Senior Student Services Advisor

NAFSA: Association of International Educators; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 47,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Smith Chason College seeks a Senior Student Services Advisor to lead the Student Services Department, ensuring safety, compliance, and high-quality support for students. The role partners with faculty, staff, and community agencies to enhance engagement and success.

The position emphasizes policy guidance, risk management, and data-informed planning to drive retention and completion in a student-centric campus environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred; five years of progressive student services experience or equivalent in postsecondary education.
• Ability to simplify complex issues and identify priorities.
• Strong documentation and reporting skills.
• Ability to analyze quantitative and qualitative data for strategic planning and problem-solving.
• Proficiency with computer applications, internet research, databases, and analytics.

Responsibilities

• Lead and represent the Student Services Department in daily operations, ensuring safety, compliance, and service levels.
• Provide campus-wide leadership with faculty, staff, students, and partners to achieve engagement, retention, and completion goals.
• Advise on policies, procedures, and plans regarding student services, including risk management.
• Monitor Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy and Title IX compliance.
• Coordinate accommodations communication with ADA Compliance and support grievance processes.
• Manage department budget planning, monitoring, and adherence to policies.
• Address complaints and conduct investigations as directed by the Campus Director.
• Hire, orient, and supervise the Student Services Coordinator and oversee performance reviews.
• Track attendance and academic progress, intervene as needed to support completion.

Skills

Conflict resolution

Documentation

Data analysis

Time management

Team collaboration

Verbal and written communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Job description

Senior Student Services Advisor

Employer: Smith Chason College

Location: Phoenix, AZ

Closing date: Aug 27, 2026

Specialty: Student & Scholar Services

Position Type: Adviser / Advisor

Hours: Full-time

Employment Type: Permanent

Organization Type: College / University

JOB TITLE: Senior Student Services Advisor

STATUS: Hourly/non-exempt

TYPE: On Campus

REPORTS TO: Campus Director

Purpose

The Senior Student Services Advisor fulfills a critical role by providing support to the area of Student Advocacy and Assistance by educating, empowering, and connecting students to campus resources and community agencies relevant to their academic and personal needs. The individual in this position plays an important role in providing guidance and support as they navigate through the process of learning and success. The Senior Student Services Advisor contributes to the College's success by providing input into the development of the campus’ strategic and operational plans, and by ensuring that the campus achieves its student engagement, retention, and completion goals in a student centric campus environment.

Job Responsibilities

• Lead and represent the Student Services Department in the day-to-day operations of the department, ensuring safety of students, regulatory compliance, and consistency of practice and maintenance of optimum service levels
• Provide College-wide leadership by directing the departments' work with faculty and staff, students and community partners to support, provide and/or facilitate activities that ensure the campus achieves its student engagement, satisfaction, retention, and completion goals
• Provide leadership, analysis and advisement in relation to policies, procedures, and operational plans regarding students and services for students, including risk management
• Monitor and manage Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
• Able to take on a leadership role with Title IX compliance
• Work with the ADA Compliance Coordinator to facilitate all communication for requests for accommodations, ensure approved accommodations are communicated and managed and support students with the grievance process
• Ensure that the department’s budget is planned and prepared and monitored in keeping with departmental objectives and policies and procedures
• Address complaints and conduct investigations as directed by the Campus Director
• Hire, orientate, and supervise the Student Services Coordinator by performing such things as: direct, schedule, provide performance feedback, evaluate, suggest professional development and where necessary, discipline direct reports. Manage the performance review process
• Ensure that the Student Services Department monitors students’ attendance and academic performance on a weekly basis, progress toward program completion, providing or recommending interventions as needed
• Ensure the Student Services Department maintains appropriate documentation with regards to advising sessions including meeting overviews, progress notes, referrals, and follow-up activities
• Ensure that the Student Services Department is in compliance with all regulatory bodies
• Lead in the developing and conducting of student events including but not limited to orientation, community outreach, graduation and student appreciation
• Lead and/or participate in committees as assigned
• Keep current on all programs offered and continually seek to enhance program/school knowledge
• Collaborate with other departments in a positive and productive manner to ensure a student-first environment
• Additional duties as assigned by Campus Director

Education/Qualifications/Competencies

• Bachelor’s degree preferred. Acceptable experience includes at minimum, five years of progressive student services experience or the equivalent in postsecondary education
• Able to simplify frequent complex and lengthy manners and separate critical issues and identify priorities
• Conflict resolution skills
• Detailed and timely documentation skills
• Ability to engage in critical thought and analyze all types of quantitative and qualitative data into reports and presentation for strategic planning and problem-solving
• Strong technical skills including computer applications/programs, internet research, database management, and analytical skills
• Ability to prioritize, multi-task, perform well under pressure, and meet deadlines using advanced time management skills
• Non-negotiables include a positive attitude, the desire to help others, a self-driven nature, confident, and results-oriented
• Be able to effectively collaborate with other team members to meet daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly campus objectives
• Other necessary character traits include being a team player and having the ability to communicate effectively both verbally and written
• Always behave in a professional manner in way of appearance, demeanor, and attitude
• Consistently display the highest levels of integrity in all that is done

Physical Requirements / Working Conditions

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position for prolonged periods of time
• Can independently move objects up to 25 lbs.
• Sufficient hand, arm, and finger dexterity to operate a computer keyboard, other office machinery, and perform repetitive motions
• Must have sufficient hearing and speaking ability to communicate in person or on the phone/computer with others
• Must be able to occasionally function in activities that include walking, bending, squatting, and reaching

Culture of Care

• Creating a sense of community in all interactions and communications with students
• Identifying problem areas and offering assistance
• Opening up safe conversations for cooperative solutions
• Holding students to standards and goals that will ultimately make them successful in their careers

Salary Description $34.62 to $38.46 Per Hour