Job Description

Academic Advisor

The Academic Advisor serves as a primary source of guidance and support for students throughout their academic experience at APUS, helping them make informed decisions, navigate University requirements and processes, overcome barriers, and maintain progress toward their educational and professional goals. Through proactive, personalized advising, Academic Advisors build meaningful relationships, identify solutions, connect students with appropriate resources, and collaborate across the University to support student success and program completion. This position also serves as an onsite representative of AMU/APU at Altus Air Force Base, providing in-person and virtual support to current and prospective students and building strong relationships within the military community.

Academic Advisors play a critical role in helping students successfully navigate their academic journey and make progress toward their educational, professional, and personal goals. Advisors build meaningful relationships with students, understand their individual goals and circumstances, and provide personalized support throughout the student experience. Using strong communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, they help students understand academic requirements, navigate University policies and processes, overcome barriers, and make informed decisions about their path forward.

Advisors proactively engage students, celebrate their progress and accomplishments, connect them with appropriate resources, and collaborate across the University to resolve complex situations. They maintain a strong understanding of University programs, policies, procedures, systems, and resources to identify solutions that balance student needs with academic requirements while providing accurate, consistent, and student-focused service throughout their time at the University.

This role will be required to work in office from the Altus Air Force base Monday-Friday for an 8-hour shift with a 30-minute lunch during base operating hours. In the event the installation or Education Center is closed or inaccessible due to a government shutdown, emergency, weather event, security restriction, or other unforeseen circumstances, the employee must be able to temporarily work remotely from an approved home workspace, as directed by AMU/APU.

Must be able to work the following shift:

• 9:30-6pm M-Thurs, and 8-4:30 F

Primary Responsibilities:

• Provide warm, high-quality, student-focused service across multiple communication channels, including in person, email, phone, chat, text, social media, webinars, and other virtual platforms.
• Proactively engage with students to understand their goals, answer questions, identify barriers, provide clear next steps, and support continued academic progress.
• Encourage, motivate, and guide students toward the successful completion of their academic and professional goals.
• Provide accurate academic advising related to degree requirements, course selection, academic planning, University policies and procedures, campus navigation, forms, and available student resources.
• Evaluate individual student situations using critical thinking and sound judgment to identify options, recommend solutions, and collaborate with other University departments on the student's behalf when needed.
• Review and process degree changes and other academic requests accurately and timely, considering credit impact, time to completion, student goals, and other relevant factors.
• Utilize appropriate advising approaches based on the individual needs and circumstances of each student.
• Maintain knowledge of University programs, policies, procedures, systems, and resources, including requirements specific to assigned programs or student populations.
• Accurately and thoroughly document student interactions and advising activities in appropriate University systems.
• Identify and communicate student trends, recurring barriers, and opportunities to improve policies, processes, outreach, and the overall student experience.
• Participate in ongoing professional development, training, departmental committees, task forces, University initiatives, and other opportunities that support continued growth and organizational goals.
• Maintain a professional onsite presence and serve as a positive representative of AMU/APU within the military community.
• Establish and maintain strong professional relationships with military and civilian staff and other key personnel at the assigned installation.
• Maintain required access to Altus Air Force Base and comply with all applicable installation security, identification, safety, and access requirements.
• Support the effective operation of the onsite office, including maintaining current University materials and meeting applicable military education center standards.
• Represent the University at ceremonies, events, presentations, and other activities within the military community as needed.

Requirements:

• Ability to work independently in an onsite environment with remote leadership, exercise sound judgment, appropriately escalate concerns, and maintain regular communication with Academic Advising leadership.
• Ability to effectively manage multiple priorities and competing deadlines in a fast-paced environment while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including active listening, relationship building, influencing, and communicating effectively with diverse audiences.
• Excellent student service skills with a positive, student-focused approach.
• Strong critical thinking, decision-making, and creative problem-solving skills, including the ability to effectively advise and identify solutions in complex, ambiguous, or unstructured situations.
• Ability to navigate multiple systems, learn new technologies, and adapt quickly to changing processes, priorities, and expectations.
• Understanding of student development theory and its application within academic advising.

About Us:

American Public University System (APUS) is an Online University based in Charles Town, WV. Our University has over 100,000 students. Our emphasis is educating our nation's military and public services communities with quality and affordable education. APUS provides partnership and commitment in helping students realize the dream of a higher education and the opportunities that brings.

It is the policy of American Public University System (APUS) to afford equal opportunity to all qualified persons. We treat all qualified individuals equally as to their recruitment, hiring, assignments, advancements, compensation, and all other terms and conditions of employment. American Public University System (APUS) does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, or physical, mental, or sensory disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Pay Transparency:

If you are a resident of a state with designated pay transparency requirements and this role is available remotely, you may be eligible to receive additional information about the compensation and benefits for this role, which we will provide upon request. Please send an email to recruiting@apei.com.

Equal Opportunity Employer This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.

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