Academic Success Coach - UT Southern

Provide academic advising and career development support for first-time freshmen and transfer undergraduate students at the university. The position will manage an advising caseload through accurate record keeping and, when appropriate, will connect students to faculty advisors/mentors, tutors, support services, and other resources to ensure students receive personal assistance and connections to resources necessary to progress in and complete their studies successfully.

The position will develop and maintain a strong communication line with academic departments at the university. The position will be responsible for providing comprehensive support to students in areas including new student and transfer processes, success and retention strategies, distance student success strategies, student progress monitoring, and the implementation of intervention strategies to assist in their success. This may include individual advisement, seminars/group advisement, and regular participation in new student orientation.

Additionally, this role integrates career development into advising sessions to ensure students are aligned with the right major, on track with appropriate coursework, and actively preparing for life after graduation. The position will attend to student academic inquiries, assist in the resolution of individual academic issues, and coordinate with multiple academic units in the processing of student requests and resolution of academic problems. The position will utilize university technology platforms to support student engagement, track academic progress, and facilitate early alert and intervention processes. Other duties as assigned.

Academic Advising & Student Support:

• Manage a caseload of undergraduate students throughout their academic career.

• Proactively engage with caseload of students each semester during designated advising times.

• Anticipate potential obstacles to student success and respond accordingly for each student.

• Meet with caseload students each semester during designated advising times.

• Address needs of each student during advising sessions, covering major requirements, degree progression, concentration selection, minor selection, course registration, and relevant university policies.

• Communicate efficiently and appropriately with departmental and faculty advisors regarding student caseloads.

• Participate in pre-registration for incoming first-year and transfer students, present information sessions, and assist students during new student orientation.

• Connect students with co-curricular and extracurricular activities to support campus and community engagement.

• Support students with graduation requirement completion and make appropriate referrals for necessary paperwork and commencement planning.

• Create/update academic plans for all students within caseload.

• Keep records of all advising sessions utilizing the university's designated advising and student success platforms.

• Assist each student in accessing resources, finding answers to questions, and resolving issues.

• Utilize early alert and student success platforms (e.g., Pharos) to monitor student progress, document advising interactions, flag at-risk students, and coordinate intervention strategies with appropriate campus partners.

• Support students in navigating degree planning and academic progress tools (e.g., Thesis Elements) to develop, maintain, and adjust academic plans aligned with graduation requirements.

Career Development Integration:

• Incorporate career exploration and planning into regular advising meetings to ensure students are aligned with the appropriate major and career pathway.

• Guide students in selecting courses and experiential learning opportunities that strengthen preparation for life after graduation.

• Assist students in identifying internship, research, and extracurricular opportunities relevant to their career goals.

• Connect students with Career Services and other campus resources to support resume development, job searching, interviewing, and professional networking.

• Utilize career development and employer engagement platforms (e.g., Handshake) to help students explore job and internship opportunities, connect with employers, and engage with career development events and resources.

• Monitor student progress toward career readiness benchmarks and provide proactive outreach to students who may need additional career guidance.

• Collaborate with faculty, employers, and campus partners to facilitate career-related programming and events.

Programming & Student Success Services:

• Participate in and create success programming.

• Participate in seminars/group advisement and student success presentations.

• Assist with academic coaching for students in academic distress.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without need now or in the future for sponsorship for employment visa status.

Must have excellent communication, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills; ability to work effectively with students, staff, and faculty of all backgrounds and experience levels; attentiveness to detail; strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize multiple requests and handle them in an efficient and timely manner; ability to thoroughly understand and abide by federal and university guidelines regarding student confidentiality requirements; proficient use of computers and knowledge of various software programs. Knowledge of career development frameworks, career counseling resources, and employer engagement practices is a plus. This is an on-campus position.

Required Experience:

• Requires a work background in an educational setting with direct experience working 1:1 with students on their academic growth and development.

• Prior advising experience is strongly preferred; candidates without formal advising experience must demonstrate equivalent individual student support experience in an educational context.

• Bachelor's Degree

• Valid Driver’s license

Preferred Experience:

• Prior experience in academic advising in a higher education setting, including providing advising services and/or coordinating student support services.

• Experience integrating career development into academic advising and familiarity with career readiness frameworks (e.g., NACE competencies) are highly desirable.

• Familiarity with student success and early alert platforms (e.g., Pharos), degree planning tools (e.g., Thesis Elements), and career development platforms (e.g., Handshake).