Intermediate Specialist, Academic Advising

University of Ottawa•Ottawa, ON

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Reporting to the Supervisor, Academic Administration, creates an outstanding student experience by providing guidance and advice on academic development, such as course and program of study selection, to students to ensure an exceptional student experience and student satisfaction. Plans and executes student interventions as well as give advice to students experiencing difficulties to increase student success and retention rates. Builds strategies and programs to increase enrolment and retention rates as well as increasing visibility by promoting the University, programs and the Faculty's services at various on- and off- campus events. This position will support the undergraduate studies team, but may also be called upon to provide occasional support to the graduate studies team.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in education or a related field.
Experience in the education field or academic advising or a combination of both.
Knowledge of academic programs (ex. regulations, degree requirements, prerequisites and course descriptions) at the high school, college, undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Strong knowledge of and experience revising, interpreting, communicating and applying processes, policies and methods to individual cases varying in complexity.
Experience providing client service.
Experience elaborating strategies and activity plans for students.
Experience with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access), word processing, Windows and Internet.
Strong communication skills.
Ability to solve problems, make fast decisions and negotiate with students.
Organizational and analytical skills, attention to detail and ability to work within tight deadlines.
Listening skills and strong work ethics.
Judgement, independence, diplomacy and discretion.
Bilingualism: French and English (spoken and written); to be considered for this position, candidates must be rated at the Low Advanced proficiency level or higher for both oral comprehension and reading comprehension in their second official language. The rating is determined by a proficiency test designed by the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute.

Nice To Haves

Experience in mentoring and/or coaching an asset.

Responsibilities

Assess student needs: Review student files to ensure the identification, interpretation, analysis and assessment of their needs support their goals and adhere to faculty processes. The incumbent may consult with colleagues or meet with students to better define their needs.
Establish academic plans: In consultation with students experiencing academic difficulties, establish a plan that enables them to improve their performance and achieve their goals, and that fosters their perseverance.
Plan interventions: Evaluate the accuracy of diagnostic findings and considerations to ensure the quality of the intervention, then review and revise the intervention plan to ensure it meets the student's needs.
Carry out interventions: Meet with students experiencing academic difficulties to coach them by providing information and advice on study programs, course and program prerequisites, graduation requirements, departments, organizations, institutions and other services available on and off campus. When appropriate, the incumbent will refer students to relevant services (e.g. tutoring services), departments or support tools.
Follow-up: Meet with students as needed to monitor their progress and take appropriate corrective action to alleviate concerns and mitigate risks to student retention, if necessary.
Advise students on their course selection and registration process so they can make informed decisions.
Facilitate students' course selection by initiating the registration process and ensuring its completion.
Review the student roster to identify students experiencing academic or other difficulties, and meet with them to determine the cause of their difficulties.
Guide and counsel these students according to the nature of their needs and difficulties, and follow up with them regularly to ensure they persevere and achieve their academic goals.
In collaboration with colleagues, proactively develop student retention guidelines and actively participate in related initiatives.
Identify factors and recommend initiatives to improve retention rates.
Build trust between the University and the target population by participating in recruitment activities and maintaining links with other associations.
As a University ambassador, promote the University of Ottawa and its programs and services at commercial fairs and recruitment events.