First Enrollment Academic Advisor

Empire State University; City of Saratoga Springs (NY); Hybrid; USD 58,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Empire State University seeks a dedicated First Enrollment Academic Advisor to guide new undergraduate students, including transfers, through orientation and onboarding. The role emphasizes transfer credit evaluation, degree pathways, policies, and student success resources to ensure a confident start.

Collaborating with faculty and leadership, the advisor stays current on program requirements and uses data-informed practices to improve onboarding and advising for diverse student populations.

Qualifications

• Master's degree from a regionally accredited US university or comparable non-US university.
• 2+ years in higher education advising or student development.
• Experience with bilingual learners, online settings, and online communication tools.
• Strong communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to use ERP/CRM and data systems.
• Experience collaborating with diverse faculty, staff, and students.

Responsibilities

• Provide individualized first-enrollment advising for new undergraduate students.
• Review unofficial transcripts for prospective and admitted students.
• Explain transfer credit impacts on degree pathways.
• Help students clarify degrees and concentrations.
• Recommend first-term courses considering goals and readiness.
• Collaborate with Enrollment Management and Marketing on onboarding initiatives.
• Offer advising for targeted programs and student populations.
• Assist students with system navigation and next steps.
• Develop knowledge of prior learning assessments and credit opportunities.
• Stay updated on university policies and advising guidelines.
• Work with deans and faculty on degree pathways and course sequencing.
• Advise non-matriculated students when needed.
• Incorporate financial aid considerations related to time to degree.
• Apply data-informed advising strategies and continuously improve advising services.
• Participate in department and division meetings and professional development.

Skills

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Diversity and inclusion awareness

Online engagement with undergraduates

Education

Master's degree from regionally accredited US university or comparable non-US university

Tools

ERP systems

CRM systems

Job description

First Enrollment Academic Advisor

Empire State University seeks a dedicated, student-centered First Enrollment Academic Advisor to support new undergraduate students - many of whom are transfer students - through the orientation and onboarding process. This position provides individualized first enrollment academic advising and applies specialized knowledge of transfer credit evaluation, degree pathways, university policies, and student success resources to ensure a strong start for new students. The role may also be dedicated to supporting specific targeted programs and student populations as institutional needs evolve. By incorporating students' goals, readiness, and competing priorities into course recommendations, the advisor plays a key role in ensuring new students begin their studies with clarity and confidence. Successful candidates will be part of a collaborative advising team focused on student success and engagement.

The first enrollment advisor collaborates closely with faculty, deans, and academic leadership to stay current on academic program requirements and emerging degree pathways. The first enrollment academic advisor maintains expertise in academic policies, prior learning assessment, financial aid processes, and data-informed advising practices. As part of a larger collaborative advising team, the first enrollment advisor contributes to continuous improvement efforts by sharing observations, trends and insights from work with newly accepted students.

Responsibilities

• Provide individualized first-enrollment advising for new undergraduate students.


• Conduct unofficial transcript reviews for prospective and newly admitted students.


• Interpret transfer credit and explain impacts on degree pathway options.


• Help students clarify intended degrees and concentrations when needed.


• Incorporate students' goals, readiness, and priorities when recommending first-term courses.


• Collaborate closely with the Office of Enrollment Management and Marketing to support targeted student onboarding and enrollment initiatives.


• Provide dedicated advising support for targeted academic programs and student populations as needed.


• Support students through the first-enrollment process, including system navigation and next steps.


• Build understanding of prior learning assessment processes and identify potential credit opportunities.


• Maintain mastery of university academic policies, program requirements, and advising guidelines.


• Collaborate with deans, department chairs, and faculty on degree pathways and course sequencing for new programs.


• Provide advisement and course recommendations for non-matriculated students as needed.


• Develop foundational knowledge of financial aid considerations related to time to degree.


• Apply data-informed advising strategies to guide student decisions.


• Use advising best practices and contribute to continuous improvement of advising services.


• Participate in meetings for department and division updates, professional development, governance, and university initiatives.

Job Requirements

Required Qualifications

• Master's Degree from a regionally accredited US university or comparable non-US university.


• A minimum of 2 years of professional experience in the higher educational setting with a role specific to academic advisement or student development.


• Prior knowledge of and experience working with bilingual and emergent bilingual learners, particularly in online settings.


• Excellent communication and organizational skills.


• Demonstrated ability to work with computer databases and web-based communications platforms such as ERP, CRM, or other data management and tracking systems.


• Experience working effectively with faculty, staff, and students from diverse linguistic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds.


• Desire and skills to engage with undergraduate learners in online settings, including both synchronous and asynchronous communication modes.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of adult learning, learning technologies and/or online pedagogies.


• Experience working in an online environment.


• Demonstrated involvement in best-practice and/or innovative advising initiatives.

Special Information

• May require occasional evening and/or weekend obligations in accordance with student and university needs.


• Occasional travel may be required to fulfill department and university-wide commitments.


• Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. VISA sponsorship is not available for this position.


• SUNY Empire provides employees with robust remote and flexible work options to meet the needs of students, faculty, and staff in a dispersed work environment.

Additional Information

Rank/Salary: Academic Advisor, SL3 / $57,500-$60,000, dependent on experience and qualifications.

We are pleased to offer our employees an excellent benefit package which includes NYS health insurance, free dental and vision, competitive retirement options, generous vacation, sick and holiday accruals; and a strong emphasis on work-life balance. We also offer professional-development activities for professionals and support staff.

SUNY Empire is an AA/EEO/ADA employer. The University actively seeks applications from women, veterans, individuals with a disability, members of underrepresented groups or anyone that would enrich the diversity of the University. SUNY Empire is committed to fostering a diverse community of outstanding faculty, staff, and students, as well as ensuring equal educational opportunity, employment, and access to services, programs, and activities, without regard to an individual's race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, or criminal conviction. Employees, students, applicants, or other members of the university community (including but not limited to vendors, visitors, and guests) may not be subjected to harassment that is prohibited by law or treated adversely or retaliated against based upon a protected characteristic.

SUNY Empire provides reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities, veterans, or wounded warriors where appropriate. If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact the Office of Human Resources at [phone].

In accordance with the Title II Crime Awareness and Security Act, a copy of our crime statistics is available upon request by calling [phone]. It can also be viewed online at our Safety and Security website.