Academic Support Career Listing |
Learner Support
Academic Advisor (Multiple Openings)
Academic Advisors work directly with a specific population of learners using a proactive coaching model to help learners achieve their academic goals and persist to graduation. Advisors build professional relationships with their assigned learners, serve as the primary point of contact, and facilitate problem resolution within specific timeframes. This role proactively challenges learners to overcome barriers and obstacles using academic resources, coaching, and development of program plans to guide them to degree completion. Advisors partner with other University departments and staff such as Learner Support Associates, Special Services, School representatives, Enrollment Services, and the Office of the Registrar to consistently deliver professional, collegial, value-added support which reflects the Capella Brand. This collaboration enhances learners' academic success, instills loyalty, and positively impacts learner persistence. Advisor performance is measured using a balanced scorecard of metrics-based retention/persistence goals.
Responsibilities:
Advisors build professional partnerships with assigned learners to optimize achievement of learner academic, career, and degree completion goals. Through the establishment of the advisor/advisee relationship advisors play an essential role in learners' success which positively impacts learner persistence and graduation rates.
- Connect with all new assigned learners within specified timeframes to ensure they have an individualized plan to reach their academic goals and an awareness of University resources.
- Establish and build the advisor/advisee relationships as essential to learners' success.
- Help identify and develop learner success strategies and build awareness of academic services.
- Establish credibility through a thorough knowledge and understanding of the specific population, degree level, academic programs, policies, and University resources.
- Periodically connect with continuing learners to review their plan for and progress toward degree completion.
- Coach, challenge and encourage learners in the establishment and achievement of both short and long term goals for degree completion.
- Ensure learner population is registered and/or pre-registered for at least one year.
- Coach learners through disruptive life events, obstacles, and challenges through discussion of options.
- Coach learners to develop accountability for their decisions as well as an understanding of how those decisions impact their success.
- Facilitate the resolution of learner issues while supporting academic integrity and University policies.
- Partner with other University staff and departments as appropriate.
- Actively engage in repeated efforts to contact learners which may include non-traditional work hours.
- Serve as a learner advocate where appropriate.
- Doctoral and some Master's advisors periodically travel to Residential Colloquia to serve as a speaker/presenter and work individually with learners in face-to-face advising sessions.
- Meet or exceed university initiatives including individual and team registration goals dedicated to driving increased persistence.
- Proactively build advising skills through sharing of best practices, active participation in call-coaching, self-development, and staying current in curriculum knowledge and industry/field trends.
- Successfully manage time to meet established targeted timeframes.
Qualifications:
- Education: MS degree in Counseling, Student Personnel, Education, Guidance or related field (masters and doctoral advisors) or Bachelor's degree with equivalent professional-level experience demonstrating required skills (bachelor's and master's advisors).
- Professional experience: In conjunction with required degree, minimum two years professional level experience as an academic advisor, enrollment representative, school counselor, student personnel worker, career counselor (or related positions with transferable skills) using advanced coaching, counseling and problem solving skills.
- Experience working with adult learners is preferred.
- Ability to adapt quickly and successfully to a changing professional environment in the area of adult and distance learning.
- Ability to communicate and build professional relationships with a wide range of mature, professional adult learners through primarily phone and email interactions.
- Adept at using technology (PC, databases, software and telephony) and its use as a communication and educational medium.
- Experience working in a fast-paced environment that is learner focused and results-oriented.
- Fundamental understanding of business acumen in order to successfully balance learner and University needs.
- Outstanding time management skills.
This position is based in Capella's corporate headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota and relocation assistance is not provided. Travel is required for Doctoral and some Master's advising positions.
Please forward cover letter and resume |
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