Academic Success Advisor

Randolph-Macon College seeks an Academic Success Advisor to support, engage, and advise first-year and pre-major students. The academic advisor acts as an integral member of the student support team, supporting individual students via educational planning, academic support and resources, and personalized development. The academic advisor will use a proactive and holistic approach to support first-year and transfer students in their transition to Randolph-Macon College.

 Responsibilities

• Foster a welcoming and supportive transition for first-year and transfer students by providing personalized guidance and resources to promote a sense of belonging and academic confidence.
• Provide tailored advising to a caseload of approximately 100 students, maintaining accurate and up-to-date individual student records to track academic progress and ensure timely degree completion.
• Assist first-year students in adjusting to college life by facilitating student success and transition courses. Topics covered include wellness, study skills, campus resources, academic and career exploration, and other issues affecting first-year students.
• Ensure the effectiveness of the advising process by maintaining detailed electronic advising notes for all assigned advisees and utilizing the student database system to provide informed and accurate academic guidance.
• Facilitate a smooth transition for students to their faculty advisors by providing guidance on selecting an academic major, understanding degree requirements, and identifying long-term goals.
• Collaborate on developing and administering academic programming for incoming first-year students, including workshops, peer mentoring, and academic success initiatives.
• Participate in professional development to stay current on evidence-based and best practices in academic advising and student support, ensuring Randolph-Macon College continues to provide high-quality, student-centered advising.

 Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in education, counseling, or related field.
• Experience in academic advising or student support services in higher education setting.
• Ability to master comprehensive subject matter expertise about Randolph-Macon general education curriculum and multiple RMC academic departments, programs and/or concentrations.
• Exceptional interpersonal communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Strong planning, organizational, and time management skills.
• Utilizes critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Knowledge of higher education and student development theory.
• Goal-oriented and driven to assist people with meeting their educational goals.
• Self-motivated with the ability to successfully work independently and in a team environment.
• Strong focus on proactive student support, innovative problem-solving skills, flexibility, attention detail, ability to excel in an evolving environment.
• Ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholder groups, including multicultural competencies and experience working with diverse populations
• Commitment to professional development and staying current with best practices in academic advising.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in higher education, counseling, student development, or a related field.
• Two or more years of experience in academic advising, student affairs, or related areas in a college or university setting.
• Understanding of and appreciation for a liberal arts approach to general education and the value of academic programs across a wide range of disciplines.
• Experience with first-year programs or transitional advising for new students.
• Familiarity with career development theories and resources to support student career exploration.
• Experience facilitating workshops or teaching student success courses (e.g., time management, study skills, career planning).
• Knowledge of FERPA regulations and ethical guidelines for student confidentiality and academic records.
• Data analysis ability and experience, particularly in the areas of student progress and retention.  

The College

Founded in 1830, Randolph-Macon has approximately 1650 students and is located in Ashland, VA, a residential community 15 miles north of Richmond and 90 miles south of Washington D.C., thereby having all the benefits for its students, faculty and staff of a dynamic metropolitan area which serves as the state capital.  Over 85% of students reside on campus. For more information about the College see www.rmc.edu. 

Randolph-Macon College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, disability, or veteran status in its education or employment programs or activities.

Application

To apply for the position, submit the following documents to https://bit.ly/4cLPdDK Microsoft Word or PDF format:  a current CV, cover letter addressing the position responsibilities and qualifications, and contact information for two professional references to Sharon Jackson, Director of Human Resources.  The review and interview process will commence as strong applications are received and the search will remain open until the position is filled.