Academic Advisor

University of Wisconsin; Madison (WI); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Wisconsin–Madison's Department of Political Science seeks an enthusiastic Academic Advisor to support undergraduates majoring in Political Science and certificate students. You will guide students through academic planning, coordinate events, and collaborate with faculty and staff to foster student success.

This on-site role allows occasional remote work, with most duties during normal hours and some evenings for events.

Qualifications

• Engage effectively with students throughout the workday and manage multiple meetings
• Adapt to changing daily needs and priorities while maintaining high service
• Strong interpersonal skills and enthusiasm for supporting department priorities

Responsibilities

• Proactively engages students as needed
• Serves as a main point of contact for students and provides information about educational options and academic requirements; assists with identifying and assessing interests, skills, and values
• Participates in the campus-wide advising community providing input to leadership regarding the development of advising, recruitment, and co/curricular programs offered by the school/college
• Implements academic advising events such as workshops, panel discussions, and guest speakers
• Maintains confidentiality and accurate student records and processes and responds to academic inquiries according to FERPA policies
• Maintains expertise with advised curriculum and may assist in developing and recommending exceptions for policy and curriculum
• Receives, processes, and responds to academic inquiries according to established policies and procedures

Skills

Student engagement

Interpersonal skills

Advising experience

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Job description

Job Category:

Academic Staff

Employment Type:

Regular

Job Profile:

Academic Advisor

Job Summary:

The Department of Political Science at the University of Wisconsin–Madison seeks an enthusiastic professional to join our undergraduate team as an Academic Advisor. This position supports students pursuing the Political Science major, provides academic advising to certificate students, and assists with departmental initiatives as needed.

Academic advisors build relationships with students, guide them through their academic experience, and collaborate with faculty and staff to support student success. This role works closely with undergraduate students, faculty, and staff to facilitate and conduct academic advising. Additional responsibilities include collaborating with department members on curricular planning, coordinating and managing student events such as graduation celebrations, student events, and mentoring programs, serving on relevant committees, and partnering with college and university offices to stay current on advising and curricular policies and practices. Advisors also participate in Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration (SOAR) programming to advise prospective and incoming students.

This is an on-site, student-facing position; however, advisors may be approved for occasional remote work. Most of the work for this position occurs during normal business hours, with occasional evening events.

Key Job Responsibilities:

• Proactively engages students as needed
• Serves as a main point of contact for students and provides information about educational options and academic requirements; assists with identifying and assessing interests, skills, and values to match appropriate field of study/career options, and refers students to appropriate institutional resources
• Participates in the campus-wide advising community providing input to leadership regarding the development of advising, recruitment, and co/curricular programs offered by the school/college
• Implements academic advising events such as workshops, panel discussions, and guest speakers
• Maintains confidentiality and accurate student records and processes and responds to academic inquiries according to established institutional and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) policies
• Maintains expertise with advised curriculum and may assist in developing and recommending exceptions for policy and curriculum
• Receives, processes, and responds to academic inquiries according to established policies and procedures

Department:

College of Letters and Science, Political Science

Compensation:

The expected salary range for this position is $55,000 up to $58,000 for highly experienced candidates. Actual pay within this range will depend on experience and qualifications.

Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and sick leave; competitive insurance and savings accounts; and retirement benefits. Please review the summary of benefits for more information.

Required Qualifications:

• Demonstrated ability to engage effectively with students throughout the workday, including managing multiple individual student meetings and interactions each day while remaining attentive, approachable, and responsive.
• Ability to adapt to changing daily needs and priorities, including responding to drop-in advising needs, unexpected student questions, and shifts in scheduled activities while maintaining a high level of service and engagement.
• Successful candidates will demonstrate strong interpersonal skills with genuine enthusiasm for connecting with, assisting, and supporting department priorities.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Minimum one year of experience in advising, mentoring, leadership development, or related student support roles Or, or one year of strong customer service.
• Experience working with undergraduate students and supporting their academic, personal, or professional development is strongly preferred
• Experience planning and coordinating events or programs, and solving problems

Education:

Bachelor's Degree, required

Application Deadline:

The application deadline is 11:59pm on September 8, 2026.

Contact Information:

Faye Lux, [e-mail],608-263-1780

Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW‑Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals. The University of Wisconsin‑Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin‑Madison is an Equal OpportunityEmployer.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgroundsand encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.

The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).

The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW‑Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department.