Student Success Advisor

Job Description:

Berklee is launching an innovative student success advising model, making a significant investment that will transform academic advising services into a holistic student support system. With a student-centered approach, the Student Success Advisor will affirm each individual student’s capacity for self-direction, personal development, and growth. In addition to providing traditional academic advising, the Student Success Advisor will be the central point of contact and coordinator of a student success network. Through proactive outreach and engagement, the Student Success Advisor will ensure each student is aware of and has access to the resources, programs, and supports provided in academic programs, academic support services, accessibility resources, personal counseling, wellness services, student affairs, student aid, international student services, and career services. 

This advisor role is designed for professionals who are passionate about advising students to set them up for success in all aspects of their educational experience—academic, personal, artistic, and professional. We are seeking candidates who will thrive in a role that supports a community of diverse, talented, and inspiring students from all over the world as they develop as creatives, artists, musicians, performers, entrepreneurs, dancers, designers, educators, and therapists. 

This is a unique opportunity to join a talented professional staff of advisors, and to contribute to the successful expansion and transformation of the advising team. To ensure a highly diverse and talented team of advisors, the Student Success Advisor position has a career ladder based on progressive professional experience and that rewards exceptional, student-centered performance. Candidates will be evaluated on their skills and experience and titles including advisor, senior advisor, and possibly, assistant director will be awarded at time of hiring.

Student Success Advisors monitor and track the progress of an assigned cohort-based caseload of undergraduate students, and focus on student success outcomes throughout the entire student journey at Berklee, including academic milestones like core curriculum completion, major declaration, time-to-degree progression, and graduation. Student Success Advisors build and nurture ongoing relationships with academic chairs, faculty, and various support staff. They bring current best practices and theories in the areas of student success and persistence, academic advising, and student identity development to their daily work. Critical to this role is approaching student advising with an ethic of care and ability to provide a personalized approach that builds strong, authentic, and trusting relationships with students.

Responsibilities

Advising:

• Provide advice and support to an assigned caseload of students through appointments, drop-ins, class visits, emails, programming, and more

• Monitor and track progress of an assigned caseload, through academic milestones (music core completion, major declaration, graduation, etc.) and partner with students to meet those milestones

• Support academically at-risk students—including those withdrawing from courses, off-track for timely graduation, not meeting satisfactory academic progress—and provide coaching and strategies as appropriate

• Actively connect students to faculty and academic department advising, support services, and programming to help students make the most of their academic experience

• Coach students on connecting the dots about college policies, procedures, and academic options to create goals and an academic plan that works best for them 

Programming and Administrative:

• Collaborate with major departments to facilitate advising partnerships and develop programs and/or events to support a student’s positive progression and timely graduation in their academic program

• Coordinate proactive care, programming, and outreach with health and wellness services to ensure student well being 

• Work with trained student peer mentors to deliver student success advising support

• Establish a presence on campus at events and activities that illustrates a commitment to students and their success

• Maintain good records and notes of student advising sessions and other advising connections

• Create and maintain ongoing reports of the academic progress of assigned caseload, and assist in the development of data-driven student success strategies  

• Support the preparation and facilitation of all programs and events hosted by Student Advising and Success

• Some evening, weekend, and holiday hours required

• Follow through with other duties or projects as assigned by the Student Success Advising leadership team as well as the Assistant Dean of Student Advising and Success

• Stay abreast of new developments in the fields of student success and persistence and academic advising, and share learnings with advising team members.

• Effectively work within multiple databases and student platforms, and continue to enhance knowledge and proficiency in cutting-edge technologies to support caseload management

• Bachelor’s degree required. Master's preferred.

• One to two years experience in an education setting and a strong professional interest in the field of academic advising, student success and persistence and/or student development and learning theories

• Experience and/or strong professional interest in advising and supporting a diverse student population, including students who identify as Black, Latinx, Indigeous, and/or Asian Pacific Islander

• Ability to quickly learn, understand, and use technology/software programs, with a focus on predictive analytics and SIS systems

• Energy, empathy, listening skills, and a desire to work in a progressive office and innovative team that requires proactive and student-centered approaches

• Strong desire to work as part of a team 

• Ability to adapt to new and rapidly changing situations

• This position may provide an opportunity for limited remote work.

This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” employment relationship.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Equal Employment Opportunity at Berklee : 

We support an inclusive workplace where everyone excels based on personal merit, qualifications, experience, ability, and job performance.  Berklee affirms that inequality is detrimental to our faculty, staff, students, and the communities we serve. Our goal is to make lasting change through our actions. Berklee is committed to providing fair and equitable consideration of all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, ancestry, age, national origin, place of birth, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, genetic information, or status as a member of the armed forces or veteran of the armed forces, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

As part of this commitment, Berklee will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact the Human Resources Team at [email protected] or call 617-747-2375.

Berklee is committed to increasing the diversity of our institution, community, and the curriculum. Candidates who can contribute to that goal are encouraged to apply and to identify their strengths in this area.

*Currently enrolled Berklee students are not permitted to apply for staff or faculty positions.*

Employee Type:
Staff