Student Success Advisor
JOB SUMMARY:
The Student Success Advisor (SSA) – First Year Student is a critical member of Barnard University’s student academic success and retention efforts for both online and regional site students. The SSA provides a consistent point of contact to a student from when the student begins classes at the University to graduation. This person proactively builds a trusting and supportive relationship with new students at the beginning of a student’s studies and carries that relationship through to graduation. Through counseling and positive coaching, the SSA works with a student to overcome barriers impeding adult students from reaching their academic and career goals. The SSA is both a champion for student success and the University brand.
Barnard University currently offers the option to work remotely in this position. Candidates must plug their equipment into their home router (a 50-foot ethernet cable will be provided). No wireless connections are supported. The home internet minimum requirements are a 15 Mb download speed and a 5 Mb upload speed. The upload speed is essential for a consistent audio connection for the phone system.
Barnard associates must meet the minimum home network speeds and follow the hardware connection settings determined by their provisioned equipment and department role when working remotely. Additionally, candidates must have a reliable Internet connection and a designated and private home office or alternative workspace free from noise or distractions.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Proactively develop and maintain a positive and supportive relationship with students that welcome them to our learning community, creates bonds with the University, and ensures that students have a consistent student service resource.
- Communicate directly, effectively, and often with all assigned students to keep them connected with us, informed, and engaged in an open conversation through to graduation; Leverage University technology systems to enhance relationships with students; Communicate positively and effectively with students by phone; Respond to student questions and requests promptly (typically same day) by telephone and email.
- Advocate for student needs across all departments of the University; Actively and independently own and manage your student caseload.
- Use University systems to track and assess how your assigned students are progressing towards graduation/completing their program and report these metrics to management regularly; Analyze student data from internal systems and external sources to create information that your team and management can use to improve the student experience and the services we provide
- Proactively and creatively work independently and as a member of the Student Success Advisor team to identify barriers to students’ academic success and develop solutions that improve retention; Introduce and train students on University systems (e.g., Web Registration and Blackboard)
- Accurately communicate and support University academic and University policies; Provides students with guidance related to academic progress, course selection, degree selection, and work/life/study issues.
- Coaches and offers counsel to students on strategies for success, ability to overcome hurdles/objections, and productive interactions with Barnard.
QUALIFICATIONS:
The requirements listed below represent the knowledge, skill, and ability required. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
- Engaging and dynamic phone presence
- Excellent email communication skills; clear and concise writing ability a must
- Self-starter - shows initiative and demonstrates the ability to work both independently and as a team member to achieve organizational goals;
- Strong interest in working in a fast-paced environment that requires multi-tasking
- Dedicated to student success; results oriented
- Urgent driven; responsive to students and colleagues
- Ability to use and quickly learn existing and new technologies
- Excellent organization skills and ability to keep consistent contact with student caseload
- Ability to connect and develop relationships with adult students
- Holds themselves and colleagues to high ethical standards
- Creates a positive culture and environment through attitude and behavior
- Ability to work Saturdays preferred.