Lead Academic Advisor; SSP IV

Under general supervision, the Lead Advisor provides advanced leadership for the Advising & Success Center (ASC), the university’s centralized undergraduate advising unit. The position leads equity‑minded advising initiatives, supports student retention and timely graduation, and serves as a campus resource for complex academic advising and policy interpretation.

• Plan, develop, implement, and continuously improve advising and student success programs.
• Serve as the campus lead for the centralized undergraduate advising model through the Advising & Success Center.
• Develop, coordinate, and administer programs, events, and services that support student engagement, retention, and development.
• Lead the implementation of equity‑minded advising practices across advising operations.
• Design and implement new approaches to advising challenges where established policies or precedents do not exist.
• Recommend and implement advising‑related policy and procedural changes with campus‑wide impact.
• Interpret academic advising policies and approve appropriate exceptions within delegated authority.
• Collaborate with cross‑divisional and external partners to align advising services with campus‑wide and system‑wide initiatives.
• Independently handle unusual, non‑routine, or precedent‑setting situations that impact advising staff, programs, or campus partners.
• Plan and organize work priorities and select methodologies from alternative approaches to meet institutional goals.
• Provide advanced academic advising, guidance, and advocacy to support student retention, persistence, and timely graduation.
• Serve as the final escalation point for complex, high‑risk, or sensitive academic advising cases.
• Assist students in navigating complex academic standing issues, appeals, probation, disqualification, and policy exceptions.
• Balance student‑centered advocacy with institutional standards when resolving advising cases.
• Provide consultative advising and policy guidance to advisors, faculty, department chairs, and administrators.
• Support equity‑focused student success efforts by addressing systemic barriers and coordinating appropriate referrals.
• Provide advising guidance and referrals that support registered student organizations and student leadership initiatives.
• Oversee daily operations of the Advising & Success Center.
• Lead work direction to professional advisors, support staff, and student employees, including onboarding, training coordination, and workflow guidance.
• Recommend staffing models, caseload distribution, and advising service delivery structures.
• Develop, maintain, and enforce operational standards, procedures, and documentation.
• Support and coordinate department‑wide advising programs, events, and initiatives beyond individual caseload responsibilities.
• Ensure accurate, secure, and compliant maintenance of advising records, systems, and documentation in accordance with campus and CSU requirements.
• Ensure advising operations comply with university, CSU, and regulatory requirements.
• Develop and lead evaluation frameworks to assess advising program quality, effectiveness, and student outcomes.
• Analyze advising and student success data (e.g., retention, persistence, equity gaps) to inform strategic improvements.
• Use assessment findings to support continuous improvement, resource allocation, and service redesign.
• Translate CSU and campus policy changes into advising practices, training materials, and communication.
• Develop and deliver training, onboarding, and professional development for advisors and faculty.
• Conduct studies, surveys, and assessments and prepare reports with recommendations.
• Contribute to institutional reporting, accreditation, and effectiveness documentation.
• May be required to obtain additional training and/or certification as part of professional development, based on department and/or campus needs, to stay current with industry standards.
• At the direction of appropriate administrator, may provide support to other areas as needed.
• The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, a logical assignment to this classification, or if it involves…