Student Success Advisor

Role

Student Success Advisor.

Grade 5: £26,707 - £31,236 per annum.

Full-time (35 hours per week), open-ended.

28 days annual leave plus 9 built-in closed days (and Christmas Eve if it falls on a weekday). Use our total rewards calculator:  to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.

The Student Success Advisor (SSA) supports Heriot-Watt Online and Graduate Apprenticeship students from orientation through to the successful completion of their chosen programme of study. An instrumental part of a student’s success, the SSA will be responsible for supporting, engaging and retaining students throughout their learning experience. The Student Success Advisor provides exceptional customer service, acting as the first point of contact for all student questions and queries.

The role is responsible for providing personalised, proactive support across the full student lifecycle, empowering students to achieve their goals. The Student Success Advisor focuses not only on ‘at-risk’ students but proactively engages with all students. The SSA acts as the ‘champion’ of our global online and Graduate Apprenticeship student community and acts as the student voice, ensuring that the student is at the heart of our decision making.

The Success Advisor also plays a critical role in growing and sustaining community, connection and belonging between students and with the university.

You will be part of a dynamic team dedicated to providing excellent customer and user experience for students.

Main duties include, but are not limited to:

• Serve as the primary point of contact for students; helping them with any questions, information requests or issues they may be facing.
• Provide comprehensive pastoral advice to students, including guidance on course selection, study skills, time management and assessment preparation.
• Respond to requests in a professional and timely manner.
• Act as the main point of contact between a student and internal colleagues (e.g. Tutors, Programme Directors, Wellbeing).
• Build individual relationships with students.
• Provide welcome information and system demos to students and run orientation and induction activities for new students.
• Provide targeted updates and information about news and events relevant to online students.
• Make students aware of support available to them, including additional live tuition sessions, and increase participation in these sessions.
• Proactively monitor progress of students, providing proactive support and interventions to ensure students stay on track to graduation.
• Help students plan and structure their studies, as well as schedule courses and assessments.
• Help students identify, develop, and implement learning strategies and study skills.
• Support a wide range of activities related to student success, engagement and retention, including webinars/live sessions, 1:2:1 calls, information sessions, social media and student group meetings.
• Host online class events for students to interact and socialise with peers.
• Act as an encouraging voice to help students meet deadlines and achieve their goals, celebrating milestones and helping students to progress onto their next course.
• Attend graduation ceremonies.
• Introduce graduates to the Alumni community:
  The Watt Club.
• Work closely with other members of the Student Support Services team, academic staff and administrative staff to coordinate support services for students.
• Ensure that students are aware of and have access to relevant academic resources and support services.
• Work with various stakeholders and teams (external and internal) to develop and deliver initiatives and activities which will enhance the student experience, build community and encourage student retention and success.
• Refer students to wider university support services where needed (e.g. wellbeing, Registry, Library).
• Develop a resource library of student support assets.
• Host community building and engagement events to increase students’ feeling on belonging.

• Use CRM systems to manage, build and…