Senior Academic Advisor

American University of Sharjah; Sharjah; On-site; AED 180,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

American University of Sharjah seeks a Senior Academic Advisor to support academic advising and internship functions within the department. The role involves coordinating advising sessions, maintaining records, and driving the internship program with data-informed strategies.

The ideal candidate has a Bachelor's degree in a related field and 10+ years in student advisory roles within an American-style higher education environment, with strong skills in data analytics, workshops, and reporting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in student advisory roles within an American style educational environment.
• Experience dealing with student issues in a higher education environment.
• Familiarity with the higher education system in an American university context.
• Understanding of student advisory and registration processes, including regulatory compliance.
• Knowledge of internship solicitation and management within a higher education environment.
• Proficiency in data archiving and analytics, with experience using data analytics and similar tools.
• Ability to conduct workshops related to internships and student advising.
• Strong report-writing skills.
• Experience with digitization initiatives.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), along with experience using online scheduling tools for multiple team members.

Responsibilities

• Advisory Sessions: schedule and conduct advising sessions for students on degree programs, minors, course selection, and registration.
• Knowledge Management: develop understanding of programs, student services, and advising processes.
• Regulatory Compliance: stay informed about curricular changes and policies relevant to advising and registration.
• Coordination: collaborate with academic staff to address advising and registration issues.
• Degree Audits: perform audits for graduating students.
• Record Keeping: maintain accurate records of advising and registration activities.
• Data Analytics: use analytics to aid scheduling for upcoming semesters/years.
• Backup Support: provide backup for primary advisor via walk-ins, calls, and emails.
• Digital Transformation: contribute to digitization of advising services.
• Student Monitoring: track progress and ensure program requirements are met for graduation.
• At-Risk Student Support: identify and support at-risk students.
• Collaborate with departments and industry partners to identify internship opportunities.
• Design and implement strategies to expand internship programs and align with job market.
• Advise and guide students in pursuing internships aligning with career goals.
• Conduct workshops to educate on internships and application processes.
• Foster relationships with students for ongoing internship support.
• Cultivate relationships with employers for a robust internship network.
• Collaborate with AUS Career Services to coordinate career fairs and employer engagement.
• Manage internship placements and update internship agreements and evaluations.
• Monitor internship program outcomes and generate improvement reports.
• Utilize data to track internship trends and inform decisions.

Skills

Data analytics

Workshop facilitation

Stakeholder collaboration

Report writing

Digitization initiatives

MS Office

Scheduling tools

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Word

Online scheduling tools

Job description

The Senior Academic Advisor will play a key role in supporting the academic advising and internship functions and ensuring the smooth operation of these two student services within the department.

Job Responsibilities

• Advisory Sessions: Arrange, schedule, and conduct advising sessions for
  students, providing guidance on degree programs, minors, course selection,
  and registration.
• Knowledge Management: Develop a comprehensive understanding of thedepartment, academic programs, student support services, and
  departmental processes related to academic advising.
• Regulatory Compliance: Stay informed about curricular changes, policies,regulations, and procedures relevant to advising and registration.
• Coordination: Collaborate with the academic advisor, Head of Department(HoD), faculty, and other stakeholders to address advising and registration
  related issues.
• Degree Audits: Conduct degree audits for graduating students and those approaching graduation.
• Record Keeping: Perform data entry and maintain accurate records ofadvising and registration activities.
• Data Analytics: Utilize data analytics to assist in scheduling for upcomingsemesters and years.
• Backup Support: Provide backup support for the primary advisor, handlingwalk-ins, incoming calls, and emails.
• Digital Transformation: Contribute to the digitization of academic advising services.
• Student Monitoring: Monitor student progress and ensure compliance withprogram requirements for graduation.
• At-Risk Student Support: Identify and monitor at-risk students, providingappropriate support and resources.
• Collaborate: with academic departments and industry partners to identify and develop internship opportunities.
• Design and implement: strategies to expand and enhance the internshipprogram, staying current with industry trends and employer needs.
• Tailor internship offerings to align with the evolving demands of the jobmarket.
• Advise and guide students in identifying and pursuing internshipopportunities that align with their career aspirations.
• Conduct workshops and informational sessions to educate students on thebenefits of internships and provide guidance on the application process.
• Foster relationships with students to ensure ongoing support throughout the internship experience.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with a diverse range of employers tocreate a robust network of internship opportunities.
• Collaborate: with employers to understand their needs and expectations for internship placements.
• Work closely with the AUS Career Services team to coordinate career fairs, networking events, and employer engagement activities.
• Manage the internship placement process, including matching students with suitable opportunities.
• Oversee the development and updating of internship agreements, learning objectives, and evaluation mechanisms.
• Monitor and assess the success of the internship program through feedback and performance evaluations.
• Maintain accurate records of internship placements, student participation, and employer partnerships.
• Generate reports on internship program outcomes and share insights for continuous improvement.
• Utilize data to track and analyze internship trends, contributing to strategic decision-making

Qualifications and Skills Required

• Bachelor's degree in a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in student advisory roles within an American style educational environment.
• Demonstrated experience in a role where they come into contact, and have dealt with students issues in a higher education environment.
• Familiarity with the higher education system in an American university context.
• Understanding of student advisory and registration processes, including their regulatory compliance.
• Knowledge of internship solicitation and management within a higher education environment.
• Proficiency in data archiving and analytics, with experience using data analytics and similar tools.
• Ability to conduct workshops related to internships and student advising.
• Strong report-writing skills.
• Experience with digitization initiatives.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), along with experience using online scheduling tools for multiple team members.

Preferred Qualifications and Skills

• Master's degree.
• Experience with Computer Science and Engineering students.
• Internship coordination experience.

AUS is an equal opportunity employer. We adhere to a policy of making employment decisions without regard to race, color, age, gender, religion, national origin, disability or marital status. Opportunities for employment are based solely upon one’s qualifications.