Team Lead, Academic Advising

Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT); Calgary; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 94,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading technical institute in Calgary is seeking a Supervisor - Team Lead for Academic Advising. This role involves overseeing academic advisors, ensuring high-quality student advising, and working closely with the management to implement best practices in academic support. Candidates should have extensive experience in academic advising and a commitment to student success. The position offers a competitive salary and a supportive work environment.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• 3-5 years' experience in academic advising.
• Experience in leadership roles.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Commitment to student success.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and manage the Academic Advisors.
• Align advising processes across the institution.
• Develop policies for academic advising.
• Coordinate student communication initiatives.

Skills

Excellent communication

Interpersonal skills

Problem-solving skills

Leadership experience

Knowledge of current trends in academic advising

Ability to work with diverse students

Proficiency in technology

Education

Diploma in post-secondary education

Bachelor's preferred

Job description

The Student Services department’s role in student success is to create a culture and environment that unleashes the full potential of all the students at SAIT. Our primary goal is to support Student-First Culture, by focusing on student success and mobilizing all campus community members in this shared goal.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Associate Director, Academic Advising, the Supervisor- Team Lead, Academic Advising is responsible for overseeing and managing the Academic Advisors. The Team Lead works closely with the Manager of Operations/Administration in the school, the Academic Chairs, and the student services staff to ensure that students receive high-quality, consistent, and timely academic advising throughout their academic journey.

The Role

• Planning and Assessment
  
  
• Participate as a member of the Associate Director’s leadership team for academic advising at SAIT
  
  
• Work with the Associate Director Academic Advising and the other Team Leads to align advising processes to be consistent across the institution.
  
  
• Work with the other Team Leads to align business processes for integration into the CRM
  
  
• Monitor workload and interaction experiences with Freshdesk including gathering feedback for assessment and efficiencies o Incorporate data and engage diverse perspectives to inform decision-making.
  
  
• Implement processes for continuous development, assessment, and evaluation of program effectiveness.
  
  
• Oversee the preparation, execution, and reporting of results for internal control and general process reviews
  
  
• Provide subject matter expertise and section leadership in the integration of new systems with the Banner and any other SAIT systems in place
  
  
• Research best practices for student retention and embed practices into current and new support services.
  
  
• Assess and report on the effectiveness and outcomes of academic advising services.
  
  
• Resolves complex student issues, informs/consults with instructors, and helps to find appropriate solutions in line with our FIRST principles.
  
  
• Coordinate initiatives with other internal stakeholders to enhance the student experience at SAIT.
  
  
• Lead the process to develop targeted student communication and develops processes for student-focused advising.
  
  
• In collaboration with the Associate Director and the other Team Leads, develop and implement policies, procedures, and best practices for academic advising.
  
  
• Identify issues and analyze data to determine trends that are causing students challenges in their pursuit of course/credential completion and propose ideas to resolve these issues.
  
  
• Attend regular meetings with the manager and other leaders to determine priorities, review reporting progress, and identify significant issues or areas of concern that could jeopardize the achievement of goals.
  
  
• Stakeholder Relationships
  
  
• Work with academic leadership: Managers of Operations/Administration and academic Chairs to ensure a shared philosophical approach and structure to academic advising.
  
  
• Build strong working relationships with management, faculty, and staff to support all learners through various stages of their academic journey at SAIT
  
  
• Collaborate with other units and departments to support student success initiatives, such as orientation, retention, graduation, transfer, career development, etc.
  
  
• Establish strong working relationships with points within student services for case management of at-risk students
  
  
• Represent the academic advising unit in various committees and meetings
  
  
• Employee Development and Supervision
  
  
• Promote and demonstrate good practices in organizational leadership and teamwork
  
  
• Lead and direct the work of the Academic Advisors in the school
  
  
• Supervise, train, and evaluate a team of professional academic advisors
  
  
• Coordinate and monitor the academic advising caseload and workload distribution
  
  
• Recognize high levels of performance
  
  
• Promote and manage professional development.
  
  
• Mentor, train, and support staff in achieving team and personal performance objectives aligned with departmental and divisional priorities supporting the Strategic Plans as well as the SAIT’s Educational Plan
  
  
• Provide guidance and assessments of workflow/processes within the department and identify opportunities to improve efficiencies.
  
  
• Lead the planning and implementation of the academic advisor's training plan.
  
  
• In collaboration with the Associate Director and the Manager of Operations/Academic Chair, hire and train new academic advisors
  
  
• Participate actively or coordinate meetings within the schools pertaining to student success and progression
  
  
• Manage vacation usage, office hours, and hybrid functionality (where applicable) of advisors
  
  
• Performance reviews of Academic Advisors
  
  
• Analyze the results of the departmental key performance indicators, recommend strategies for improvement, and managing individual and team performances to meet desired objectives
  
  

Qualifications

• Diploma in combination with extensive experience in academic advising and student services areas in a post-secondary setting; Bachelor's preferred
  
  
• 3-5 years' experience working in academic advising
  
  
• Experience in Leadership role
  
  
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills
  
  
• Excellent communication: written and verbal
  
  
• Knowledge of current trends and best practices in academic advising
  
  
• Ability to work effectively with diverse students, faculty, staff, and stakeholders
  
  
• Proficiency in using technology and data to support academic advising
  
  
• A commitment to student success and academic excellence
  
  
• Knowledge of student development theory and student recruitment and retention strategies
  
  

Job Classification: Supervisor - P5932

Salary Range: $90,619.22 - $93,840

Hours per week: 37.5

Posting End Date: Aug 13th, 2025

About SAIT

SAIT is a global leader in applied education. Named one of Alberta’s Top Employers , we offer the chance to work with a purpose — preparing the next generation of industry leaders, entrepreneurs, advocates and explorers.

Building on our 100+ year history, we’re looking for innovative, bold and collaborative employees who embrace change and deliver world-class customer experiences. Your future starts now at SAIT.

Equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is essential to achieving SAIT’s vision to be a global leader in applied education. We encourage applications from women, Indigenous people, racialized people, people with disabilities, people from gender and sexually diverse communities, and/or people with intersectional identities. Learn more about EDI at SAIT .

At SAIT, we understand that experience comes in many forms. We’re dedicated to adding diverse perspectives to SAIT - so if your experience is close to what we’re looking for, please consider applying.

SAIT is committed to supporting persons with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. We will work with applicants to provide accommodations upon request to the Talent Advisor.

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