Senior Adviser, College Academic Advising Office

University of Chicago•Chicago, IL

1d•$60,000 - $75,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Adviser is a member of the College Academic Advising Office’s senior leadership team and helps direct and manage the office. The role has three primary areas of responsibility: providing comprehensive academic advising to a reduced caseload of first- through fourth-year students across academic majors and minors; administering a functional area focused on Canvas platform management and office communications; and supervising and supporting a team of academic advisers. The Senior Adviser is expected to know the curriculum, University policies, systems for tracking student information, and student resources, and to build strong relationships with students and staff. The position advises students on academic programs, degree progress, major selection, long-term goals, and their University experience. It also maintains student records, interprets policies and deadlines, connects students with campus resources, and collaborates with campus partners. In its functional-area work, the Senior Adviser maintains CAAO Canvas content, supports platform operations, plans communications, and coordinates content creation. The role also contributes to office strategy and staff development, participates in College-wide events, and serves as a liaison to academic departments and other University units. The role is based in an office environment in a fast-paced setting. Work may include some evenings and weekends, sitting at a computer for 4–6 hours, and periodically walking to other campus locations. The position is scheduled for 37.5 hours per week. The stated pay range is $60,000–$75,000, and the position is benefits eligible.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
5–7 years of work experience in a related job discipline; candidates with advanced degrees may substitute higher education for a portion of the required experience.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree, with a minimum six-year gap between college graduation and appointment as Senior Adviser.
At least five years of experience in an academic advising office or related higher-education field.
Familiarity with University structure and the functions of its offices and departments.
Specialized knowledge of college student development.
Demonstrated commitment to college students and the values and goals of a liberal arts education.
Background supervising or mentoring staff.
Proficiency in Mac and PC environments.
Proficiency in Word, Excel, Outlook, and online organizational tools.
Understanding of learning management systems, preferably Canvas, and digital content creation.
Familiarity with Adobe graphic design and web development environments.
Proficiency with web and social media platforms.
Experience using complex databases and other record-keeping systems and ability to learn new software and database tools.
Strong verbal and written communication skills, including excellent English editing and proofreading ability.
Ability to provide excellent academic advising to undergraduates and take initiative and lead others.
Ability to manage multiple concurrent projects, details, and deadlines competently and professionally.
Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team, including with other offices and campus partners.
Ability to collaborate with faculty and academic departments and build effective relationships with people from different backgrounds.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and discretion regarding students, faculty, and staff.
Ability to work under pressure and handle stressful situations while managing competing deadlines.
Critical thinking, problem-solving, decision-making, and reasoning skills.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
Creativity.

Responsibilities

Oversee the academic programs of a reduced caseload of undergraduate students and track their progress toward degree completion.
Conduct individual and group meetings with students about academic programs, major selection, academic progress, long-term goals, and their University experience.
Use academic advising theories and best practices to help students resolve challenges and achieve academic goals.
Assist students in distress using counseling and relational skills, and establish effective relationships with a diverse student population.
Interpret and communicate University policies, procedures, deadlines, and expectations to students.
Refer students to campus resources and maintain collaborative relationships with campus partners.
Access electronic databases and maintain student records in compliance with applicable laws and policies.
Administer a functional area involving Canvas platform management and office communications.
Maintain CAAO Canvas curriculum for first-, second-, third-, and fourth-year students.
Support and troubleshoot platform issues and liaise with the College Academic and Student Services Office.
Plan and implement internal and external communications strategies and maintain the annual communication calendar.
Coordinate content creation to ensure consistent communications and messaging.
Supervise, support, and provide feedback to a team of 5–6 academic advisers.
Contribute to strategic planning for the CAAO and the Office of the Dean of Students.
Participate in leadership training and provide ongoing staff development as appropriate.
Participate as needed in College-wide events, including Orientation, Family Weekend, Convocation, and Commencement.
Serve as a liaison to one or more academic departments and update staff on developments to majors and minors.
Review and respond to student petitions in limited circumstances.
Respond in a timely manner to communications from students, staff, faculty, and parents.
Participate in staff development trainings, class visits, and weekly meetings.
Serve as a main point of contact and recommend process improvements for joint-degree programs involving other University Schools and Divisions.
Support development of programming for non-academic matters, including health and wellness and curricular programming.
Design and produce material for the handbook and other academically related publications.
Perform other related work as needed.