Advising and Retention Coach

Description

The Academic Advising and Retention Coach, working within the Advising and Retention Center, will support the mission of the Northwest Mississippi Community College by assisting students to draw upon cultural, communal, and identity-based ways of knowing, being, and doing to achieve educational outcomes through developing holistic academic success plans, engaging in course selection and planning, and meeting graduation requirements. This position is located at the DeSoto Campus. This is a full-time, 12-month position reporting to the DeSoto Center Manager of Student Services. It is commensurate with experience and qualifications.

The Academic Advising and Retention Coach will work with students to develop course plans that support their career choices and degree requirements; recommend and/or approve exceptions to registration and other related academic policies and procedures; assist students through their college transition and academic milestones; teach and manage student success resources and initiatives; provide support through academic difficulties and learning, psychological, or physical challenges.

Additionally, this position will partner with academic support professionals to support NWCC students by training and mentoring students in areas such as student success skills and utilizing campus resources. The Academic Advising and Retention Coach will be expected to be responsive to NWCC’s strategic initiatives in the areas of enrollment advising, retention, student success, and student engagement.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Higher Education, Student Affairs, Counseling or a closely related field.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with first-year experience courses and student success programs.
• Demonstrated commitment to Northwest Mississippi Community College, especially as related to access and student success.
• Three to five years of related professional work experience
• Demonstrated self-awareness, cultural competence, and achievement in working with diverse student populations.
  
  

Duties And Responsibilities

General Advising (60%)

• Apply thorough knowledge of curricular options, requirements, policies, and academic planning skills to assist a caseload of 200-400 on-campus and/or online students in making registration choices that promote degree progress and attainment while optimizing collegiate engagement experiences.
• Monitor and document student progress in order to proactively and, when necessary, intrusively intervene, advocate, and recommend resources and solutions to academic difficulties and barriers student experience in policies and processes.
• In collaboration with faculty mentors, coach on-campus and online students through major and career decision-making processes to assist students in degree completion.
• Create and utilizes a network of relationships with faculty, and student affairs educators to effectively deliver advising and support services.
• Apply strong interpersonal techniques including active listening, empathetic responses, and questioning through in-person and virtual interactions to develop trusting relationships with students in order to promote their sense of belonging to campus.
• Critically apply various student development theories and advising practices to assess readiness and then appropriately challenge and support students with diverse assets, needs, backgrounds, and talents to make informed decisions about personal, academic, and career goals.
• Review student records and progress to certify degree completion and determine academic standing related to satisfactory progress policies and guidelines.
• Evaluate and act upon requests for exception to policy through petitions; consult as appropriate with colleagues, faculty, and academic administrators in making final decisions.
• Execute detailed degree planning through the use of technology and interpretation of data to communicate accurate information about students.
• Counsel students using independent judgment and problem-solving skills.
• Document meetings and email conversations with and regarding students on CANVAS
• Assist in the development of advising procedures for new student orientation and serve as advisor during all orientation dates as well as critical advising times
• Offer new, creative, and innovative approaches and practices to accomplish academic advising goals including the use of group modalities.
  
  

Student Success Coaching (20%)

• Collaborate with the Director of Advising and Retention Center on the development, implementation, and assessment of a comprehensive student success and retention plan to include strategies and interventions informed by theory, inclusive and equitable practices, and data-informed practices that enhance student retention and graduation rates.
• Participate in the planning and implementation of student success initiatives, workshops, orientations, and other programs.
• Collaborate with a small team to develop and modify student success and retention curriculum and programming for new students.
• Provide student success coaching and mentoring guiding students from orientation through matriculation and onward to completion.
  
  

Leadership (20%)

• Remain current and involved with comprehensive and function-specific student affairs professional associations and emerging trends in the field.
• Provide input on the development, evaluation, and continuous improvement of advising systems and processes.
• Contribute toward program development and evaluation metrics.
• Leverage existing technology to foster better outreach to students to promote timely academic progress toward a degree.
  
  

Required Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Ability to research, comprehend and interpret complex regulations, rules, and policies.
• Professional demeanor with the ability to maintain consistent communication.
• Strong verbal and written communication, time management and human relations skills.
• Ability to problem identification, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills; judgment
• and decision-making ability.
  
  

Physical Demands And Work Environment

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to do the following:

• Talk, hear, view, and assist students
• Communicate with others in person, telephone, zoom, & live chat
• Sit, use hands to handle or feel, and reach with hands and arms
• Stand, walk, stoop, or kneel
• Occasionally lift and/or move items of at least 15-20 pounds
  
  

Application

To apply, please attach and submit the following:

• Application at www.northwestms.edu
• Resume
• Transcripts
• Three (3) Professional References (Name, Organization Name, and Phone Number)