1140 Director, Academic Advisement and Transfer Center

POSITION IDENTIFICATION

TITLE Director, Academic Advisement and Transfer Center

CLASSIFICATION NUMBER 1140

GRADE 46

CLASSIFICATION Exempt

IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR Associate Provost for Student Development and Public Affairs

GENERAL FUNCTION

The Director, Academic Advisement and Transfer Center is responsible for planning, organizing, and directing the operations of the Academic Advisement and Transfer Center for undecided/exploratory and interdisciplinary majors. The Director, Academic Advisement and Transfer Center plans, implements, and evaluates campus-wide training and awards programs for academic advisors and provides leadership for the Academic Advisement and Transfer Center through the development of departmental policies, procedures, and advising guidelines and the preparation of long-and short-range goals and objectives. The Director, Academic Advisement and Transfer Center works in collaboration with the Director, New Student and Family Programs in the training of advisors, in providing advisors for the undecided/exploratory groups, and in making advisor assignments following the student orientation, advisement, and registration programs (SOAR) conducted by the University. The Director, Academic Advisement and Transfer Center works cooperatively with the Executive Director, Center for Academic Success and Transition to affiliate advisors with each section of GEP 101 to provide information on academic advising, academic rules and regulations, general education requirements, and registration information to students in the First-Year Foundations course.  The Director, Academic Advisement and Transfer Center works with Assistant Directors, Academic Advisors, and the Coordinator, Student Success Initiatives to improve the transfer experience for students, provide advising for Individualized Majors, Bachelor of General Studies Majors, and Individual Review students as well as plan and implement the Jump START program, the Majors Fair, and precollege advising for high-achieving high school students.  The Director, Academic Advisement and Transfer Center coordinates efforts to help undecided/exploratory students make well-informed, timely decisions about an academic program and to provide them with support while they are deciding on a major. 

MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Education: A Master's degree is required.

Experience: At least five years of experience is required in higher education, which includes academic advising and administrative duties. Teaching experience is preferred. Experience with training and development programs is preferred. Experience advising various student populations, including exploratory/undecided students, is preferred. Experience with federal, state and higher education policies and procedures is preferred. 

Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, interpersonal skills (particularly in working with a diverse student population), and organizational and management skills are required.  A working knowledge of various computer applications is required.

Other: The scope of the position occasionally requires work in the evenings and on weekends, especially during the summer SOAR sessions.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Ensures that the essential student service of quality academic advisement is provided to students at Missouri State University by establishing an environment for advising which is student-oriented.

2. Ensures the success of the Academic Advisement and Transfer Center through the development of departmental policies, procedures and advisement guidelines, the preparation of long- and short-range goals and objectives for the Academic Advisement and Transfer Center, setting priorities for meeting student needs in advising, hiring qualified advising personnel, and evaluating progress toward accomplishment of those goals and objectives.

3. Coordinates campus-wide advisor training and development activities to ensure that academic advisors are provided with accurate information about campus resources, rules and regulations, and academic programs and ensures that faculty and primary role advisors are familiar with research on the importance of academic advising, different approaches to academic advising, and are able to develop appropriate advising relationships with a diversity of students.

4. Coordinates the services of the Academic Advisement and Transfer Center with other campus offices within the University by regular communication with academic department heads, academic advisors, and other administrators, faculty, and staff.

5. Serves as a standing member of the Provost’s Academic Advising Council to evaluate the administration and delivery of advising services to all students at Missouri State University, makes recommendations for improvements, and provides support to the chair of the Provost’s Academic Advising Council.

6.  Provides an essential student service of academic advising by being knowledgeable of academic policies and procedures unique to Missouri State University which facilitate the advisement process of assisting students in determining academic goals, choosing courses appropriate for those goals, supporting students in decision-making and learning how to accept responsibility for their decisions, assisting all students (not just advisees) seeking academic information, assisting exploratory/undecided students in the selection of academic majors and minors, and directing students to resources within the University which provide further assistance in making career, major, and academic choices.

7. Develops a competent and effective advisement staff by hiring qualified applicants, providing professional development opportunities both on-campus and at professional conferences, assigning appropriate academic advising responsibilities, and evaluating individual performance.

8. Manages funds by planning, developing and controlling the departmental budget.

9. Ensures the effectiveness of the advising process by maintaining electronic advising files for all assigned advisees and using information from the University’s database to advise students appropriately.

10. Participates as a member of the University community by serving on committees as assigned by the Associate Provost for Student Development and Public Affairs or the Office of the Provost.

11. Remains competent and current through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues, attending professional development courses and attending training and/or courses as directed by the Associate Provost for Student Development and Public Affairs.

12. Contributes to the overall success of the Office of Academic Affairs by performing all other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

SUPERVISION

The Director of the Academic Advisement and Transfer Center is supervised by the Associate Provost for Student Development and Public Affairs and supervises professional, clerical, and support personnel and student employees.

OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES

REVISED JANUARY 2025

JOB FAMILY 4

Factor 1: Professional Knowledge, Skill, and Technical Mastery

Level 5.0 - 3300 Points: Knowledge of the principles and methods of an administrative, managerial, or professional field such as accounting or auditing, financial management, information technology, business administration, human resources, engineering, law, social sciences, communications, education, or medicine. Knowledge permits employee to supervise projects and/or departments using standard methods to improve administrative and/or line operations. Knowledge also permits employee to plan steps and carry out multi-phase projects requiring problem definition and modified techniques, to coordinate work with others, and to modify methods and procedures to solve a wide variety of problems. Knowledge at this level requires a Bachelor's or Master's degree with substantial related work experience, including up to two years of administrative or supervisory experience. Alternatively, this level may require a professional or clinical degree beyond the Bachelor's degree with moderate related work experience; knowledge requirements include significant levels of related work experience.

Factor 2: Supervisory Responsibility

Level 5.0 - 730 Points: Supervision of (a) several work teams or work team leaders, (b) a rather large group of operative, administrative support, or paraprofessional employees, (c) a work group involving direction of skilled technical employees, (d) professionals in technical and skilled areas, and/or (e) subordinate supervisory personnel. The incumbent performs a full range of supervisory responsibilities including the authority to hire, train, transfer, promote, reward, or discipline others. Supervision will likely be general rather than close supervision of others. At this level, supervisory responsibilities consume significant amounts of work time and include substantial responsibility for work planning activities, staffing, and performance management as well as budgeting and planning functions.

Factor 3: Interactions with Others

Level 4.0 - 500 Points: Interactions with others are somewhat unstructured. The purpose may be to influence or motivate others, to obtain information, or to control situations and resolve problems. Interactions may be with individuals or groups of co-workers, students, or the general public, may be moderately unstructured, and may involve persons who hold differing goals and objectives. Individuals at this level often act as a liaison between groups with a focus on solving particular unstructured problems. Interactions at this level require considerable interpersonal skill and the ability to resolve conflict.

Factor 4: Job Controls and Guidelines

Level 3.0 - 500 Points: The employee operates under general supervision expressed in terms of program goals and objectives, priorities, and deadlines. Administrative supervision is given through statements of overall program or project objectives and available resources. Administrative guidelines are relatively comprehensive and the employee need only to fill in gaps in interpretation and adapt established methods to perform recurring activities. In unforeseen situations, the employee must interpret inadequate or incomplete guidelines, develop plans, and initiate new methods to complete assignments based on those interpretations. Assignments are normally related in function, but the work requires many different processes and methods applied to an established administrative or professional field. Problems are typically the result of unusual circumstances, variations in approach, or incomplete or conflicting data. The employee must interpret and refine methods to complete assignments. Characteristic jobs at this level may involve directing single-purpose programs or performing complex, but precedented, technical or professional work.

Factor 5: Managerial Responsibility

Level 4.0 - 1500 Points: Work involves the primary accountability for a smaller department, program, or process. Work activities involve managerial decisions that directly affect the efficiency, costs, reputation, and service quality of the department, program, or process. Work affects a limited range of professional projects or administrative activities of the University. Work activities have a direct and substantial impact on the department. While work activities do have some effect on the efficiency and reputation of the cost center, departments, programs, or processes at this level represent a relatively minor function within the cost center. Employees in jobs at this level may have responsibility for developing budgets, distributing budgeted funds, and exercising the primary control over a relatively small budget.