Senior Director of University Advising

CSU Careers•Northridge, CA

3d•$165,000 - $173,256

About The Position

The Senior Director of University Advising (Sr. Dir. UA) works under the direction of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs to provide vision, strategic leadership and management, and coordination to services, initiatives, and programs focused on improving undergraduate academic advising and campus-wide student support services that leads to retention and graduation of all students and educational equity for minoritized students and other underserved populations. The Sr. Dir. UA is responsible for offering central support and professional development opportunities to academic advisors. The Sr. Dir. UA provides strategic leadership to the Directors of College Advising and their teams, ensuring a cohesive, student-centered approach to academic advising across the institution. In close collaboration with advisors and campus leadership, the Sr. Dir. UA promotes consistent advising practices that support student success and retention. This role also works closely with college deans to align advising initiatives with academic goals and institutional priorities, fostering strong communication and coordination between university-wide and college-level advising efforts. This role ensures ongoing engagement with best practices and relevant technologies to enhance the university's ability to provide consistent, high-quality advising services to its diverse student population. The Sr. Dir. UA establishes standards for effective advising, and oversees the efficient operation, planning, implementation, and continuous delivery of student advising and related academic support services from prospect to graduation. The Sr. Dir. UA leverages various tools and technologies to develop data-informed strategies for services, initiatives, and programs, and has a strong track record of experience working with diverse student communities including evidence of effective strategies that serve historically underserved students as well as first- and second-year students, high-unit seniors, undeclared students, and students on academic probation. The Sr. Dir. UA ensures that services to students are in accordance and consistent with university and CSU policies to support students’ progress toward degree. Additionally, this position contributes to the exceptional working environment and service-delivery function of undergraduate advising by promoting and ensuring student success from enrollment to graduation. As a leader, the Sr. Dir. UA will have the opportunity to thrive in a community in which our leaders strive to embody fundamental traits identified in our Leadership Principles https://www.csun.edu/leadership-principles .

Requirements

Master's degree in any field from an accredited institution
Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in caseload advising and facilitating campus-wide programs in advising and/or student success initiatives
Demonstrated experience working with all levels of administration, faculty, and staff in facilitating student achievement, retention, and graduation
Demonstrated knowledge of current research and best practices related to advising and student success in the higher education environment
Experience working in a complex and diverse, university environment
Demonstrated ability to build campus-wide collaborations and foster a positive, cooperative, and productive work environment through effective communication and teamwork
Demonstrated experience working with and supporting minoritized and underserved communities, including first-generation and Pell-eligible students, through advising and programming aimed at closing equity gaps
Demonstrated ability to facilitate continuous improvement and employee involvement to assess and improve services, promote campus culture, and build teams
Demonstrated ability to analyze problem situations, identify feasible solutions, and present recommendations in a concise, logical and systematic manner, anticipating issues and the consequences of actions and decisions
Demonstrated ability to effectively handle a broad range of high-level and sensitive interpersonal situations with diverse personalities
Demonstrated passion for working with students, faculty, staff, and others to create an equity-minded, student-centered environment

Nice To Haves

Doctoral degree from an accredited institution in higher education, educational leadership, counseling, student affairs, or a related discipline
Seven or more years of progressively responsible experience in academic advising or student success initiatives, including significant supervisory or leadership roles
Experience with strategic planning and organizational change management, especially in large, complex university environments
Exceptional project management skills, including leading cross-divisional initiatives or committees
Demonstrated expertise in data analytics and the use of advising technologies for program assessment and improvement
Experience providing professional development or training for advisors, faculty, or staff on equity-minded practices, cultural competency, and/or use of advising technologies