Student Success Coach & Academic Advisor

Roanoke College; Salem (VA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia is seeking dedicated Academic Success Coaches to join our advising team. The 12-month position focuses on delivering comprehensive advising to incoming first-year, undeclared, and transfer students, guiding them toward their academic, professional, and personal goals.

You will collaborate with faculty advisors, facilitate First-Year Experience sections, assist with degree planning and policy interpretation, connect students with tutoring, counseling, financial

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in education, counseling, student affairs, or related liberal arts field.
• Strong interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills.
• Commitment to student development and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Ability to work collaboratively and independently in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong customer service orientation with a genuine passion for supporting student success.
• Proficiency in advanced Microsoft Office applications, including Teams and CoPilot.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends when necessary.

Responsibilities

• Provide individualized and small-group academic advising to a caseload of incoming first-year, undeclared students, assisting with purpose discernment, course selection, degree planning, and registration.
• Collaborate with faculty advisors once students declare a major.
• Support students in adjusting to college life by facilitating five sections of a First-Year Experience (FYE) course offering guidance on time management, study skills, goal setting and career exploration.
• Serve as a central point of contact, connecting students with appropriate campus resources such as tutoring, counseling, financial aid, and career services.
• Empower students to make the most of the college environment by helping them navigate institutional systems and connect with mentors, faculty, and campus opportunities.
• Help students interpret academic policies and procedures, including general education requirements, major selection, and institutional expectations. Provide input to College leadership regarding potential revisions to ineffective policies and practices.
• Assist students in understanding how Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Dual Enrollment, prior learning, and transfer credits apply to degree requirements.
• Guide students through the process of requesting course substitutions or credit evaluations when needed.
• Monitor students placed on academic warning or probation and work closely with them to develop strategies for improvement.
• Adjust course schedules for students on academic warning prior to the start of each semester, based on final grade postings and academic standing.
• Assist with summer and spring registration for new students, including regular outreach to students in the onboarding process to provide support and guidance.
• Develop and facilitate workshops or orientation sessions tailored to the needs of first-year students.
• Monitor student progress through proactive outreach and regular check-ins to identify challenges early and provide timely intervention.
• Maintain accurate records of student interactions using advising software or institutional systems.
• Collaborate with faculty and staff to support student retention and success initiatives.
• Participate in ongoing training and professional development to stay informed about advising best practices and institutional updates.
• Manage or assist with SSC programming, which may include Peer Tutoring, or the retention program, RC Success.
• Perform other tasks as assigned to support the ongoing success of the Student Success Center and of Roanoke College.

Skills

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Team collaboration

Customer service

Microsoft Office

Evenings/weekends flexibility

Education

Bachelor's degree in education, counseling, student affairs, or related liberal arts field

Tools

Navigate

Colleague

Self-Service

Job description

Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia is seeking dedicated Academic Success Coaches to join our advising team. The 12-month position focuses on delivering comprehensive advising to incoming first-year, undeclared, and transfer students, guiding them toward their academic, professional, and personal goals.

You will collaborate with faculty advisors, facilitate First-Year Experience sections, assist with degree planning and policy interpretation, connect students with tutoring, counseling, financial