with Microsoft Office/Google Workspace
• Experience developing or assessing initiatives that improve retention and timely progress to degree.

Responsibilities

• Leading the undergraduate academic advising team and advising functions for the college
• Managing data analysis and reporting for advising, retention, and graduation
• Serving as an advising representative and liaison on behalf of the college to university committees and partners; or identifying a designee to do so, as appropriate
• Designing, developing, and implementing initiatives, interventions, and strategies that promote students’ academic success
• Serving as primary advisor for Explore AAD students (AAD’s undecided majors) and teaching the First-Year Experience course (AAD 1004) for those students every fall.
• Coordinating transfer credit evaluation review and processing (including AP, IB, CLEP, and VCCS transfer guide.)
• Collaborating with colleagues and partners to support a seamless, student‑focused experience from recruitment through graduation

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees