Transfer and Running Start Pathways Advisor [Admissions Counselor 3 - Regional Seattle

Transfer and Running Start Pathways Advisor

Western Washington University, with over 15,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 90,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia.

Western has additional sites in Anacortes, Bremerton, Everett, Port Angeles, and Poulsbo. Western is recognized nationally for its successes, such as being named one of the top public master's-granting institutions in the Pacific Northwest for 25 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report.

The Admissions Department supports Western's mission, which states that together with our students, staff, and faculty, we are committed to making a positive impact in the state and the world with a shared focus on academic excellence and inclusive achievement. We encourage applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and other candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and with diverse experiences interested in this opportunity.

The Transfer and Running Start Pathways Advisor serves as Western's primary representative to partner community colleges throughout the greater Seattle–Olympia region. Reporting to the Director of Transfer Admissions and Operations, this position manages advising, outreach, and recruitment efforts that support community college students transitioning to Western and promotes pathways for transfer and first-year Running Start students. The advisor manages Western's presence at partner institutions, building collaborative relationships with community college advisors and staff while delivering advising and recruitment services that support enrollment.

This role contributes to the development and implementation of Western's transfer recruitment strategy by identifying opportunities to strengthen partnerships, expand transfer pipelines, and improve student access and preparation. This position requires a self-directed professional who can manage an external recruitment territory independently while coordinating closely with colleagues within and beyond the Office of Admissions.

Position

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Recruitment, Advising, and Territory Engagement:
  Manage an external recruitment territory across the Seattle-Olympia region, maintaining a consistent presence at partner community colleges.
• Programs and Events:
  Lead and participate in On-the-Spot Admissions events that provide students with timely information about admissibility and next steps.
• Application Review:
  Review assigned applications for admission and scholarships and recommend admission decisions using established guidelines.
• Community College Partnerships and Pathway Development:
  Serve as Western's primary liaison to partner community colleges in the Seattle region, developing collaborative relationships with advisors, counselors, and administrators.
• Other Duties:
  Manage home office duties which include storing and tracking inventory of recruitment materials, maintenance of University-issued equipment (laptop, etc.)

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree (earned by position's start date)
• Excellent interpersonal skills that include professional communication, relationship building, and the ability to clearly and concisely present information
• Experience working effectively with people from a variety of cultures and backgrounds
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including excellent presentation abilities
• Strong planning and organizational skills with the ability to effectively manage multiple priorities and projects independently and as part of a team
• Proficiency with technology and willingness to learn new systems
• Ability and willingness to travel independently throughout the assigned territory

Preferred Qualifications:

• Professional experience in admissions recruitment, advising, or related work in higher education
• Experience working with community colleges or transfer student populations
• Master's degree in a…