Director of Undergraduate Advising

California State University, Bakersfield • Bakersfield, CA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

As a unit under the Division of Student Affairs and Strategic Enrollment Management, 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 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 administrative direction of the Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management, the Director of Undergraduate Advising is charged with the strategic oversight, coordination, and assessment of undergraduate advising and services that support the academic success and retention of students. The Director is responsible for collaborating with college departments and campus offices to provide vision and leadership for student-centered advising support from the first year through degree completion. In addition, the Director is responsible for directly leading and supervising several assigned staff, ensuring compliance with CSU policies, procedures, and collective bargaining agreements

Requirements

• EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE – Equivalent to a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and five (5) or more years of experience working in advising or related career field.
• Experience should include demonstration of advancing retention, graduation, and student success as well as at least two (2) years of providing lead direction or supervision in a department, program, or academic support services office.
• LICENSES – Possession of a valid driver’s license or the ability to obtain by date of hire.
• SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & ABILITIES (SKA’s) – Regular and reliable attendance is required.
• Ability to establish a clear and understandable vision for undergraduate advising services, engage the university community in the implementation of the vision, and build the operational components to execute the vision.
• Ability to lead and enable groups of people to face challenges and achieve results in complex conditions.
• Ability to direct, supervise, motivate and inspire others, measuring the performance of people, teams and organizations, and assessing performance and progress.
• Ability to identify current and future challenges and propose and implement effective solutions.
• Demonstrated understanding of the service needs met through undergraduate advising services.
• Knowledge of and ability to successfully operate software such as PeopleSoft, OnBase, Runner Connect, and Canvas.
• Demonstrated ability to guide the development of services and programs for students that are founded on student development theory and supportive of the dynamic nature of a university campus.
• Ability to demonstrate sensitivity to issues and needs of students from diverse backgrounds.
• Knowledge of national trends and research-based best practices for student success.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Enrollment Management systems, processes, and technologies, and the ability to effectively integrate advising practices within these systems to enhance the student experience.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with Enrollment Services and Enrollment Systems to support seamless service delivery, operational alignment, and continuous process improvement.
• Experience with or ability to lead implementation and change management efforts related to large-scale student information or advising planning systems.
• Working knowledge of the student-athlete academic lifecycle, including general eligibility considerations, to support the effective integration of student-athletes into the case management advising model and ensure a coordinated, student-centered approach to their academic success.
• Ability to collect, monitor, and analyze student information systems data to make recommendations for action.
• Ability to research, analyze, interpret, apply, and communicate campus and system wide rules, regulations, and polices.
• Ability to learn and apply quality management techniques of continuous improvement and employee involvement to assess and improve services, promote campus culture and build teams.
• Demonstrated ability to oversee and manage complex budgets to ensure fiscal solvency.
• 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 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

• Academic advising experience in the one of six advising centers at CSUB (AH Advising Center, BPA Advising Center, NSME Advising Center, SSE Advising Center, AV Advising Center, or AARC).
• Master’s degree in a related field.
• Demonstrated understanding of Enrollment Management systems and processes, with the ability to apply this knowledge to advising operations.
• Demonstrated skills in an institutional/educational environment possessing a customer-oriented and service-centered attitude.

Responsibilities

• Undergraduate Advising Strategic Oversight Direct the design, implementation, and assessment of undergraduate advising services that provide effective and efficient advising and support programs for students that promote student success, retention, and satisfaction.
• Ensure students are provided accurate, prompt, and consistent advising services in all advising centers.
• Provide excellent customer service to resolve student concerns and work with others to address academic issues related to enrollment and degree completion.
• Develop and implement regular and comprehensive assessment strategies to gauge the quality, effectiveness, and impact of undergraduate academic advising.
• Design methods to collect and analyze data that will allow for an evaluation of key metrics, including student satisfaction, retention rates, and graduation rates.
• Create, maintain, assess, and modify proactive intervention strategies to promote student success, retention, and degree completion.
• Serve as a strategic partner, recommending, creating, and implementing long and short-term strategic plan goals and operational plans for Undergraduate Advising services, ensuring goals align with and support the overall mission of the university.
• Lead departmental readiness and implementation efforts for upcoming systemwide advising and planning technologies, including transition to a CSU systemwide planner, ensuring successful adoption, training, and integration within the next two years.
• Review and evaluate the latest advancement in advising technology and resources, continuously seeking ways to enhance the delivery of academic advising services to streamline processes, increase efficiency, and elevate the overall student experience.
• Maintain a high level of functional knowledge of Enrollment Management systems, policies, and procedures, recognizing their significant impact on the student experience, and ensure advising operations are effectively integrated within these systems.
• Monitor academic policies and processes and streamline for maximum efficiency and equity.
• Develop and implement department policies and procedures as needed, ensuring that appropriate laws and regulations are adhered to.
• Coordinate new first-year and transfer student advising and registration timelines and communications.
• Collaborate with faculty, administrators, and other campus stakeholders to identify and address barriers to student success, promote best practices, and foster a campus-wide culture of student support.
• Strengthen and maintain collaborative partnerships with Enrollment Services and Enrollment Systems to ensure alignment of advising practices with institutional enrollment processes and technologies.
• Serve as the unit liaison with campus offices including Admissions, Registrar, Orientation, Student Financial Services, and Financial Aid.
• Develop and monitor the annual operating budget for the Department of Academic Advising.
• Ensure Academic Advising website is up-to-date, and regular communications are sent regarding registration process.
• Staff Supervision/Leadership In consultation with the Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management, lead the recruitment, selection, assignment of work, and professional development of staff within a supportive and inclusive working environment, ensuring that they are equipped to meet the department’s goals.
• Directly supervise assigned staff through leading, evaluating, training, coaching, motivating, and disciplining as needed.
• Prepare and present employee performance reviews in collaboration with feedback from advising center coordinators.
• Ensure that all position descriptions within advising are regularly reviewed for accuracy and updated to reflect current responsibilities when changes occur, maintaining alignment with university standards.
• Oversee the development and delivery of new advisor training and professional development opportunities for staff to ensure continuous improvement in advising quality and effectiveness.
• Strategic Leadership & Committee/Meeting Participation Provide leadership in campus-wide initiatives and committees to focus on improving undergraduate student retention, graduation rates, and to reduce equity gaps.
• Participate and provide leadership in committees such as Advising Leadership Team, Graduation Action Team, Graduation Initiative Task Force, WSCUC Steering Committee, etc.
• Represent CSUB at the state-wide CSU Advising Directors meetings.

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!
• See our benefits website for additional information.

What This Job Offers

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