Senior Academic Advisor

Job Details

Job Location: University of Silicon Valley - San Jose, CA

Position Type: Full Time

Education Level: 4 Year Degree

Salary Range: $67000.00 - $77000.00 Salary

Travel Percentage: None

Job Category: Education

Description Summary

The Senior Academic Advisor at the University of Silicon Valley (USV) plays a pivotal role in supporting student achievement, retention, and persistence across all academic programs. This advanced role requires a highly organized, autonomous, and solutions-oriented individual who can operate independently while also contributing to a collaborative advising team.

The Senior Academic Advisor provides comprehensive academic guidance, proactively identifies and resolves complex student issues, and supports department-wide improvement initiatives. In addition to a student advising caseload, this position serves as a key liaison for cross-departmental collaboration, supports advisor training, and contributes to operational and systems-level improvements that drive student success.

Duties and Responsibilities

Advising and Student Support

• Provide in-depth academic advising to assigned students, with an emphasis on those requiring higher-touch support or navigating complex academic situations.
• Independently resolve escalated student cases and guide other team members as needed through resolution strategies.
• Identify and remove barriers to student progression, enrollment, or graduation by collaborating with faculty, student services, and other stakeholders.
• Proactively and independently monitor attendance, registration status, and academic standing to ensure timely interventions.
• Teach university skills/preparatory courses under the supervision of the assigned leader.

Leadership & Mentorship

• Support and mentor new and existing advisors through onboarding, training, and sharing best practices.
• Serve as the advising lead on select university committees, special projects, or working groups.
• Provide backup support to the advising team and coordinate advising responsibilities as needed to ensure equitable student support.

Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement

• Identify systemic or recurring challenges in advising processes and propose scalable solutions to improve efficiency and student outcomes.
• Contribute to the refinement of advising tools, workflows, and protocols that support departmental effectiveness.
• Coordinate with internal departments (e.g., Registrar, Academic Affairs, Financial Aid) and external partners to resolve student issues and align on communication.
• Stay informed about institutional policies, state/federal regulations, and emerging trends in student advising.

Communication & Collaboration

• Maintain open, proactive communication across departments to ensure consistency of information and reduce misalignment.
• Collaborate with the advising and academic affairs teams to share updates, raise concerns, and contribute to a team-centered environment.
• Communicate clearly with students through multiple channels (email, phone, text, virtual/in-person meetings) and document interactions in the Student Information System.

Qualifications Duties and Responsibilities

• Bachelor's degree required. Master's degree in Higher Education, Counseling, Student Affairs, or a related field preferred. A documented and agreed upon plan to competing a bachelor's degree would suffice.
• Minimum 3-5 years of academic advising or related student services experience in a higher education setting.
• Demonstrated experience handling complex student issues and developing team or department-wide solutions.
• Strong decision-making and problem-solving abilities with a systems-thinking approach.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills across various functions and levels.
• Proven ability to lead by example and support team cohesion in a collaborative environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Student Information Systems (e.g., Campus Nexus), and LMS platforms (e.g., Canvas).
• High attention to detail and discretion in handling student records and sensitive issues.

EEO Statement

USV is an Equal Employment Opportunity & Americans with Disabilities Act institution. We value diversity, strive for a more unified campus where all people are valued, treated fairly, and possess a sense of belonging. USV encourages minorities, women, veterans, and persons with disabilities to apply.

Working conditions

This job operates in a professional office environment with extensive people interaction. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and office machines.

Physical requirements

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear and use a telephone. The employee frequently is required to sit for long periods; use hands and reach with hands and arms for such activities as keyboarding.

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities are subject to change at any time.

Benefits

Paid Time Off (includes individual PTO plus 10 holidays and winter break)

Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance

Basic Life & AD&D

401k (employee contribution only)

Short- & Long-Term Disability

Tuition Remission Benefit

Other Voluntary Benefits Offered