Assistant Director of Academic Advising

IMDiversity; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 58,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Rice University in Houston, TX, seeks an Assistant Director of Academic Advising to support students in exploring opportunities, setting goals, and creating plans across disciplines.

This role emphasizes developmental advising, collaborates with faculty and offices, and may lead in health professions advising; hybrid in-office and remote during standard hours.

Responsibilities include training advisors, supporting Orientation Week, and contributing to advising program assessment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; 2+ years in student services/academic affairs.
• Experience may not be substituted for education.
• Excellent communication and collaborative abilities.

Responsibilities

• Provide training and engagement opportunities for faculty advisors and peers.
• Assist with advising committees through data collection and assessment.
• Advise undergraduate students across diverse interests.
• Support Orientation Week programming.
• Prepare presentations for administrators and students.
• Research best practices in academic advising.

Skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

Independence

Proactive attitude

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Job description

Assistant Director of Academic Advising

Houston, TX, United States

Job Description

Position Summary

The Assistant Director supports the mission of the Office of Academic Advising by helping students explore academic opportunities, identify goals, and implement plans to reach those goals. This academic advising position is focused less on routine, transactional check-ins and more on meaningful, developmental advising. Advisors in this role will not manage a traditional student cohort requiring weekly touchpoints. Instead, they will engage in in-depth conversations with students about academic planning, exploring and preparing for post-baccalaureate pathways, and connecting students with relevant campus resources to support their goals. The Assistant Director advises across all disciplines and academic interests, including but not limited to students expressing interest in health professions, law school, graduate school, undecided students, transfer students, students seeking area majors, overloads, and readmissions.

The Assistant Director assists with engaging the advising community, including faculty advisors, collaborative offices, peer academic advisors, and all undergraduate students through training, seminars, programs, events, and related initiatives.

The Assistant Director contributes to the Peer Academic Advising Program and Academic Fellows and Mentors Societies. The Assistant Director will have responsibilities for health professions advising and may take a leadership role in other advising programming at the discretion of the director. The Assistant Director assists with the research and implementation of best practices, policies, procedures, organizational tasks, and advising assessment. The Assistant Director assists the director of Academic Advising in the administration of the Office of Academic Advising, including strategic planning, some budget responsibilities, representing the department on various committees and workgroups, and acting on behalf of the director or associate director(s) as requested.

Workplace Requirements

This position is offered as a hybrid role, combining both in-office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

Hiring Range

$58,000 - $62,000 annually, contingent upon qualifications and experience.

*Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree
• Experience may not be substituted for the education requirement
• 2+ years of experience in student services and/or academic affairs

Skills

Excellent oral and written communication skills; excellent interpersonal and organizational skills; independence and initiative; proactive attitude

Must be able to interact and collaborate with staff and faculty leaders, gain their trust and confidence, and provide training to Rice’s advising community

Must have the diplomacy, patience, and tact necessary to successfully address a wide range of interactions with administrators, faculty, staff, students, parents, and community members

Must be able to handle routine interruptions

Preferences

• Experience in academic advising, mentoring, tutoring, and/or instructional experience at a university
• Experience with early-alert intervention and program assessment
• Experience utilizing educational technology platforms such as Navigate, Banner, Degree Works, Canvas, and Slate
• Experience with Rice University faculty, staff, students, and collaborative offices, or an understanding of a residential liberal arts college

Essential Functions

• Provides training, information sessions, and engagement opportunities for faculty advisors, collaborative offices, peer academic advisors, and community members
• Assists with assigned advising committees through letter writing, data collection, and assessment
• Advises undergraduate students across a wide variety of interests and needs
• Assists with the preparation and delivery of Orientation Week programming
• Prepares and provides presentations for administrators, faculty advisors, collaborative offices, and students during Orientation Week and throughout the academic year
• Researches and reports on current and emerging best and progressive practices for general and specialized areas of academic advising
• Assists with creating and distributing academic advising resources, including information from peer institutions, national associations, Rice academic departments, and collaborative offices
• Advises students through individual appointments and centralized and residential college information sessions
• Performs all other duties as assigned