Title: Director of Advising and Veterans Affairs

Institution: Volunteer State Community College

Job Summary:

This position plays a vital role in the daily management and enhancement of advising services. This position supports the Assistant Vice President for Student Success and oversees advising operations, veterans’ educational benefits, manages triage and walk-in services, provides mentorship for the student success advisors, coordinates training, and ensures advising consistency across all centers. The Director serves as a bridge between advisors and leadership, providing operational oversight while contributing to strategic initiatives focused on student success and advisor development.

Job Duties:

Provide leadership, guidance, coaching, mentoring, and supervision for the Advising office, including onboarding and mentoring new advisors and staff, and coordinating ongoing training and professional development. Lead the academic advising office with a vision for innovation and continuous improvement. Develop and implement a comprehensive advising strategy that aligns with the college’s mission and student success goals; promote that strategy on all Vol State campuses. Advocate for and implement flexible scheduling, real-time degree audits, and integrated advising technology. Supervise and support academic advisors, ensuring workload distribution is balanced and sustainable. Manage appointment scheduling systems, a streamlined advising workflow, and a structured walk-in triage system. Address logistical challenges, as they arise, with a sustainable solution which identifies onboarding delays, and the challenges Student Success Advisors may experience. Strengthen advising resources and accessibility for students, including but not limited to clear processes for handling forms and graduation applications. Work closely with faculty to clarify their advising roles and improve collaboration. Enhance the use of Slate and other student information systems and technologies to streamline advising processes, improve scheduling efficiency, and track students’ academic progress. Develop comprehensive training programs for advisors and faculty, focusing on curriculum complexity, generalist advising roles, specific academic programs, and available student success resources. Implement mentorship, career development, and cross-functional training for new and regional campus advisors. Provide professional development opportunities, including conferences and certifications. Ensure consistency in advising practices across all centers and modalities. Develop and manage a comprehensive assessment, data collection, and reporting plan as it relates to advising outcomes. Oversees and ensures that the College’s Veterans’ benefits certification process is efficient, timely and accurate, including proper advising to military connected students. Ensures compliance with VA regulations, monitors student progress, and updates records for reporting. Coordinates and leads all VA audit and reporting requests for state and federal agencies. Supervises the Coordinators of Adult Learners and Veterans Affairs who advise and certify benefits for Veterans and military affiliated students. Develop and implement workshops, presentations, Veterans Day events, etc. to educate and expand the campus community’s knowledge and understanding of the needs of Veterans and military-affiliated students. Maintain and promote the Dr. Orinthia T. Montague Veterans and Military Family Center on the Vol State Gallatin campus. Other duties as assigned. 

Minimum Qualifications:

Master’s degree.
Three years of related experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

Master’s degree in Higher Education, Counseling, Student Affairs, or a related field.
Familiarity with generalist advising models and curriculum structures.
Experience onboarding new advisors and creating professional development plans.
Knowledge of advising technologies like Banner, Degree Works, Slate, or scheduling software.
Experience in team supervision, training, or project coordination.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Must be a willing advocate of the mission of the college.
Strong leadership and team management skills, including the ability to support and empower advising staff.
Excellent communication and conflict resolution skills to facilitate collaboration between advisors, faculty, and administrators.
Ability to develop and implement innovative advising models and processes.
Proficiency in technology integration to enhance student support (e.g., Slate, Banner, Teams for communication).
Commitment to student success.
Ability to manage day-to-day advising logistics and triage operations.
Proficiency with advising systems and reporting tools.
Ability to mentor, train, and support advising staff across multiple locations.

Pay Rate: $64,257 - $80,320 annual salary depending on experience

Volunteer State offers a comprehensive benefits package, including but not limited to the following:

• Insurance:  Health, Dental, Vision, Life, Disability (long and short term), FSA/HSA
• Wellness Incentive Program (if enrolled in Health)
• Educational Assistance:  Fee Waiver, Spouse/Dependent Discounts, Tuition Reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program
• Longevity Pay
• Retirement Options:  State of TN Pension (TCRS), 401a, 401K with up to $50/month match, 403b, and 457
• 14 Paid Holidays/Year
• Annual Leave (if applicable)
• Sick Leave
• Sick Leave Bank
• State Employee Discount Program with over 900 merchants

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Unofficial transcripts are acceptable for the application process. Official transcripts will be required upon hire.

Applicants may be subject to a background check.