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American Public University System
  • Position Number: 1970463
  • Location: Charles Town, WV
  • Position Type: Academic Advising


Academic Advisor

Requisition Number: ACADE01967
Location: Manassas, VA

The Academic Advising Department serves to guide, encourage, and inform students of recommended academic options to progress through their academic programs at American Public University System (APUS). Academic Advisors interact with students through a variety of remote means - email, phone, chat, and others.

Professional Academic Advisors, who form the majority of the APUS Academic Advising Department, are critical-thinking student services professionals who use exceptional communication and analytical skills to guide, influence and encourage students through their academic journeys at APUS. Advisors are quick-thinking multitaskers who must excel in a variety of roles on a daily basis - analyst, cheerleader, diplomat, clerical specialist, subject matter expert, and above all, effective communicator. The role requires a daily willingness to review students' individual situations to determine optimal solutions and to adjudicate student's requests to waive policy. This requires the advisor to have the ability to counsel students against a particular course of action, even if doing so will not always be well received by the student.

Advisors participate within the university and across industry in multiple ways (e.g., Committees, technical task forces, authors and presenters for the National Academic Advising Association [NACADA]). APUS encourages continuing professional development and education for all advising staff.

Essential Functions:

  • Friendly and helpful student communication and outreach
    • Effectively builds relationships with prospective, current, and/or returning students by representing the university through email, chat, phone, representative landing pages, live webinars, training videos, recruitment/welcome videos, social media, and/or other means of communication.
    • Initiates and responds to student communications concerning academic advising, academic programs, APUS policies, campus and form navigation, and other student questions/concerns.
    • Communicates with students remotely, primarily via phone, chat, and email, at any point during their enrollment cycle at APUS.
    • Conducts student outreach aimed at providing friendly and helpful advice/directive on next steps.
    • Clearly documents all student interactions.
    • Warm, high quality, and friendly communication, removes obstacles, and works with other departments on the student's behalf.
  • Timely and accurate processing of degree changes and program adds
    • Reviews student degree plan change requests to assess credit impact, time to completion, student planning, and other relevant factors to determine and advise a recommended path in each case.
  • Exceptional academic advising
    • Utilizes different academic advising strategies as appropriate, to include inquisitive, appreciative, development, and prescriptive advising.
    • Keeps supervisor and peers abreast of notable trends in student behavior, in order to assess and design targeted outreach initiatives or changes to current processes as needed.
    • Maintains knowledge of and provide advising for distinct populations or programs.
    • Encourages, motivates, and guides students towards the successful completion of their program or academic goals.
    • Meets department expectations and service level agreements around delivering adequate and timely service to students
    • Continuously reviews processes and policies and recommends improvements or changes when necessary.
  • Professional development, training, and engagement
    • Continuously engages in professional development activities as needed.
    • Participation in department committees, task forces, university organizations, or industry organizations (NACADA).
  • Interacts with other university departments on behalf of students.
  • Meets department level expectations as outlined in the Academic Advisor Expectations documents
  • Performs other duties as assigned.



Work Environment and Physical Demands:
  • Required to work non-traditional hours: Monday - Friday, 12:30 - 9:00 p.m. ET
  • Standard office environment
  • Must reside within 60 miles from Manassas, VA office
  • Ability to work primarily from home if the following are met by the employee: high speed Internet connection, a dedicated work space within place of residence free of distraction, a second monitor, and the capability to telecommute
  • Must be able to work from the Manassas, VA office when required (2-3 times per month at minimum).


Required Skills:

  • Excellent oral and written communication skills
  • Effective interpersonal skills - influencing, persuasion, elicitation, and listening
  • Understanding of student development theory
  • Excellent student and customer service skills
  • Ability to effectively advise in ambiguous and unstructured scenarios
  • Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks under tight deadlines with minimal supervision
  • Rational and objective decision making
  • Ability to navigate multiple systems and adjust quickly to ongoing technology changes
  • Optimism and positivity
  • Creativity
  • Critical Thinking
  • Problem Solving
  • Ability to adjust quickly to changes



Education and Experience:

  • Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution (any major) required.
  • One year of professional office experience, preferably in a collegiate or academic advising setting required.
  • Must also demonstrate clear and effective oral and written communication skills, the ability to multitask, and effective service orientation.
  • Competitive candidates will typically have impeccable representational skills, knowledge of undergraduate and graduate student development theory, and knowledge of theory and best practices in academic advising.
  • Demonstrated experience in influencing, informing, and persuading students on complex academic matters preferred.
  • Prior experience in working with students from a wide variety of cultural, socioeconomic, and academic backgrounds preferred.
  • Experience in academic advising and graduate level coursework are strongly preferred.
  • A strong service oriented and student support mindset is required.


To apply, visit https://recruiting.ultipro.com/AME1070/JobBoard/711bd40f-864c-42db-8c62-3c62f2edc13f/OpportunityDetail?opportunityId=47d35141-11b6-4f9c-ab08-2ef1d4ae31cb





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