Associate Director, Academic Advising

The Associate Director of Academic Advising, within the Office of the Registrar, will lead the academic advising team and oversee the development and implementation of student advising strategies and services. Reporting directly to the University Registrar, the Associate Director will collaborate closely with Associate Registrars, Admissions Office, Seaver Dean’s Office, and Divisional Deans to refine advising processes, enhance efficiency, and cultivate strong professional relationships. This role will involve collaborating with various departments to ensure a seamless advising experience for students, addressing complex challenges, and managing a team of four staff members. Additionally, the Associate Director will partner with university departments on initiatives to provide comprehensive support, fostering a cohesive and effective advising environment.

Duties

• Leadership and Strategy: Provide strategic direction and vision for the Academic Advising department within the Office of the Registrar. Engage in management meetings and work with the team to devise strategies for process improvement, utilizing insights and feedback to foster continuous enhancement. Provide recommendations for policies and procedures aimed at enhancing advising services and fostering student success. Collaborate with academic departments, faculty, and other stakeholders to ensure a unified approach to advising practices.
• Team Management: Supervise, mentor, and support academic advisors. Conduct regular staff meetings, perform performance evaluations, facilitate professional development, and manage hiring and training processes for the advising team. Oversee the advising inbox to ensure timely and effective communication with students and stakeholders.

The Associate Director of Academic Advising, within the Office of the Registrar, will lead the academic advising team and oversee the development and implementation of student advising strategies and services. Reporting directly to the University Registrar, the Associate Director will collaborate closely with Associate Registrars, Admissions Office, Seaver Dean’s Office, and Divisional Deans to refine advising processes, enhance efficiency, and cultivate strong professional relationships. This role will involve collaborating with various departments to ensure a seamless advising experience for students, addressing complex challenges, and managing a team of four staff members. Additionally, the Associate Director will partner with university departments on initiatives to provide comprehensive support, fostering a cohesive and effective advising environment.

Duties

• Leadership and Strategy: Provide strategic direction and vision for the Academic Advising department within the Office of the Registrar. Engage in management meetings and work with the team to devise strategies for process improvement, utilizing insights and feedback to foster continuous enhancement. Provide recommendations for policies and procedures aimed at enhancing advising services and fostering student success. Collaborate with academic departments, faculty, and other stakeholders to ensure a unified approach to advising practices.
• Team Management: Supervise, mentor, and support academic advisors. Conduct regular staff meetings, perform performance evaluations, facilitate professional development, and manage hiring and training processes for the advising team. Oversee the advising inbox to ensure timely and effective communication with students and stakeholders.
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• Advising and Student Support: Oversee the advising process for students, including academic planning, course selection, and progress monitoring. Collaborate with OneStop to support exit interviews for students who withdraw and enhance advising methods to develop strategies for promoting student success. Advise students based on their respective division assignments, providing personalized support and guidance. Address complex advising issues and provide guidance on academic policies and procedures. Oversee the updating of articulation agreements and the ASSIST portal, as well as manage the transcript evaluation process for prospective students, including athletes. Assist the OneStop area during busy periods to provide comprehensive student and email support to ensure effective service delivery. Oversee and coordinate the Degree Audit Reporting (DAR) process to ensure efficient management and accurate reporting within the academic advising framework. Manage the Athletic Certification process, ensuring compliance with NCAA and other relevant regulations. Collaborate with the Athletics Department to verify eligibility for student-athletes. 
• Collaboration and Relationship Building: Collaborate with the Seaver Dean's Office and build professional relationships with divisional deans to ensure cohesive academic advising and support across the university. Participate in designated academic or university committees as assigned. Partner with the Admission department to review and evaluate transcripts and transfer credits, ensuring accurate credit assessment and smooth academic transitions for incoming students. Support the Admission department by providing insights into advising needs and trends, helping to shape admission strategies and policies that align with academic advising goals. Identify and implement strategies to streamline academic advising processes and improve efficiency, working with the Admission department to ensure that advising practices are well-integrated with recruitment and enrollment efforts. Engage in ongoing communication with the Admission department to address any issues related to credit evaluation and to facilitate a seamless onboarding experience for new students. Partner with departments such as Housing, OISS, Student Activities, and Admission to support New Student Orientation (NSO) and other key initiatives, ensuring a smooth transition for new students and effective integration into the university community. Collaborate with various departments to align advising efforts with broader university goals and enhance the overall student experience.
• NAVIGATE360 Platform Management: Oversee the utilization and optimization of the NAVIGATE360 platform to enhance advising practices and student engagement. Ensure effective integration of NAVIGATE360 with other university systems; support staff and students in using the portal. Serve on the NAVIGATE360 Leadership team.
• Data and Assessment: Utilize data and assessment tools to evaluate the effectiveness of advising practices and student outcomes, including working with IT to assess and implement upgrades to Degree Audit Reports (DAR) and other advising technologies. Develop and present comprehensive reports and presentations that communicate advising metrics, progress, and recommendations to university leadership. Analyze advising data to identify trends, challenges, and opportunities for improvement, ensuring that advising strategies are informed by current and accurate information. Collaborate with IT and other relevant departments to enhance data. management systems and tools, supporting continuous improvement in advising services.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Uphold University through work performed.

The above information has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

Skills and Qualifications

Required: Master’s degree in Higher Education, Counseling, or a related field. Minimum of 5 years of experience in academic advising or a related field, with at least 3 years in a leadership or supervisory role. Strong understanding of academic advising practices, student development theory, and higher education policies. Experience with the PeopleSoft and NAVIGATE portal or similar advising management systems is highly desirable. Knowledge of NCAA and athletic certification processes. Excellent interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills. Proven ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders and manage multiple priorities. Demonstrated experience in building relationships and streamlining processes. In-depth knowledge of the functions and services provided by the Academic Advising department. Understanding of interdependencies among departments, including the Office of the Registrar and IT, to optimize operations. Proficient in using statistical tools and research methods for ongoing assessment of student services and initiatives. Ability to supervise multiple projects and manage staffing assignments to meet deadlines. Knowledge of university policies and regulations to design and modify procedures and data systems effectively. Strong leadership skills with a focus on collaboration across diverse groups to implement student services initiatives. Excellent interpersonal skills to build rapport. Organized in managing student records, adhering to policies for retrieval. Experience with PeopleSoft, Etrieve, NAVIGATE, PC, Google Workplace, Microsoft 365.

Qualified individuals should be able to articulate a strong commitment to diversity, and have the ability to work effectively with individuals from different backgrounds.

Offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a criminal, education, and employment screening. The University conducts such screenings in compliance with applicable laws and with the objectives of evaluating risk and supporting a safe environment for students, faculty, staff, and guests; safeguarding key University assets including people, property, information, and the University’s reputation; and providing comprehensive job-related information to University leaders to enable them to make prudent hiring decisions. Qualified individuals with criminal histories will be considered for employment in compliance with applicable laws, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance.

This is a Regular, Exempt, 40 hour per week position.

Expected Pay Range: $76,500 - $85,000 per year 

The above pay range reflects what Pepperdine University reasonably expects to pay for this position at time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on relevant factors such as work experience, market conditions, education/training, and skill level. In addition to base pay, Pepperdine offers a robust and highly competitive benefits package.

Pepperdine is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of any status or condition protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.