Professional Advisor

Bay Path University; Longmeadow (MA); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Bay Path University is seeking a Professional Advisor in Longmeadow, MA to lead and collaborate within a multi-advising team. The role focuses on guidance for undergraduate students, using data-driven methods to promote persistence and degree completion.

The Advisor partners with faculty, career and peer advisors to support students through enrollment to graduation, ensuring accurate curricular information and successful outcomes within a hybrid work setting.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in student affairs, counseling or related field.
• Understanding of student development theory and developmental advising; counseling in curricular exploration preferred.
• Experience with diverse student populations in higher education.
• Excellent interpersonal, written and oral communication; attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and in a team; collaborate with faculty and staff.
• Ability to maintain relationships with all university stakeholders; adhere to policies.
• Knowledge of FERPA/HIPAA guidelines and required trainings within 15 days.

Responsibilities

• Provide developmental advising for a caseload of 200-300 students from enrollment to graduation.
• Collaborate with advising team including faculty, career, and peer advisors.
• Discuss course performance and goals; develop degree plans with students.
• Assist with major exploration and curricular opportunities.
• Clarify academic skills, strengths, challenges, values and goals.
• Communicate university policies and procedures to students.
• Coordinate outreach for at-risk students to support success and retention.
• Monitor progress; issue warnings, probations, holds and follow up.
• Create an inclusive environment for students from all backgrounds.
• Utilize technology and data analytics to identify at-risk students.
• Document interactions and design completion plans in the portal.
• Guide students on using planning tools and registration systems.
• Stay updated on program changes and important dates.
• Refer students to campus resources and present at prospective events.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Written communication

Oral communication

Data analytics

Team collaboration

FERPA knowledge

Education

Master’s degree in student affairs

Tools

Advising technology

Job description

Supervisor: Director of Advising (Trad)

Position Code: PFADVStatus: FTHours: M-F 8:30am - 5:00 pm, including weekends and evenings as necessaryJob Location: Longmeadow, HybridExempt (Yes/No): No

JOB SUMMARY:

The Professional Advisor works in a culture of collaboration with a faculty, career and peer advisor in a shared advising model, serving as Team Lead. The Professional Advisor is dedicated to student success, serving as a trusted and consistent resource to students, providing accurate and reliable information to assist them in meeting academic and personal goals. The Professional Advisor possesses a high attention to detail, demonstrates strong interpersonal skills, embraces advising technology, thinks critically and possesses an understanding of college student development theory.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Provide developmental advising for a caseload of 200-300 students from enrollment to graduation.
• Work collaboratively with a comprehensive advising team including faculty, career, and peer advisors.
• Engage in purposeful discussion with students to learn about course performance and interests, providing accurate and current curricular information to undergraduate students, assisting in the development of achievable academic goals and degree plans.
• Assist students with major exploration, sharing curricular and co-curricular opportunities.
• Assist students in clarifying their understanding of academic skills, strengths and challenges, personal values, abilities, and goals.
• Communicate important University policies and procedures to students.
• Coordinate and implement outreach interventions for at risk students focused on student success and retention.
• Monitor and advise students to ensure satisfactory progress, including warnings, probations and holds; following up accordingly.
• Create a welcoming environment that is inclusive of all students from all backgrounds.
• Utilize technology to identify and support at risk students, using data analytics.
• Maintain complete and accurate documentation of all student interactions, designing completion plans.
• Assist students in learning University planning tools such as the student portal, learning management system, and degree auditing and course registration systems.
• Stay abreast of changing institutional information including new programs, course changes and important dates.
• Make referrals for students to appropriate campus resources.
• Present at prospective student events.
• Understand FERPA policies and regulations.
• Participate in relevant training and professional development opportunities.
• Submit mid-term and end of year reports to the Director of Advising.
• Serve on relevant universities committees.
• Attend trainings as required.
• Perform any other duties or tasks as assigned by the University.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s degree in student affairs, counseling or related field.
• Understanding of student development theory and developmental advising and experience counseling students in curricular exploration preferred.
• Experience working with diverse student populations in a higher education setting.
• Should possess excellent interpersonal, written and oral communication skills, attention to detail with the ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with students, faculty and staff.
• Ability to work independently and within a team.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with all members of the University community including students, faculty, staff, and administrators
• Ability to adhere to University policies and procedures.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion and within FERPA and HIPAA guidelines.
• All new employees must complete the FERPA, Anti-Harassment, and any other required online trainings within 15 days of employment.
• General knowledge of the University’s mission, purpose and goals and the role this position plays in achieving those goals.