First Enrollment Academic Advisor

About Empire State University:

Founded in 1971 as the innovative campus of the State University of New York (SUNY), Empire State University empowers learners from diverse backgrounds to achieve their educational goals. We have decades of experience providing educational access through online teaching and learning, individualized instruction, mentoring, and prior learning assessment. We build on our students' experiences to promote their growth and drive upward mobility and economic development in New York state and beyond. SUNY Empire's 105,000 alumni are teachers, nurses, entrepreneurs, and leaders in their communities and their fields. Visit www.sunyempire.edu and follow us on social media @SUNYEmpire.

SUNY Empire is committed to creating a multicultural, inclusive academic and work environment. All qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. We believe that having diverse faculty and staff is critical to academic excellence and prepares students to live and work in an increasingly global world.

Job Description:

Empire State University seeks a dedicated, student-centered First Enrollment Academic Advisor to support new undergraduate students - many of whom are transfer students - through the orientation and onboarding process. This position provides individualized first enrollment academic advising and applies specialized knowledge of transfer credit evaluation, degree pathways, university policies, and student success resources to ensure a strong start for new students. The role may also be dedicated to supporting specific targeted programs and student populations as institutional needs evolve. By incorporating students' goals, readiness, and competing priorities into course recommendations, the advisor plays a key role in ensuring new students begin their studies with clarity and confidence. Successful candidates will be part of a collaborative advising team focused on student success and engagement.

The first enrollment advisor collaborates closely with faculty, deans, and academic leadership to stay current on academic program requirements and emerging degree pathways. The first enrollment academic advisor maintains expertise in academic policies, prior learning assessment, financial aid processes, and data-informed advising practices. As part of a larger collaborative advising team, the first enrollment advisor contributes to continuous improvement efforts by sharing observations, trends and insights from work with newly accepted students.

Responsibilities include, but may not be limited to:

• Provide individualized first-enrollment advising for new undergraduate students.
• Conduct unofficial transcript reviews for prospective and newly admitted students.
• Interpret transfer credit and explain impacts on degree pathway options.
• Help students clarify intended degrees and concentrations when needed.
• Incorporate students' goals, readiness, and priorities when recommending first-term courses.
• Collaborate closely with the Office of Enrollment Management and Marketing to support targeted student onboarding and enrollment initiatives.
• Provide dedicated advising support for targeted academic programs and student populations as needed.
• Support students through the first-enrollment process, including system navigation and next steps.
• Build understanding of prior learning assessment processes and identify potential credit opportunities.
• Maintain mastery of university academic policies, program requirements, and advising guidelines.
• Collaborate with deans, department chairs, and faculty on degree pathways and course sequencing for new programs.
• Provide advisement and course recommendations for non-matriculated students as needed.
• Develop foundational knowledge of financial aid considerations related to time to degree.
• Apply data-informed advising strategies to guide student decisions.
• Use advising best practices and contribute to continuous improvement of advising services.
• Participate in meetings for department and division updates, professional development, governance, and university initiatives.

Requirements:

Required Qualifications

• Master's Degree from a regionally accredited US university or comparable non-US university.
• A minimum of 2 years of professional experience in the higher educational setting with a role specific to academic advisement or student development.
• Prior knowledge of and experience working with bilingual and emergent bilingual learners, particularly in online settings.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work with computer databases and web-based communications platforms such as ERP, CRM, or other data management and tracking systems.
• Experience working effectively with faculty, staff, and students from diverse linguistic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Desire and skills to engage with undergraduate learners in online settings, including both synchronous and asynchronous communication modes.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of adult learning, learning technologies and/or online pedagogies.
• Experience working in an online environment.
• Demonstrated involvement in best-practice and/or innovative advising initiatives.

Special Information

• May require occasional evening and/or weekend obligations in accordance with student and university needs.
• Occasional travel may be required to fulfill department and university-wide commitments.
• Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. VISA sponsorship is not available for this position.
• SUNY Empire provides employees with robust remote and flexible work options to meet the needs of students, faculty, and staff in a dispersed work environment.

Additional Information:

Rank/Salary: Academic Advisor, SL3 / $57,500-$60,000, dependent on experience and qualifications.

We are pleased to offer our employees an excellent benefit package which includes NYS health insurance, free dental and vision, competitive retirement options, and generous vacation, sick and holiday accruals; and a strong emphasis on work-life balance. We also offer professional-development activities for professionals and support staff.

SUNY Empire is an AA/EEO/ADA employer. The University actively seeks applications from women, veterans, individuals with a disability, members of underrepresented groups or anyone that would enrich the diversity of the University. SUNY Empire is committed to fostering a diverse community of outstanding faculty, staff, and students, as well as ensuring equal educational opportunity, employment, and access to services, programs, and activities, without regard to an individual's race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, or criminal conviction. Employees, students, applicants, or other members of the university community (including but not limited to vendors, visitors, and guests) may not be subjected to harassment that is prohibited by law or treated adversely or retaliated against based upon a protected characteristic.

SUNY Empire provides reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities, veterans, or wounded warriors where appropriate. If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact the Office of Human Resources at (518) 587-2100.

In accordance with the Title II Crime Awareness and Security Act, a copy of our crime statistics is available upon request by calling (518) 587-2100. It can also be viewed online at our Safety and Security website.

Application Instructions:

Applications Due By: Applications accepted until position is filled.

If you are interested in applying for this position, please submit the following documents, which are required for consideration by clicking on the APPLY NOW button:

• Resume
• Cover letter
• Name and contact information of three professional reference

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