Academic Advisor I or II

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 50,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee is seeking an Academic Advisor I or II to support graduate business students in Lubar College of Business. You will advise on degree paths, assist with admissions, and help coordinate events and retention initiatives with faculty and staff.

The role emphasizes strong communication, relationship-building, and data-informed decision-making to improve student success and degree completion.

Qualifications

• Required: Bachelor's Degree or higher; at least one year of professional academic advising experience in higher education.
• Preferred: Master's Degree or higher; experience advising graduate students; 3+ years advising at UWM or similar institution; strong written and oral communication; ability to build diverse relationships; experience coordinating student programming and events.

Responsibilities

• Advise and guide admitted Graduate Business students through Lubar's course options.
• Maintain knowledge of graduate programs and requirements at Lubar College of Business.
• Collaborate to develop events and outreach to admitted students.
• Lead retention initiatives to promote high graduation rates.
• Work with faculty on program changes and admissions decisions.
• Analyze recruitment data to refine plans and improve yield.

Skills

Advising experience

Communication skills

Event coordination

Relationship building

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

Master's degree or higher

Job description

Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.

Academic Advisor I or II

Job Category

Academic Staff

Employment Type

Regular

Job Profile

Graduate Advisor

Job Duties

Key Job Responsibilities:

• Provides information and resources about educational options and graduate school 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, graduate community, etc. providing input to leadership regarding the development of advising, recruitment, and co/curricular programs offered by the school/college
• Provides in-depth advising services promoting graduate student success, retention, and degree completion. Advises graduate students on programs, curriculum, graduate education, and university policies, processes, and procedures
• Maintains compliance with graduate program(s), school/college, and university requirements and technology systems related to admissions, assessment, academic degree progress/requirements, and program review
• Serves as the primary resource for graduate applicants, current students, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders of an academic program
• Monitors degree progress and assists students in navigating resources and systems throughout the student lifecycle from matriculation to degree completion
• 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
• Provides guidance and/or develops policy and procedure recommendations and/or changes related to graduate programs

School/College/Division Description

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is the flagship urban campus of the University of Wisconsin System and committed to academic excellence with enrollment of approximately 25,000 students. One of the nation's top research universities (R-1 status), the Lubar College is a metropolitan business school of national distinction, accredited by the AACSB, and offers BBA, MBA, Executive MBA, MS, and Ph.D. degree programs. Additionally, our MBA and undergraduate programs are ranked regionally and nationally for excellence and the Lubar College hosts one of only five SAP University Competence Centers worldwide. With doctorates from some of the country's leading universities, full-time faculty bring an impressive range of expertise and are recognized for outstanding achievement in their fields with broad experience in business organizations and governmental bodies. Opportunities for research are abundant in this vibrant metropolitan area with both a strong presence of manufacturing and service operations. Located in southeastern Wisconsin's commercial and industrial hub, Milwaukee is the third-ranked manufacturing center in the United States and home to 1300+ manufacturing firms and 400+ engineering firms with annual receipts of 24 billion dollars. Milwaukee is a vibrant and diverse area on the shores of Lake Michigan with easy access to beaches, a thriving cultural scene, championship sporting events, an expansive urban parks system, and hundreds of miles of bike lanes and paths. It is in the seventh most affordable metropolitan market in the country and offers a vibrant quality of life in a globally competitive region.

Responsibilities

• Advise, coach, and guide admitted Graduate Business students through the exploration of Lubar's array of courses leading to a graduate degree.
• Maintain thorough knowledge of graduate programs and requirements as well as the benefit of completing a program at the Lubar College of Business.
• Collaborate with the Graduate Student Services at the Lubar College of Business to develop and host events and conduct outreach to admitted students.
• Lead the development and execution of the annual retention plan to determine what initiatives, processes, and events will be held to ensure high graduation rates.
• Work directly with faculty on program changes and admission decisions.
• Using the campus CRM data, college data, and qualitative data from surveys and focus groups, assess recruitment initiatives and their effect on the yield of business students and refine recruitment plans based on findings.
• Participates in the campus-wide advising community, graduate community, etc. providing input to leadership regarding the development of advising, recruitment, and co/curricular programs offered by the school/college.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Mentoring and Engagement
• Design and implement student engagement initiatives that foster a sense of belonging and community among Graduate Business students.
• Develop mentoring programming that connects alumni and industry professionals to current Graduate business students.
• Plan and coordinate orientation programs, workshops, networking events, and student development activities.
• Collaborate with faculty, staff, alumni, and industry partners to create meaningful engagement opportunities for students.
• Develop communication strategies to keep students informed about academic deadlines, campus resources, and professional development events.
• Build relationships with prospective, current and graduating students to strengthen retention, persistence, and overall student satisfaction.
• Track engagement metrics and contribute to student success and retention initiatives through data-informed decision-making.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree or higher.
• At least one (1) year of professional academic advising experience in higher education working directly with students.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's Degree or higher
• Experience advising graduate students
• 3+ years of advising experience at UWM or a similar institution
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, as evidenced by written application materials and interviews (where applicable)
• Experience building positive relationships with diverse populations
• Prior experience working with transfer, international and/or graduate students
• Experience coordinating student programming and events

Target Salary Range

Starting pay: $55,000

(Final salary offer will be determined based on qualifications and experience)

Deadline

9/7/2026 at 11:59 pm.

Reasonable Accommodations

Pursuant to university policy, UWM provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities who are employees or applicants for employment. Employment opportunities will not be denied because of the need to make reasonable accommodations for a qualified individual with a disability. If you need assistance or accommodation in applying because of a disability, please contact [e-mail] or 414-229-4463. This job announcement and other material on this site will be made available in alternate formats upon request to an individual with a disability.

Confidentiality of Applicant Materials

UWM is a State agency and subject to Wisconsin’s Open Records Law. UWM will not, however, reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing except as may be required by Wisconsin’s Open Records law. In certain circumstances, the identities of “final candidates” and/or the identity of the appointed applicant must be revealed upon request.

CBC and Reference Check Policy

Employment will require a criminal background check. UWM takes the prevention of sexual misconduct seriously. As such, you and your references will be required to answer questions regarding any past findings of sexual violence and sexual harassment or any pending allegations of sexual violence or sexual harassment.

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (Clery Act)

For the UWM Annual Security and Fire Safety Reports (i.e., Clery Report), which includes statistics about reported crimes and information about campus security policies, see http://www.cleryact.uwm.edu/, or call UWM’s Dean of Students Office, Student Union 345 at [phone] for a paper copy.

Employment Authorization

In compliance with federal law, all persons at the time of their start date will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

UW is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other bases protected by applicable federal or State law and UW System policies. We are committed to building a workforce that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills, and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.