Academic Advisor

at  Macewan University

ABOUT US

MacEwan University is where caring faculty help people connect their passions to their future paths. Located in the heart of Edmonton’s diverse and dynamic downtown community, and on the traditional lands of Treaty 6 First Nations and homelands of the Métis people, MacEwan is known for exceptional undergraduate learning. With its dedication to teaching excellence, informed by scholarly research, innovation, and creative activity, MacEwan provides an exceptional collaborative and supportive learning environment with a commitment to human rights, environmental sustainability, and opportunities for community engagement. We are committed to creating an equitable, diverse, inclusive, and welcoming community for all peoples, cultures, and identities.
Our comprehensive undergraduate university offers 55 programs to more than 19,000 full- and part-time students in business, communications, community and human services, design, fine and performing arts, health, humanities, natural science, nursing, public safety, and social science. Through a wide array of experiential learning opportunities, and strategic relationships in the community, we partner with others to produce graduates of stature. Along with a robust grounding in their chosen disciplines, MacEwan students are given durable life skills that prepare them to take on the world.

OPPORTUNITY

MacEwan University is seeking an Academic Advisor for a full-time continuing opportunity with the Academic Advising Centre. Reporting to the Manager, Academic Advising, you will serve both prospective and current students across all MacEwan University certificate, diploma, or degree programs, and will work to educate and support students in building educational plans that will help them understand the various pathways forward to admissions and through to program completion, highlighting and directing where appropriate to the many university resources focused on student success.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing educational guidance and assistance for students by reviewing and discussing program and course options and highlighting appropriate education solutions for different types of students and their academic history;
• Providing referrals to university resources and services;
• Maintaining a broad understanding of admission criteria including proficiency in high-school requirements, inter-university transfer credit, programs of study, program and institutional graduation rules, academic and student service policies, and administrative procedures;
• Addressing academic progress and discussing concerns with students;
• Maintaining student files and records in PeopleSoft;
• Developing and facilitating programming and resources to support student retention and student completion initiatives; and
• Participating in student orientation sessions and student recruitment initiatives.

SKILLS

You will have:

• Effective verbal and written communication skills;
• Cross-cultural, interpersonal and organizational skills;
• The ability to establish trust and rapport with students seeking one-on-one support;
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills to thoughtfully assess student needs, make informed decisions and provide strategic guidance;
• The ability to foster collaborative working relationships while also working independently;
• The ability to maintain confidentiality when handling sensitive information; and
• Research skills to effectively support students through changing processes and information, by staying informed about academic policies and identifying resources that enhance student success.

QUALIFICATIONS

• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree.
• A minimum of 2 years of recent advising or related student service experience in a post-secondary institution.
• Experience using PeopleSoft along with an interest and ability to learn new systems quickly and effectively.
• Experience in both developing and delivering workshops and information sessions both in-person and virtually to small and large groups.
• Experience in working in a team environment.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

• Providing educational guidance and assistance for students by reviewing and discussing program and course options and highlighting appropriate education solutions for different types of students and their academic history;
• Providing referrals to university resources and services;
• Maintaining a broad understanding of admission criteria including proficiency in high-school requirements, inter-university transfer credit, programs of study, program and institutional graduation rules, academic and student service policies, and administrative procedures;
• Addressing academic progress and discussing concerns with students;
• Maintaining student files and records in PeopleSoft;
• Developing and facilitating programming and resources to support student retention and student completion initiatives; and
• Participating in student orientation sessions and student recruitment initiatives