| Position Title |
Academic/Career Advisor |
| About the University |
Western Washington University, with over 15,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 90,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Western has additional sites in Anacortes, Bremerton, Everett, Port Angeles, and Poulsbo. Western is recognized nationally for its successes, such as being named one of the top public master's-granting institutions in the Pacific Northwest for 25 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report.
Western Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success, increasing our Washington impact, and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity. Western's greatest strength is the outstanding students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae who make up its community. Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can thrive. In pursuit of this excellence, individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff, faculty, administration, student, and external constituents. Further, individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic, societal, environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties.
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| About the Department |
The Academic Advising and Student Achievement Center supports Western's mission, which states that together with our students, staff, and faculty, we are committed to making a positive impact in the state and the world with a shared focus on academic excellence and inclusive achievement. We encourage applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and other candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and with diverse experiences interested in this opportunity.
The Academic Advising & Student Achievement Center's mission is to engage, support, and empower students to accomplish their goals and achieve success at WWU and beyond. The center provides a comprehensive set of services to (1) support students' academic advising needs, (2) help in navigating campus resources, and (3) gain a better understanding of Western's academic policies.
AASAC ADEI Statement
The Academic Advising and Student Achievement Center supports student success by integrating access, diversity, equity, and inclusion in all areas of our work.
- We are committed to advancing a climate of equity and mutual respect, with particular attention to the needs of all marginalized and under-represented groups of people.
- We are aware of and value interconnecting identities that involve all aspects of difference, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, educational background, language, culture, national origin, religion/spirituality, age, ability, military/veteran status, and political perspective.
- We are situated on the ancestral homelands of the Coast Salish Peoples and the experiences of Indigenous students, staff, faculty, and community members are central to the environment we envision.
Our office strives to be a space where all ways of being are respected.
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| About the Position |
The Academic/Career Advisor works within a team of professional and student advisors in the Academic Advising & Student Achievement Center (AASAC), the central undergraduate advising office at Western Washington University. In this role, one will employ a philosophy of strengths-based and student-centered advising to assist a diverse population of students.
AASAC services and programs focus on all undergraduate students with a specific target toward supporting first year and transfer students, students who are undecided about their academic goals and students experiencing academic difficulties. In this role, one will assist students to develop academic and career plans consistent with their interests, abilities, and aspirations and to utilize available resources to achieve academic and personal success. In this role, one will also be responsible for supporting the mandatory Advising & Registration sessions for new students admitted to Western throughout the academic year.
This is a full-time, 12-month position that reports to a Senior Academic/Career Advisor. Some evening and weekend work is required in this position and staff are expected to be available to support A&R activities for fall registration (mid-July through August) and in the weeks leading up to the start of other academic terms.
Position Duties/Responsibilities
Direct Student Advising
- Provide individual advising to help students related to academic planning, adding/dropping courses, exploring and selecting majors/minors, tracking graduation requirements, understanding university policies, etc. Interactions with students should support them in developing critical thinking, problem solving and independent learning skills.
- Maintain awareness and understanding of critical advising and other University academic resources including University Catalog Programs of Study and policies, academic department websites, student academic resources across campus, etc.
- Assist students in the major exploration process. This includes maintaining knowledge of career exploration resources, understanding major declaration requirements, connecting students with advisors in academic departments, etc.
- Assist students in low academic standing to identify strengths, address factors impeding their academic progress and navigate campus resources to promote success.
- Provide advising support for students being readmitted to Western to develop academic plans upon returning.
- Provide accurate and timely referrals to university offices and resources as needed.
Support Targeted Outreach Efforts
- Assist in outreach campaigns that strategically and intentionally support the needs of uniquely identified groups of students.
- Assist with the advising related to the quarterly undeclared high credit outreach (105-credit)
- Engage in outreach activities with academic departments, other student service offices, and student groups to promote integrated academic advising planning, to foster inclusivity and to provide support towards student achievement.
Group Advising and Workshops
- Collaborate with others in the planning and delivery of Advising & Registration sessions for new students.
- Conduct workshops as needed and/or requested (e.g. residence halls, classrooms, departmentally organized workshops) that address academic success and personal development.
- Participate in workshops and/or panel discussions as requested by other departments.
- Assist in the coordination of special events and programs, as requested.
Administrative Functions and Professional Development
- Document student advising appointments and activities.
- Utilize various online tools and technologies including, but not limited to Degree Works, EAB Navigate, SharePoint, Zoom, Banner, Microsoft 365 (e.g. Outlook, Teams, Word, OneNote, Excel, PowerPoint).
- Attend staff meetings and other committee meetings, as assigned.
- Serve on college-wide committees and task forces, as approved by department.
- Pursue professional development opportunities that advance one's knowledge of changing student demographics and best practices in student retention with a particular focus on access, diversity, equity and inclusion.
- Other duties as assigned.
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| Required Qualifications |
- Bachelor’s degree (completed by start date)
- Minimum of one year’s experience in academic advising, educational planning, or academic success coaching at the post-secondary level.
- Demonstrated experience supporting diverse, traditionally underrepresented or under-served, first-generation, low-socioeconomic, or non-traditional populations
- Ability to work effectively with diverse staff and faculty as a contributing team member
- Strong verbal and written communication skills including the ability to give effective presentations, provide individual advising and conduct outreach to targeted groups
- Experience utilizing various technology and software such as Microsoft 365, Teams, Zoom, etc.
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| Preferred Qualifications |
- Master’s degree in Student Affairs Administration, Education, Counseling, School Counseling, or a related field
- Experience advising in an office with a wide scope serving first year and undeclared students
- Ability to integrate academic advising and career development components when assisting students in formulating academic plans
- Experience using student records systems and advising platforms
- Experience using the EAB Navigate platform
- Fluent in two or more languages
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| Conditions of Employment |
All employees must comply with our Immunization policies, including Proof of Rubeola Measles Immunity within 60-days of hire. Please reach out to HR@wwu.edu if you need information regarding medical or religious exemption and applicable accommodations. |
| Salary |
Hiring range is $54,599 - $62,788/year depending on qualifications and experience. Through longevity this position tops out at $70,978. |
| Benefits Information |
Benefits Overview for Administrative Professional Position.
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| Application Instructions |
Application materials should address your experience related to the position responsibilities and the required and preferred qualifications.
A complete application includes the following:
(1) A cover letter (not to exceed 3 pages) and resume addressing your experience related to the position responsibilities and each of the required and preferred qualifications.
(2) An Access, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) statement: ADEI are core values at Western Washington University. Attach a statement (500 words max) that includes examples of your demonstration and commitment to ADEI and how you will contribute to further implementation of these values at Western through your work with the Academic Advising & Student Achievement Center.
(3) The names and contact information of 3 professional references.
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| Closing Date Notes |
Application review begins October 30, 2025; position is open until filled |