Senior Adviser, College Academic Advising Office

College Academic Advising Leaders

College Academic Advising

As a member of senior leadership in the College Academic Advising Office (CAAO), the Senior Adviser is part of a team responsible for the direction and management of the office. In this role, the Senior Adviser has three major areas of responsibility. First, the Senior Adviser provides comprehensive academic advising services to a reduced caseload of first-year through fourth-year students across all academic major and minor programs of study.

Second, the Senior Adviser administers one of four functional areas central to the operation and success of the CAAO, Canvas Platform Management and Office Communications. Third, the Senior Adviser supervises and supports a team of academic advisers. Senior Advisers must be knowledgeable about the curriculum, University policies, multiple systems for tracking student information, and University resources for students, while also having a strong relational focus for building relationships with students and staff.

• Oversees the academic programs of a reduced caseload of undergraduate students and tracks progress toward degree completion.
• Conducts regular one-on-one and group meetings with students to discuss academic programs, choice of major, academic progress, long-term goals, and making meaning of their UChicago experience.
• Utilizes academic advising theories and follows best practices to help students resolve challenges and achieve academic goals.
• Employs counseling and relational skills for assisting students in distress and establishes good working relationships with a diverse student population.
• Understands, interprets, and communicates University policies, procedures, deadlines, and expectations to students.
• Refers students to campus resources, including Career Advancement, Study Abroad, Student Wellness, and the Center for College Student Success, and maintains collaborative relationships with these campus partners.
• Accesses information through various electronic databases, and maintains student records in compliance with applicable laws and policies.
• Administration of one functional area of Canvas Platform management and Office of Communications.
• Maintains the CAAO Canvas curriculum, including first-, second-, third-, and fourth-year content.
• Supports and troubleshoots platform issues as needed and liaises with the College Academic and Student Services Office.
• Plans and implements internal and external communications strategies and maintains the annual communication calendar.
• Coordinates content creation to ensure consistent communication and messaging.
• Supervises, supports, and provides feedback to a team of 5-6 academic advisers.
• Contributes to strategic planning for the CAAO and for the Office of the Dean of Students.
• Participates in leadership training programs to ensure alignment with office mission and values.
• Provides ongoing staff development around various issues as appropriate.
• Participates as needed in College-wide events such as Orientation, Family Weekend, Convocation, and Commencement.
• Serves as a liaison to one or more academic departments and updates staff on developments to majors and minors.
• Reviews and responds to student petitions in limited circumstances.
• Responds in a timely manner to student, staff, faculty, and parent communication.
• Participates in staff development trainings, class visits, and weekly meetings.
• Acts as a main point of contact and recommends process improvements for other University Schools and Divisions' joint-degree programs.
• Has a deep understanding related to the development of programming for non-academic matters, such as health and wellness and curricular programming. Designs and produces material for the handbook and other academically-related publications.
• Performs other related work as needed.

• 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.

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• Advanced degree, with a 6-year minimum gap between date of college graduation and appointment as Senior Adviser.

• Minimally 5 years of experience in an academic advising office or related field in higher education.
• Familiarity with the University structure and the functions of its various offices and departments.
• Specialized knowledge of…