Assistant Director, Office of Undergraduate Advising

Assistant Director, Office of Undergraduate Advising

Main Campus - Boston, MA
R07801

Description:
Simmons University is looking for an Assistant Director to join the Office of Undergraduate Advising team. Reporting to the Director of Undergraduate Advising, the Assistant Director will be responsible for managing all aspects of the evolving Pre-Health Program, oversee the First to FINish Program for first-generation students, and supervise professional advising staff. This position specifically serves students who are preparing to apply to a graduate institution in the health sciences (Pre-Med, Pre-PA, Pre-Vet, and Pre-Dental). Additionally, the Assistant Director will support students awarded the merit based Boston Scholarship as well as the Kotzen Scholarship. As a member of the department's leadership team, the Assistant Director will represent the department by attending University committees as well as strive to support the University's core values by creating innovative ideas to promote the office, prepare students for life's work, and cross boundaries to create opportunities.

The ideal candidate will possess strong time management, customer service, problem solving, interpersonal skills, technology savvy, and have experience supporting at-risk student populations. As a University committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, we seek candidates with a demonstrated ability to work with individuals across a broad range of social and personal identities and perspectives.

Responsibilities:

General Advising

• Become a Strengths Champion and utilize Strengths when advising students
  
• Meet with students often and as needed throughout the year, through scheduled appointments and/or open office hours, drop-in advising, group advising, virtually via Zoom, or over the phone
  
• Assist students with course selection, curricular planning, goal setting and problem solving
  
• Secondary advisor to all pre-health students
  
• Assist the department with general drop-in advising
  
• Be available to meet with students in person, over the phone, or virtual via Zoom
  
• Understand the institution's interpretation of FERPA rules for the release of student information to faculty, parents, students, etc.
  
• Providing advising support to students who have been awarded the merit based Boston Scholarship and Kotzen Scholarship
  
• Assist during June Advising month, pre-registration periods, and registration drop-in advising sessions
  
• Participate in new student orientation, Admissions events as needed, and departmental events such as Advising Week, June Advising month, drop-in advising, Major Exploration Fair, and Declare Your Major Week, etc.
  
• Assist with aspects of new student orientation held in January and throughout the summer
  
• Utilize Starfish to schedule student appointments and take student notes
  
• Develop and facilitate workshops around student success, time management, etc.
  

Pre-Health Program

• Manage all aspects of the Pre-Health Program including: the committee letter process, advising students and alumni registered with the Pre-Health Program, overseeing the Pre-Med Scholarship Program, maintaining the program's webpage, streamline academic plans for pre-health tracks, support the Pre-Health Liaisons student organization, provide guidance around medical school application process, maintain the pre-health resource library, etc.
  
• Plan and coordinate large scale group advising or information sessions for Pre-Health students prior to Fall and Spring registration dates.
  
• Develop and maintain a tracking system of all Pre-Health students at Simmons University with the intention of continuing to develop a database of Simmons alumni who have successfully matriculated into a medical graduate institution.
  
• Attend PLAN Advisors Communities of Practice to debrief and discuss advising trends and challenges presently on campus with fellow PLAN advisors (held weekly).
  
• Work closely with all PLAN Advisors and the Registrar Office to ensure Pre-Health students are registered for appropriate classes
  
• Have a comprehensive understanding of each Pre-Health track as well as PLAN, major, minor and graduation requirements.
  
• Monitor advises academic progress of Pre-Health students
  
• Plan and implement Pre-Health related events, panels, webinars, and workshops
  

Leadership & Supervision

• Become a Starfish Administrator. Support the Associate Director and Director with managing Starfish usage, reporting, and assessments.
  
• Diversity, equity and inclusion
  
• Stay abreast of changing institutional information including new programs, course changes, important dates, costs, and updates in college-wide initiatives and policies.
  
• Supervise professional advising staff and provide projects to student office assistants
  
• Oversee the First to FINish program designed to support first-generation students through special events and a mentor program
  
• Collaborate with Student Affairs, Academic Leadership, Faculty, Registrar's Office, Student Life, Accessibility, Career Education Center, the Provost Office, and other student support services offices on behalf of the Office of Undergraduate Advising
  
• In the absence of the Director and Associate Director, the Assistant Director will provide leadership and guidance to the Office of Undergraduate Advising
  
• Other duties as assigned by the Director and Assistant Provost
  

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred.
  
• At least 2-years of professional experience supporting students within a college setting
  
• Prior experience managing a Pre-Health Program or STEM program
  
• Prior experience utilizing Clifton Strengths is a plus
  
• Experience utilizing Starfish or similar early alert tools is a plus
  
• Experience in connecting and building rapport with students;
  
• Prior supervising experience preferred
  
• Excellent oral and written communication skills;
  
• Experience collaborating with faculty a plus
  
• Ability to successfully resolve student issues from request through resolution;
  
• Experience with Google mail a plus;
  
• Understanding and experience embedding diversity, equity and inclusion in advising; in particular working with students of color and first-generation students a plus.
  

Required Application Materials:

• Resume
  
• Cover Letter
  

Salary Grade
S07

Instructions to Applicants: Please upload all applicable application materials (e.g. resume/cv, cover letter, writing sample, teaching philosophy, etc.) in the Application Materials box on page 2 ("My Experience") of this application. Documents can be uploaded individually or as a combined document (e.g. PDF).

Simmons University is committed to inclusive excellence in all aspects of an individual's community experience. As a university committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, Simmons encourages applications from all under-represented groups. Simmons is committed to creating, developing, promoting, and enhancing inclusive hiring practices-at all levels, for all positions-ensuring diverse talent pools and the delivery of a consistent positive candidate experience. Simmons is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to continuing to develop a more diverse faculty, staff, student body, and curriculum.


To apply, visit https://simmons.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Simmons-Careers/job/Main-Campus---Boston-MA/Assistant-Director--Office-of-Undergraduate-Advising_R07801

Located in Boston’s historic Fenway area, Simmons College is a small, private, non-sectarian College which has educated students for enriching careers and purposeful lives since 1899. Working at Simmons means joining a collaborative, diverse and mission-driven community of educators and professionals.

We prepare students to be leaders for themselves, their communities and the world. Our faculty and staff members lead by example - sharing a commitment to excellence and putting the students first.