Academic Advisor, Black Student Success

Highline Community College; Des Moines (WA); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Highline College in Des Moines, WA seeks a Black Student Success Academic Advisor to provide culturally responsive academic advising, educational planning, and college navigation support for Black students and the African Diaspora. Grounded in Guided Pathways, the role focuses on retention, transfer, and completion while fostering belonging.

The position is hybrid, with in-person and virtual collaboration and occasional evening or weekend work.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent education/experience.
• Three years of advising or student services experience.
• Experience supporting diverse student populations.
• Knowledge of Guided Pathways and transfer planning.

Responsibilities

• Provide culturally responsive academic advising and educational planning.
• Create and maintain individualized academic plans.
• Support course selection, degree completion, transfer, and career exploration.
• Conduct proactive outreach and intervention.
• Facilitate advising appointments, workshops, and orientations.
• Maintain advising records and documentation.
• Collaborate with faculty and advising partners.

Skills

Academic advising

Student services

Workshop facilitation

Career exploration

Transfer planning

Confidentiality

Relationship building

Education

Bachelor's degree in Education, Student Affairs, Counseling, Social Work, Psychology, Human Services, Ethnic Studies, or related field

Tools

PeopleSoft (ctcLink)

Job description

Black Student Success Academic Advisor

The Black Student Success Academic Advisor provides culturally responsive academic advising, educational planning, student success coaching, and college navigation support for students who identify as Black, African, African American, and members of the African Diaspora. Grounded in Highline College’s Guided Pathways framework, this position functions primarily as a student success advisor, helping students explore academic and career pathways, develop educational plans, access resources, and achieve retention, transfer, and completion goals while fostering belonging and community.

Hybrid office environment with in-person and virtual collaboration. Occasional evening or weekend work may be required.

This position is an exempt, at-will, full-time position.

Academic Advising and Student Success Support (70%)

• Provide culturally responsive academic advising and educational planning;
• Create and maintain individualized academic plans;
• Support course selection, degree completion, transfer, and career exploration;
• Conduct proactive outreach and intervention;
• Facilitate advising appointments, workshops, and orientations;
• Maintain advising records and documentation;
• Collaborate with faculty and advising partners.

Student Navigation and Care Coordination (15%)

• Connect students to financial aid, benefits, tutoring, counseling, and other supports;
• Provide case management and success coaching;
• Assist students with FAFSA/WASFA and scholarship navigation;
• Coordinate referrals and follow-up support.

Black Student Success Programming and Community Engagement (10%)

• Facilitate workshops and engagement opportunities focused on academic success and leadership;
• Support culturally affirming activities that promote belonging and Black student success;
• Collaborate with Umoja, Cultural Learning Communities, and campus partners;
• Support mentoring, peer connection, and cohort-building opportunities.

Administrative and Collaborative Responsibilities (5%)

• Maintain reports and assessment data;
• Participate in committees, meetings, and professional development;
• Support development of advising resources and student success materials;
• Participate in special projects, campus events, equity initiatives, and other duties as assigned.

Required Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of academic advising, student development, Guided Pathways, transfer planning, career exploration, culturally responsive practice, and student success strategies;
• Ability to build relationships, facilitate workshops, manage multiple priorities, communicate effectively, and maintain confidentiality.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Student Affairs, Counseling, Social Work, Psychology, Human Services, Ethnic Studies, or related field;
• Equivalent education/experience; AND
• Three years of experience in advising, student services, college access, case management, or related work supporting diverse student populations.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience in career counseling, university transfer admission/recruitment, Experience working with undocumented students;
• Bilingual English and Spanish speaking;
• Extensive understanding of Black/African student assets and funds of knowledge, supporting cultural and community programming that enhance students’ sense of belonging;
• Experience working or volunteering with Black/African/African communities, Experience working in higher education;
• Post-baccalaureate education or Master’s Degree;
• Experience serving a diverse population in a multicultural environment, Experience navigating higher education;
• Training or experience in navigation, case management or financial coaching, Experience with PeopleSoft (ctcLink).

Physical Requirements

• Standard office environment with ability to use computers, attend meetings, communicate effectively, and produce written reports.

Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law.

The College

Founded in 1961, Highline College was the first community college to be established in King County and is one of 34 community and technical colleges. More than 350,000 alumni have graduated from Highline over the years. Nestled between Seattle and Tacoma, we are located on the traditional village sites of the Muckleshoot, Puyallup and many other Coast Salish tribes.

Highline prioritizes access for all students, staff, and faculty, which is evident in our Mission, Vision, and Values. We are proud Highline strives to improve access to Education for our student community. Those who come to our college bring unique personal experiences, beliefs, and perspectives and make us better. We strive to provide and highlight resources to support our students, staff, and faculty by fostering an equal opportunity focused workplace that reflects the communities we serve.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Highline College is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientations, and gender identities. We strongly encourage applicants to apply without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legal protected status.

Reasonable Accommodations

The College complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Applicants needing accommodations in the application process in an alternative format may contact the Human Resources office.

Title IX Policy

Highline College complies with Title IX regulations. For details on our policies, see our website https://humanresources.highline.edu/faculty-and-staff/policies/title-ix/.