Graduate Advisor and Department Analyst

Graduate Advisor and Department Analyst

University of California, Santa Cruz

Administrative support of graduate program, including admissions, academic advising, financials and student employment. Event coordination, purchasing, reimbursement and travel processing. Oversight of faculty service center, equipment, and student workers. Politics and Legal Studies lecture pool management and hiring. Interpret and apply university policies. Provide backup to the Department Manager, as needed.

• Graduate Program Coordination and Advising (60%)
  • Applying professional student services concepts provides the full range of student services to the student population served by the organization.
  • Academic Advising:
    From recruitment and admissions to degree completion – responsible for interpreting organization policies and advising students and faculty on requirements for progress, recommending interventions as needed.
  • Liaison and resource to campus offices including the Dean's Office, Registrar's Office, Graduate Division, International Programs, Summer Session, and other academic departments and advisors.
  • Financial aid:
    Researches and resolves issues associated with block allocation, admission offers, graduate student employment, research/travel/summer fellowship disbursement, and/or financial aid. Ensures compliance with contracts, policies and procedures. Tracks and advises on student funding history, needs, and employment eligibility.
  • Academic Human Resources: manages the assignment and appointment of Teaching Assistants, Graduate Student Instructors, and Readers; configures student evaluation surveys and faculty assessments.
  • Manages content for the graduate program’s web and social media presence; curriculum and catalog.
• Department Analyst (40%)
  • Financial Support for Department Operations:
    Initiates and completes all necessary accounting forms (purchase orders, travel advance requests, recharge forms, honorarium, reimbursement, etc.). Inventories and orders office supplies. Responsible for copy machine administration. Researches and recommends purchases to the Department Manager.
  • Academic HR:
    Acts as point person for Politics and Legal Studies Lecturer Pools – acknowledges and communicates with new applicants, coordinates faculty review of file materials, processes batch reports to qualify applicants for future hiring considerations. Acts as liaison with divisional HR staff and submits hiring dossiers as directed.
  • Events:
    Plans and implements complex, high‑visibility events for the Politics Department and Legal Studies Program, including room reservations, set‑up and breakdown coordination, creation of flyers and other publicity. Coordinates with speakers to make arrangements for travel, equipment needs and reimbursements.
  • Facilities:
    Maintains database, tracks department space utilization, assigns offices and keys/codes for grads, faculty, lecturers and staff.
  • Oversees work‑study students supporting Merrill and Crown Faculty Service Centers and delegates low‑level administrative tasks (mailboxes, mail distribution, copies and scanning projects). Advertises open work‑study positions through campus systems and manages recruitment and hiring processes.
  • Acts as backup to Department Manager for AHR, budget support and resource management when the department manager is absent.
  • Other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor's degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training.
• Demonstrated knowledge of advising and counseling techniques; experience working in higher education with students.
• Multicultural competencies; ability to work with diverse populations.
• Strong organizational and planning skills, including the ability to set priorities, maintain workflow, meet deadlines, and complete a high volume of work with frequent interruptions.
• Ability to assimilate, interpret, explain, and apply a variety of UC administrative policies and procedures.
• Proven communication and interpersonal skills to interact effectively with individuals at all levels within the organization, and other professionals.
• Solid writing and editing with ability to draft and edit a variety of documents.