Advising Center Associate

Southern State Community College; Hillsboro (OH); On-site; USD 21,000 - 30,000; Part time

Job summary

Southern State Community College is seeking a part-time Advising Center Associate at Central Campus. The role welcomes visitors, answers routine questions, and routes inquiries within Academic Affairs, without delivering advising or policy decisions.

The position emphasizes front-desk service, basic clerical tasks, and collaboration with advisers under a non-exempt, part-time schedule.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent and 1+ year of customer-service experience.
• Experience with front-desk tasks and basic office duties.
• Knowledge of FERPA and confidentiality recommended.

Responsibilities

• Provides welcoming front-desk service and routine information about advising and College services.
• Explains appointment procedures, notifies advisers, and forwards requests.
• Identifies adviser and facilitates referrals.
• Monitors shared advising email and voicemail; responds to routine inquiries.
• Performs limited SIS lookups to assist and route inquiries.
• Notifies high school counselor for Early Alert and directs questions to the adviser.
• Protects confidential student data per FERPA.
• Maintains front-desk area and provides clerical support.
• Works fixed daytime schedule and provides reliable coverage.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Provides advising representation in college meetings, seminars, and workshops.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Attention to detail

Microsoft Office

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Student Information System

Office software (Word, Excel, Outlook)

Job description

CLASSIFICATION TITLE: Advising Center Associate

EMPLOYMENT STATUS: Part-Time
REPORTS TO: Dean of Academic Affairs
FLSA STATUS: Non-Exempt
DIVISION: Academic Affairs
CAMPUS: Central Campus

DISTINGUISHING JOB CHARACTERISTICS
Provides welcoming and responsive front-desk service for Academic Advising. Answers routine questions, helps individuals access advising and other College services, routes inquiries, monitors shared advising communications, and performs limited student-system lookups. The position also notifies the appropriate high school counselor when an academic or attendance-related Early Alert concerns a College Credit Plus student. The position does not provide academic advising or make academic, eligibility, or policy determinations.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
To perform this job successfully, an individual must perform essential duties to expected performance standards. Reasonable accommodations are made as required for persons who are disabled under the Americans With Disabilities Act.

• Provides welcoming front-desk service and routine information about advising, admissions, registration, and College services in person, by telephone, and through approved communication channels.
• Explains advising appointment and walk-in procedures, notifies advisers when scheduled students arrive, and forwards requests to the appropriate adviser. When responding to a telephone request and the adviser is unavailable, schedules an appointment using established procedures.
• Identifies the appropriate adviser, employee, office, or service; provides accurate referrals; and facilitates warm handoffs when appropriate and reasonably possible.
• Monitors the shared advising email account and voicemail box, responds to routine inquiries, and forwards other requests in a timely manner.
• Performs limited student-information-system lookups within assigned access to provide routine assistance, route inquiries, and complete authorized duties.
• Notifies the appropriate high school counselor when an academic or attendance-related Early Alert concerns a College Credit Plus student and directs all questions about the alert to the appropriate adviser.
• Protects confidential student and College information in accordance with FERPA, College policy, assigned system access, and established procedures.
• Maintains an orderly and welcoming front-desk area and provides limited clerical and logistical support for front-desk operations and assigned student-service activities.
• Works the assigned fixed daytime schedule, provides reliable coverage, communicates clearly and professionally, and promotes a collegial environment.
• Other duties as assigned.

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Provides advising representation in college meetings, seminars, and workshops—both internal and external as assigned.

SCOPE OF SUPERVISION
None

EQUIPMENT OPERATED
Computer; printer; calculator; copier; fax machine; telephone; postage machine and other standard office equipment.

CONFIDENTIAL DATA
Personal information contained in student advising sessions and student records.

WORKING CONDITIONS
Good office working conditions. The work requires the use of safe work practices with office equipment, and observance of general safety and traffic regulations. Exposure to typical traffic conditions and hazards when visiting other campuses or other locations.

USUAL PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The following physical demands are typically used to perform this job’s essential duties and responsibilities. They are not qualification standards, rather they may be used to help the College, employee, or applicant identify where and how reasonable accommodations may be made when an otherwise qualified person is unable to perform the job’s essential duties due to an ADA disability.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently sits for extended periods of time and occasionally stands and walks. The employee regularly exhibits manual dexterity when working on the computer, typing and performing other related tasks. The employee regularly talks and hears when working with staff, students, and members of the learning community, the general public and other job contacts. Vision demands include close, relatively detailed vision, with the ability to adjust focus when typing or reading a computer screen. The employee occasionally lifts up to 10 pounds.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Knowledge of: Knowledge of general office practices, front-desk procedures, customer service, and professional communication. Ability and willingness to learn and maintain a basic, accurate working knowledge of FERPA and College confidentiality procedures.

Ability to: Ability and willingness to learn and maintain a basic, accurate working knowledge of advising, admissions, registration, and College Credit Plus processes; adviser assignments and routing procedures; College services; and applicable systems and Early Alert notification procedures. Ability to distinguish routine assistance from matters requiring academic advising, record interpretation, eligibility determinations, policy decisions, counseling, or professional judgment. Ability to manage competing demands, exercise sound judgment, protect confidential information, work respectfully with individuals from varied backgrounds, and contribute to a collegial, student-centered environment. Ability to maintain reliable attendance and front-desk coverage. Attention to detail; originate an attractive and functional typing format; organize and file documents according to alphabetical, numerical and subject order; apply ethical standards to work situations; make work decisions in accordance with SSCC’s values; show respect and sensitivity for cultural differences, and promote an harassment-free environment; embrace and support constructive change; work efficiently and effectively to improve college operations; consistently follow safety and security procedures and practices; develop and maintain effective working relationships with students, learning community, associates and general public; contribute toward building a positive team working environment; treat others with respect as representative of SSCC.

Skill in: Skill in courteous service, clear communication, active listening, explaining routine processes, accurate referrals, and warm handoffs. Skill in using standard office equipment, common computer applications, shared communication systems, and authorized student-information-system functions. Dealing with sensitive situations involving students, parents, guardians and faculty; verbal and written communications; word processing; application of Microsoft Office software including Word, Excel and Outlook; operation of standard office equipment; office organization; creating functional and professional electronic report formats.

QUALIFICATIONS
An appropriate combination of education, training, course work and experience may qualify an applicant to demonstrate required knowledge, skills, and abilities. An example of an acceptable qualification is: a high school diploma or equivalent and at least one year of customer-service, reception, office, or other public-facing work experience, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience. Must demonstrate effective communication, basic computer proficiency, attention to detail, sound judgment, discretion, and the ability to provide courteous service while managing multiple requests and interruptions.
An example of preferred qualifications is: an Associate degree or other postsecondary education. Experience in higher education, student services, admissions, advising support, or another educational setting. Experience using a student information system, appointment system, customer relationship management system, or comparable database.

Applicant must successfully pass required background checks in accordance with Southern State Community College’s policies and procedures and applicable laws.
Ability to document identity and employment eligibility as a condition of employment in compliance with Immigration Reform and Control Act requirements.

LICENSURE OR CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Valid state motor vehicle license

The listing of duties and requirements listed in this description should in no manner imply that these are the only responsibilities to be performed by the employee who fills this position. Each employee is required to follow the directives, and to perform any duties required by the employee's supervisor or designee.