Undergraduate Academic Advisor, Opportunity Hub

PACIFIC UNIVERSITY • Forest Grove, OR

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

Pacific University achieves excellence and distinction by investing in exceptional people to think, care, create, and pursue justice in our world. We embrace discovery in a close and nurturing environment that leads to genuine transformation. Our community is diverse, sustainable, and dedicated to discovery and excellence in teaching, scholarship, and practice. At Pacific University, we thrive in an extraordinary environment, surrounded by the beauty of the great Pacific Northwest, with campus locations in Forest Grove and Hillsboro. We humbly acknowledge and thank the original caretakers of the lands on which we live, work, teach, and acquire and share knowledge.

This position, as academic advisor, will work primarily with undergraduate students in their advising capacity aligned with undergraduate academic communities (i.e., School of Culture & Environment, School of Health & Human Performance, School of Arts & Creative Expression, School of Discovery, Innovation, & Leadership) and work closely with the career and experiential coaches to provide coordination, support, best practices, student advocacy, and deep knowledge of curriculum and university practices and policies for consistent high-quality career-integrated undergraduate advising. The advisor will actively contribute to one-on-one advising, academic and career pathways instruction, complex case support, and will collaborate with other advisors to support service area specializations (such as transfer student advising, First Year Advising). This advisor will develop strong relationships with faculty and extensive knowledge of the curriculum and requirements to support academic progress and students’ purpose-integrated learning. This advising role will have a particular focus on transfer and undecided/undeclared student advising as well as coordination of the Pacific Priority program.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Counseling, Higher Education Administration, Human Resources, Psychology, or a related field.
• 2 years of experience in career services, academic advising, recruitment, or a related area within higher education or workforce development.
• Demonstrated experience in coaching or counseling individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• A strong commitment to student success and the ability to listen actively and provide encouraging, constructive feedback.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills; ability to present to large groups.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in Student Affairs, Counseling, or Higher Education preferred.
• Experience advising or teaching diverse student populations, including familiarity with the unique needs of international students and first-generation college students.
• Bilingual skills and/or strong intercultural communication and interpersonal skills
• Proficiency with Student Information Systems (Colleague, Banner, etc.)
• MS Office/Google Drive, and classroom presentation technology and tools
• Strong intercultural communication and interpersonal skills

Responsibilities

• Work with the executive director to develop and implement the strategic vision for undergraduate academic advising aligned with purpose-oriented learning communities (the undergraduate schools.
• Collaborate directly with career and experiential coaches to infuse career development and experiential learning and practices into academic advising.
• Collaborate strongly with the other academic advisor (new student & priority advising specialist.
• Consult with advisors to provide support for specialized and complex advising situations
• Provide general advising aligned with academic units, including course selection, Core and degree requirements, registration policies and procedures, and provide referrals as needed to career coaches to support job search skills, industry trends, and effective career exploration strategies
• Teach and/or mentor students in general and/or pathway-specific academic advising and/or career development courses (e.g., First Year Advising, Advantage Pathways, Grad School Applications), including grading, providing feedback on submitted assignments
• Oversee and support transfer student advising and Pacific Priority coordination
• Assist the lead advisor in managing advising caseloads, advisor reassignments, addressing gaps in professional development or as indicated by assessment, delegation of specialized advising services (such as summer advising, study away advising, complex case advising) with respect to expertise, workload, etc.
• Provide expertise and support for advising and career training under the guidance of the executive director of the Pacific Opportunity Hub and in collaboration with other academic advisors and the Career & Experiential coaches.
• Provide feedback and professional development as needed to advisors and in coordination with advisors’ director supervisors
• Partner with Office of Student Support to address advising issues related to underenrolled students, leaves of absence, holds, etc.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with other university services that support students, such as Admissions, Registrar, Financial Aid, Tutoring and Coaching, Care Team, TRIO, and Athletics.
• Collaborate with peers within the Opportunity Hub, undergraduate Curriculum Committee, and similar bodies to facilitate strong ties between advising, faculty, and curricular work; keep advisors updated on proposals and curricular changes; identify curricular issues affecting student academic progress and advocate for student-centered approaches to resolving issues
• Support the executive director who will lead advising assessment procedures by collecting and helping to analyze data and records to support accreditation, program improvement, and reporting.
• Use advising, retention, and assessment data to inform program development and delivery, advisor training, and advocacy for resources; provide data as needed to inform course scheduling, support services, etc.; represent academic advising for assessment and accreditation purposes
• Communicate with students, faculty, and staff in person, and via video conference, email, phone, and other technologies
• Attend relevant faculty and staff meetings and participate in team and/or school events, participate in professional development activities, and collaborate with co-workers as a proactive team member
• Maintain a working knowledge of local and national advising trends and best practices
• Provide other duties as assigned

Benefits

• Generous paid time off (for vacation, holidays—including winter break—and sick leave)
• Medical coverage with alternative care options (with in-network services covered at 100% after payroll deduction)
• Comprehensive dental and vision plans
• Generous retirement contribution after one year of service with no match required
• Free mental health appointments
• Tuition remission for employees and their dependent child(ren) who meet eligibility requirements
• On-campus benefits, including free access to our sports facility and library
• Discounts on campus food, bookstore purchases, clinic services, and outdoor program gear rentals (including kayaks, snowshoes, and bikes)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level