Assistant Director of Student Advising

Saybrook University; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 46,000 - 49,000; Full time

Job summary

The Chicago School in Chicago invites an Assistant Director of Student Advising to lead student-centered advising, leverage financial aid insights, and develop data-driven reports to support enrollment management and compliance.

The role emphasizes cross-department collaboration, regulatory knowledge, and strategic planning to enhance student success and operational efficiency.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in higher education.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience in Financial Aid, Student Finance, Enrollment Services, or Student Services.
• Experience with academic advising in a college or university setting.
• Experience producing reports and analyzing institutional data.
• Knowledge of federal Title IV financial aid regulations.
• Strong understanding of higher education policies and student lifecycle processes.

Responsibilities

• Counsel students experiencing academic, financial, or enrollment challenges and identify solutions.
• Collaborate with Academic Departments, Financial Aid, Registrar, Admissions, and Student Accounts to resolve complex student issues.
• Review and evaluate student petitions, appeals, exceptions, and special circumstances related to funding.
• Assist with onboarding and training new Student Services staff.
• Serve as an escalation point for complex advising cases requiring cross-departmental coordination.
• Support student retention initiatives through proactive outreach and intervention.
• Serve as a subject matter expert regarding federal, state, and institutional financial aid regulations.
• Advise students on the academic impact of financial aid eligibility, satisfactory academic progress, enrollment status, Leave of Absence policies, and loan regulations.
• Partner with Financial Aid leadership to identify students impacted by regulatory or policy changes.
• Monitor enrollment patterns affecting aid eligibility and recommend intervention strategies.
• Assist with compliance initiatives and institutional audits related to student enrollment and financial aid.
• Develop, maintain, and distribute recurring reports supporting Student Finance, Student Services, and university leadership.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Data reporting

Communication

Policy interpretation

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Tools

Colleague

Banner

PeopleSoft

CampusVue

Job description

Position Summary

The Assistant Director of Student Advising provides leadership in delivering student-centered experience while supporting institutional initiatives through student advising, financial aid expertise, and strategic data reporting. This position serves as a bridge between Student Support, Academic Affairs, and Student Finance by advising students on academic progression and financial aid implications while developing reports and analyses that support enrollment management, compliance, and operational decision-making. The Assistant Director is responsible for overseeing complex student cases, interpreting institutional and federal regulations, producing data reports for Student Support leadership, and identifying trends that improve student success and operational efficiency.

Principal Duties

• Student Support Counsel students experiencing academic, financial, or enrollment challenges and identify appropriate solutions.
• Collaborate with Academic Departments, Financial Aid, Registrar, Admissions, and Student Accounts to resolve complex student issues.
• Review and evaluate student petitions, appeals, exceptions, and special circumstances related to each eligible student’s funding.
• Assist with onboarding and training new Student Services staff.
• Serve as an escalation point for complex advising cases requiring cross-departmental coordination.
• Support student retention initiatives through proactive outreach and intervention.
• Serve as a subject matter expert regarding federal, state, and institutional financial aid regulations.
• Advise students on the academic impact of financial aid eligibility, satisfactory academic progress (SAP), enrollment status, Leave of Absence policies, and loan regulations.
• Partner with Financial Aid leadership to identify students impacted by regulatory or policy changes.
• Monitor enrollment patterns affecting aid eligibility and recommend intervention strategies.
• Assist with compliance initiatives and institutional audits related to student enrollment and financial aid.
• Develop, maintain, and distribute recurring reports supporting Student Finance, Student Services, and university leadership.
• Assists in maintaining weekly reporting to Student Support that identifies financial at-risk students.
• Extract, validate, and analyze student data from the Student Information System (SIS), CRM, and reporting platforms.
• Identify data trends and present actionable recommendations to leadership.
• Ensure data accuracy and integrity while adhering to institutional policies and federal regulations.
• Assist the Director with strategic planning and departmental initiatives.
• Develop and improve departmental procedures and workflows.
• Assist with policy implementation and continuous process improvement.
• Serve as Acting Director in the Director's absence, as needed.

Basic Qualifications

Bachelor's degree required; master’s degree preferred.

Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in higher education.

Minimum of 2 years of experience in Financial Aid, Student Finance, Enrollment Services, or Student Services.

Experience with academic advising in a college or university setting.

Experience producing reports and analyzing institutional data.

Knowledge of federal Title IV financial aid regulations.

Strong understanding of higher education policies and student lifecycle processes.

Ideal Qualifications

• Experience working with Student Information Systems (Colleague, Banner, PeopleSoft, CampusVue, or similar).
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills (pivot tables, Power Query, XLOOKUP, reporting).
• Experience interpreting institutional data to support strategic decision-making.
• Supervisory or leadership experience.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Comprehensive knowledge of higher education administration.
• Working knowledge of federal financial aid regulations and compliance.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Ability to interpret complex policies and communicate them clearly.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong customer service and conflict resolution skills.
• High attention to detail and data accuracy.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality while handling sensitive student information.
• Collaborative leadership and relationship-building skills.

Compensation Range

Salary range is $33.33-$35.90, commensurate with education and experience.

Compensation & Benefits

This opportunity is budgeted at $$33.33 to $35.90 Per Hour base compensation. Additional compensation factors may impact total compensation.

To learn more about our competitive benefits and additional rewards, including generous paid time-off, medical and dental insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, retirement plan with employer contribution, multiple flexible spending accounts, tuition reimbursement,

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Chicago School is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

COVID-19

Please note: For the protection of faculty, staff, students, and all who enter our facilities, The Chicago School strongly recommends that all employees are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 per CDC guidance.

About The Chicago School

For more than four decades, The Chicago School has been a leading nonprofit university dedicated to training professionals for careers that improve the integrated health of individuals, organizations, and communities across the globe. Grounded in the values of education, innovation, community, and impact, The Chicago School offers 40+ distinct academic programs at campuses across the country (Washington DC, Chicago, Dallas, Southern California) and online, educating over 6,000 students annually in fields across integrated health. The Chicago School is accredited by the Western Association of Schools & Colleges Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). The Chicago School is also an affiliate of The Community Solution, a network of nonprofit higher education institutions that works collaboratively to advance institutional sustainability, increase student success, and enhance community impact.