The School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) at ADA University is seeking a motivated and student-oriented professional to join its team as an Academic Advisor. The successful candidate will support students throughout their academic journey and contribute to their academic success and development.

Position overview:

• The Academic Advisor is responsible for providing academic advising to students concerning their growth and development by constructing meaningful educational plans, which are compatible with their academic and career goals. Services include guidance to students individually and/or within groups to ensure students understand their academic requirements to be able to stay on track until graduation in their program. It is vital for an Academic Advisor to work closely with faculty and staff to build support systems for students. 

Duties and Responsibilities:

Advising and academic progression

• Advising students in academic goal-setting and achievement by identifying the most effective and efficient path to program completion;
• Assisting students with appropriate course selection and specializations/majors/minors in terms of students’ stated academic preferences; 
• Serving as the students' primary academic advisor throughout the transfer evaluation, course selection, and registration process, handling progression and procedural advising and referring questions specific to a discipline to program directors;
• Advising students on registration, add/drop, and withdrawal procedures;
• Developing and monitoring plans for students on academic probation or in academic difficulty, and working with them to identify problems and solutions to help them accomplish their plans of study.

Policies, information, and records

• Interpreting and explaining University policies and procedures;
• Providing information related to academic programs, leave of absence, academic probation, transfer options, and disability support services;
• Maintaining accurate, detailed, and up-to-date student records and data;
• Responding promptly and accurately to student inquiries.

Student support and referrals

• Maintaining contact with students throughout the term and providing support while addressing student concerns;
• Partnering with campus departments and off-campus agencies when necessary to ensure students can access enrichment opportunities (such as internships and study abroad).

Orientation and Capstone

• Attending orientation events arranged for first-year students and representing the school when necessary;
• Coordinating the administration of the undergraduate Capstone Project (timeline, registration, records of supervisor allocation, and scheduling of submissions and presentations) in cooperation with the faculty responsible.

Planning and teamwork

• Contributing to SPIA’s annual advising plan, using student progression data, for approval by the Dean;
• Working collaboratively as an active member within the Student Advising team in general;
• Assisting and participating in the formation and implementation of organizational goals and objectives;
• Performing other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Essential

• Master’s degree in International Affairs, Public Administration or a related field;
• Minimum 2 years of experience at an education institution;
• Working knowledge of credit-based degree requirements, transfer credit, and academic standing rules;
• Excellent customer service skills and ability to communicate effectively with a diverse faculty, staff, and student body; 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including presentation skills;
• Fluency in English and Azerbaijani;
• Ability to plan, organize and implement assigned responsibilities and to work well under pressure to meet deadlines; 
• Ability to participate as a team member, ability to understand and interpret rules and regulations, and ability to adjust to change; 
• High level of proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook, and the ability to learn the University’s student information system;
• Ability to present materials effectively to individual students or groups; 
• Ability to maintain records, prepare reports, and conduct correspondence related to the work;
• Demonstrated discretion in handling confidential student records.

Desirable

• Experience with academic probation or student retention interventions;
• Experience coordinating project-based courses or student events;
• Ability to analyze student progression data and present findings.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further stages of the recruitment process.

Interested candidates can apply by clicking the link provided in the "Apply" button.