Associate Academic Advisor

University of British Columbia; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 30,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent educational institution in Vancouver is looking for an Associate Academic Advisor to provide comprehensive academic advising to BASc undergraduate students. This role entails ensuring students meet academic requirements, resolving issues, and collaborating with various departments for enhanced support. Ideal candidates will have an undergraduate degree and advising experience, along with strong communication and problem-solving skills. The position offers a competitive salary range and opportunities to contribute to student success.

Qualifications

• Minimum of one to two years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Advising experience at the post-secondary level preferred.
• Ability to communicate clearly with students of varying language skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide advising services for all BASc students.
• Evaluate academic records and advise on degree requirements.
• Coordinate with other departments and resources for student support.

Skills

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Time management

Education

Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline

Tools

Excel

Outlook

Job description

Overview

Staff - Non Union | Job Category: M&P - AAPS | Job Profile: AAPS Salaried - Student Management, Level A | Job Title: Associate Academic Advisor

Department: Academic Services | Engineering Student Services | Dean’s Office | Faculty of Applied Science

Compensation Range: $5,365.42 - $7,709.92 CAD Monthly

The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.

Posting End Date: September 23, 2025

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date: Ongoing

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Summary

Applied Science Central Student Services is a shared service unit across the Faculty of Applied Science (APSC) including Engineering, the School of Community and Regional Planning, the School of Biomedical Engineering, and the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. The unit is dedicated to being an efficient and consistent source of academic, career, and professional development services and support for students through their academic journey in APSC. APSC Central Student Services unit has 4 teams: the APSC Co-op, Experiential Learning and Professional Development team; the Undergraduate Academic Advising Team; the Graduate Academic Programs and Advising Team; and the Academic Systems Team, all under the leadership of the Director, APSC Student Services.

Applied Science Undergraduate Associate Academic Advisors are responsible for providing and assessing academic advising services and programs for 5,500 BASc undergraduate students to support their academic success, personal development and retention to ensure they meet their full academic potential. BASc students graduate from one of 14 programs offered at the Vancouver campus, each with complex degree requirements requiring this position to maintain an in-depth understanding of the requirements and options of all programs to provide accurate and consistent advising services.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities include providing advising services for all BASc students through to progression into their second year of studies and academic advising for Mechanical, Electrical, Computer, Chemical and Biological, Civil, Environmental (both the joint UBC program and the BASCV ENVL program), Manufacturing, Mining, Integrated, and Materials Engineering students at all year levels for all service points including in person, email, phone, web-mediated, and small groups. Associate Academic Advisors are responsible for providing and assessing student academic advising services, strategies, and programming to support student learning. This position contributes towards the effective delivery of advising services and the development of policy and priorities of the unit. All APSC Undergraduate Academic Services Advising staff collaboratively provide the administrative services in the office.

Additional responsibilities include leading the Academic Concession process which may result in permission to students to drop or withdraw from a course after the normal deadlines, aegrotat or deferred standing, and/or withdrawal from the university. Advisors identify students in need through the Early Alert System, connect them with relevant resources and guide which may include academic advising, financial advising, counselling, health service, or other appropriate resources. They will work collaboratively within the BASc portfolio, the Faculty of Applied Science (APSC), as well as other UBC departments and centralized resources such as the Centre for Accessibility and the SVPRO Office. Occasional evening and weekend work is required. The ability to travel domestically and internationally is preferred.

Organizational Status: This position works as a member of the Applied Science Undergraduate Academic Services team and reports directly to the Associate Director, Undergraduate Academic Services. This position works independently under general direction from the Associate Director, Undergraduate Academic Services.

Work Performed

Advising, Retention, Development

• Maintains current knowledge of academic advising standards and best practice to serve a diverse population of students.
• Uses expertise and in-depth knowledge of complex BASc program requirements to assess student academic records and histories in order to guide students with informed decision making in line with their academic, personal, and career goals.
• Advises first-year BASc students, Mechanical, Electrical, Computer, Chemical and Biological, Civil, Environmental (both the joint UBC program and the BASCV ENVL program), Manufacturing, Mining, Integrated, and Materials Engineering students on degree and academic progression requirements, ensuring they meet the requirements of their BASc degrees.
• Guides students towards a holistic and balanced approach to academics, career preparation, and health and wellbeing, encouraging active engagement in learning and scholarly pursuits, campus life and community engagement, and career planning.
• Investigates and resolves issues relating to registration, credit limits, registration blocks, transfer credits, and other discrepancies. Updates student records as required (ie: grades, course registration, sessional standing, etc.).
• Serves as the primary contact for BASc students identified through the Early Alert System.
• Advises students about requests for academic concession. Evaluates documentation, liaises with instructors, medical professionals, and other student service professionals to determine appropriateness of concessions in line with university and faculty policy ensuring consistency and equitability in outcomes. Works closely with APSC Undergraduate Academic Advisors on highly complex cases.
• Advises students about admissions to minors, dual degrees, and degree completion. Directs students on managing complex information, including how to use university tools for ongoing degree planning.
• Reviews academic performance of all BASc undergraduate students to ensure they meet promotion, continuation, and graduation requirements.
• Identifies students in crisis, either personal or academic, and manages cases to resolution. Advises on academic options and makes referrals to campus supports and services as required.
• Investigates and resolves inquiries from other campus units and faculties.
• Interprets and applies university and faculty policies in relation to individual student programs, proposes exceptions where appropriate.
• Attends and presents at conferences and workshops, and maintains membership in academic advising organizations.
• Contributes to the recruitment and yield of prospective students by representing the Faculty of Applied Science at information sessions such as the Engineering Open House as well as domestic and international recruitment events.

Information Technology & Knowledge Management

• Implements technologies pertinent to the communication, outreach, and success of students in the BASc program.
• Ensure web content on academic programs, policies and academic services is current.
• Reports on applied information technologies pertaining to students in the BASc to evaluate usage, functioning and communication success of technologies in student advising, retention, and development.
• Documents and maintains business practices of the APSC Undergraduate Academic Services unit to ensure consistent and equitable practice, and to create a knowledge base of processes used by the office.

Other Duties

• Participates in identifying processes and systems that require improvement, mapping current processes, re-designing processes, and making recommendations for change
• Provides support to colleagues during absences and performs other duties as required

Consequence of Error/Judgement:
A wide latitude of decision making is required. Decision-making is based on a thorough knowledge of the policies and procedures of the University and the Faculty of Applied Science. The incumbent exercises considerable judgment and must demonstrate tact and discretion. Advising decisions directly affect the quality of student undergraduate experience, their degree progression and the Engineering program accreditation. Poor performance including inefficient or uncaring service affects the reputation and credibility of Engineering Student Services, the Faculty of Applied Science and the University thereby endangering the faculty’s enrolment goals. Errors in judgment, poor advising, and/or inconsistency in decision making could have significantly negative financial, academic, and personal consequences for students, including serious difficulty in attaining their educational goals and even delay in graduation. Consequence of error is high and poor judgment and/or lack of cross-cultural sensitivity would compromise the integrity of the Applied Science programs as well as jeopardize the reputation of the Faculty of Applied Science and the university thereby affecting the recruitment and retention of students. Failing to identify the effect of a student s mental health on their studies can result in a delay of proper support services and a negative experience of the University. Failures in one or all of the above may result in students leaving the University.

Supervision Received: This position reports directly to the Associate Director, Undergraduate Academic Services.

Supervision Given: None.

Minimum Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of one to two years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own
• Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

• Advising experience at the post-secondary level preferred.
• To achieve the faculty’s goal of attracting highly qualified students to Engineering, this position requires a broad understanding of secondary and post-secondary systems as well as an in-depth knowledge of the BASc degree, 14 engineering programs and admission requirements. Knowledge of the BC and other Canadian secondary school curricula, as well as US, British-patterned, International Baccalaureate, and other major international educational systems would be an asset.
• Knowledge of UBC systems is an asset.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in writing and orally, one-on-one and in public speaking roles is essential.
• Ability to communicate clearly with students of varying language skills.
• Advanced problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify and resolve problems in a skillful and timely manner.
• Ability to take initiative, and to work effectively independently and within a team environment.
• Ability to masterfully gather and analyze information.
• Demonstrated ability to develop alternative solutions. Ability to make thoughtful, informed and thorough decisions, using reason even when dealing with emotional topics and student emergencies.
• Ability to meet challenges with resourcefulness.
• Ability to develop innovative approaches and ideas.
• Demonstrated ability to apply feedback to improve performance, and to handle stress within a multi-faceted work environment.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required.
• Proficiency in using Excel, Outlook, and other standard office software is required.