Academic Advisor II, Athletics

The Athletics department invites applications for an Academic Advisor II to join their team. Reporting to the Senior Associate Athletic Director/SWA, the person assigned to this position is expected to provide academic advising to a subset of the student-athlete population with the goal of athletic and academic retention and success of student-athletes. In this capacity, they must be responsive to the demands of several dramatically different worlds. The person assigned to this position interacts with Intercollegiate Athletics Department personnel; the athletic coaches are in close contact regarding student-athlete recruits, active student-athlete academic and study requirements/eligibility; the person assigned to this position strongly identifies with the academic community as an academic resource person for student-athletes.

The incumbent in this position is a member of the academic eligibility certification team; serves as the primary advisor for all men's basketball and track & field student-athletes; tracks and reports student-athlete academic progress and reviews programs; and establishes effective communication systems with campus academic, administrative, athletic offices and NCAA representatives. They will serve as the co-coordinator and instructor for both first-year student-athlete classes (one credit in the fall and one credit in the spring) within the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. This involves curriculum development and co-teaching of the course. Additionally, this position will serve as coordinator of the mentoring program. This responsibility involves selection, training, supervision and evaluation of graduate student mentors. Mentors provide general assistance to student-athletes who are identified as at-risk, or in need of more in-depth assistance.

The academic image of the student-athlete is directly affected by the support and efforts provided by the Athletic Academic Services office. This position is crucial to the athletic and academic retention and success of student-athletes. Most importantly, the position determines what guidance and academic advice to provide to the student-athletes and what help must be provided to ensure that NCAA rules are being met and the students remain eligible. The position has the authority to make decisions for the program and the adherence to the NCAA regulations regarding academic performance. Therefore, the position is fully responsible for designing the academic strategies to fulfill the goals of his/her responsibility areas. This role also serves as the scholarship textbook coordinator which involves close collaboration with the UM Bookstore to coordinate the purchasing of textbooks for those student-athletes on scholarship.

Athletic Department employees and those University employees outside the Athletic Department with NCAA rules compliance responsibilities are subject at all times to NCAA Bylaws 10.1 and 11.1 regarding ethical conduct and the responsibility to positively contribute to a campus culture of NCAA rules compliance. Failure to conduct oneself as such will result in disciplinary or corrective action up to and including immediate discharge.

Required Skills

• Demonstrated ability to establish and monitor policies and practices related to academic success
• Proven experience providing one-on-one advising to students
• Demonstrated experience developing and delivering academic instruction
• Ability to work efficiently and independently to achieve goals and meet deadlines in a work environment with frequent interruptions
• Ability to establish effective working relationships with students, staff, faculty and administration
• Skills to gather, evaluate and report data
• Must be able to juggle many responsibilities and still accomplish goals
• Ability to maintain academic integrity at all times, especially when faced with pressure
• Position requires some evening and weekend hours to meet with prospective students and other groups

Minimum Required Experience

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalency) in addition to two (2) years of experience advising in an athletics or higher education setting; or an equivalent combination of education and experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree
• Prior experience working in collegiate athletics

About the Athletics department and UM

To serve student-athletes, coaches, administration, unversity staff, and faculty by providing academic support and services within regulatory framework set forth by the University of Montana, NCAA and Big Sky Conference.

The University of Montana is a unit of the Montana University System with over 10,000 students. It is located in Missoula, a culturally vibrant community of about 72,000, surrounded by mountain grandeur which was recently ranked in the “ top 20 best college towns with a population of less than 250,000 ” by the American Institute for Economic Research and ranked 9th in Outside Magazine’s “ The 16 Greatest Places to Live in America” in 2014 . Many national publications recognize Missoula for its high quality of life . Abundant recreational opportunities in surrounding state and national forests and nearby Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park complement a thriving intellectual atmosphere. The University of Montana offers eligible employees a generous benefits package that positively separates UM from other local employers and offers many programs and policies to support work-life balance for its employees.

The University of Montana is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and has a strong institutional commitment to the principle of diversity in all areas. In that spirit, we are particularly interested in receiving applications from a broad spectrum of qualified people who would assist the University in demonstrating its five priorities for action : Place student success at the center of all we do; drive excellence and innovation in teaching, learning, and research; embody the principle of “mission first, people always"; partner with place; and proudly tell the UM story.

To learn more about the University of Montana, Missoula, and the State of Montana, please visit the links below.

• University of Montana
• Video: UM Lifestyles
• University Highlights

Position Details

Position Title: Academic Advisor II

Position Number: 029680

Department: Athletics

Work Schedule: Full-time, 1.0 FTE (40 Hours a week), Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, 12 months/year, some evening and weekend.

Salary: $16.984/hr

Union Affiliation: FOCUS-MFPE

Probationary Period: Six months minimum

Benefits Include : Insurance package, mandatory retirement plan, partial tuition waiver, and wellness program.

Criminal Background Investigation is required prior to the Offer of Employment In accordance with University regulations, finalists for this position will be subject to criminal background investigations. ADA/EOE/AA/Veteran's Preference Reasonable accommodations are provided in the hiring process for persons with disabilities. For example, this material is available in alternative format upon request. As an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, we encourage applications from minorities, veterans, and women. Qualified candidates may request veterans’ or disabilities preference in accordance with state law. References: References not listed on the application materials may be contacted; notice may be provided to the applicant. Testing: Individual hiring departments at UM may elect to administer pre-employment tests, which are relevant to essential job functions. Employment Eligibility: All New Employees must be eligible and show employment eligibility verification by the first date of employment at UM, as legally required (e.g., Form I-9).


How to Apply

Priority Application Date: Sunday, May 9, 2021 by 11:59 PM (Mountain Time)

Complete applications received by the ‘Priority Application Date’ will be guaranteed consideration. The position will remain open until filled. Candidates are required to submit the following materials online.

A complete application Includes:

1. Letter of Interest – addressing your qualifications and experience related to the stated required skills for the position. A general letter salutation such as “Dear Search Committee” or “Dear Hiring Manager” is acceptable.
2. Detailed Resume – listing education and describing work experience
3. Professional References – names and contact information for three (3) professional references

Job Location Missoula, Montana, United States
Position Type Full-Time/Regular