Director of Academic Advising

Job Description

The Opportunity:

The Director of Academic Advising has a rare opportunity to help launch Wentworth Institute of Technology’s new Integrated Advising Collaborative (IAC), an innovative, university-wide model that brings together student success, faculty, and co-op/career advising to provide students with coordinated support from matriculation through graduation. Wentworth’s distinctive value proposition combines rigorous, career-connected academic programs with a hallmark co-op model, giving students a clear path from their first day on campus to their first day on the job. In this leadership role, the Director will shape a proactive, developmental four-year advising experience that strengthens student success, persistence, and timely graduation across all Schools. The position also offers the chance to lead and grow a team of dedicated advising professionals while partnering closely with Deans, Advising Leads, and institutional colleagues to build a high-impact, student-centered culture of advising.

The Integrated Advising Collaborative (IAC) unites student success advisors, faculty advisors, and co-op and career advisors to deliver holistic, student-centered guidance. It ensures that every student has a clear pathway from their first day of class to their first day on the job, supported by a coordinated team of specialists who communicate and operate as one. By drawing on the distinct expertise of each advising group, the model ensures that advising is proactive, and support is coordinated, responsive, and sustained throughout a student’s academic journey. This integrated approach empowers students to make informed decisions, navigate challenges, and advance their academic, professional, and personal growth, ultimately staying on track toward graduation and achieving meaningful career outcomes.

Job Summary:

The Director of Academic Advising provides strategic and operational leadership for the Student Success Advising (SSA) function within Wentworth’s Integrated Advising Collaborative (IAC). The Director ensures a four‑year, holistic advising model in which professional academic advisors support students continuously from matriculation through graduation, and that advising is proactive, developmental, and integrated across academic planning, transitions, co‑op milestones, and key decision points. The Director leads Academic Case Management, serves as the institutional academic‑advising liaison to the CARE process, and ensures consistent practice across Schools in close partnership with Deans, School Advising Leads, the Director of Cooperative Education, and the Director of Operations and Communication.

Essential Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership of Student Success Advising

• Provide institutional leadership for the Student Success Advising function, aligning practice with the IAC charter, institutional advising standards, and advising learning outcomes.
• Design, implement, and continuously assess a four‑year advising framework in which students are supported by professional academic advisors throughout their undergraduate journey.
• Ensure advising is proactive, developmental, and integrated across academic planning, transitions, and key decision points (including co‑op readiness and reflection.)
• Ensure high‑quality, consistent advising across Schools in partnership with Deans and School Advising Leads.
• Implement institutional advising expectations including timely responses to students, timely documentation, proactive outreach following academic concerns, and required term‑based engagement.
• Serve as final decision maker for IAC academic advising policies and processes.

Academic Case Management (Institutional Owner)

• Manage progress reporting system and related communication and follow-up.
• Lead Academic Case Management for students with complex academic progression issues.
• Establish protocols for identifying, assessing, documenting, and following up on complex academic cases.
• Chair or coordinate coordinated academic case reviews with School Advising Leads, Student Success Advisors (SSAs), Coop and Career Advisors (CCAs) and Faculty Advisors (FAs), and Student Support Services.
• Oversee development and monitoring of Pathway to Success Plans (PTSPs) for students on academic probation; integrate midterm performance data into case management processes.

CARE Case Management Liaison (Academic Advising Domain)

• Serve as the liaison between academic advising and the University CARE Team for non‑emergency wellness/behavioral concerns.
• Train advisors on when and how to submit CARE referrals in alignment with University guidance; reinforce emergency pathways to Public Safety.
• Coordinate with CARE and the Dean of Students Office to ensure appropriate follow‑up for student well‑being as it relates to the advising process.

People Leadership, Structure & Specialization

• Provide leadership for a centralized advising organization of approximately 14 staff, including direct reports and multiple specialized advising functions.
• Collaborate with the Assistant Provost for Student Success regarding the effective integration of specialty advising roles (e.g., case management, transfer student advising, general education advising, and emerging areas of need) within a cohesive student experience.
• Supervise Student Success Advisors, including hiring, onboarding, coaching, and evaluation; integrate School Advising Lead feedback into SSA performance reviews.
• Foster an inclusive, collaborative, equity‑minded culture within the advising team.

School‑Level Partnership & Faculty Advisor Alignment

• Work closely with School Advising Leads to coordinate SSA operations and cross‑functional collaboration with CCAs and FAs.
• Partner with the Associate Provost to design and sustain a Faculty Advisor training and communication model that complements the four‑year professional advising structure.
• Serve as an institutional expert on advising pedagogy, supporting consistency and shared responsibility between faculty and professional advisors.
• Support Faculty Advisor expectations and training in partnership with Deans and Advising Leads.

Technology, Documentation, & Data Practices (in partnership with Director of Operations and Communication)

• In partnership with the Director of Operations and Communications, collaborate to ensure consistent use of the advising platform for documentation and case management.
• Uphold institutional expectations for timely, professional advising documentation and shared‑notes practices and routinely report outcomes to stakeholders.
• Support advising data compliance and integrity and use of analytics for decision‑making.

Assessment, Metrics, & Continuous Improvement (in partnership with Director of Operations and Communication)

• Monitor and routinely generate institutional advising metrics such as retention, progression, probation recovery, documentation timeliness, and early‑progress outreach completion.
• Contribute to School Advising Team review meetings using institutional dashboards.
• Translate findings into improvements in advising processes, training, and resource allocation.

Training & Professional Development

• Develop and deliver training for SSAs on developmental advising, case management, probation intervention, documentation, equity‑minded practice, and CARE processes.
• Coordinate cross‑training with the Director of Cooperative Education on co‑op milestones and placement processes.
• Partner with School leadership for Faculty Advisor development in alignment with institutional expectations.

Student‑Facing Leadership

• Maintain a small advising caseload to model best practices and remain grounded in student experience.

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Higher Education, Student Affairs, Counseling, or related field.
• 7+ years progressively responsible experience in academic advising or student success.
• Experience supervising professional advising staff.
• Demonstrated experience with academic case management and probation intervention.
• Experience with behavioral intervention or CARE‑type referral processes.
• Strong understanding of FERPA and equity‑minded advising practices.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in STEM or technology‑focused institutions.
• Familiarity with co‑op or experiential learning advising models.
• Experience with EAB Navigate or similar systems.

Competencies:

• Collaborative leadership across functional roles.
• Strong judgment regarding student well‑being and referral pathways.
• Ability to operationalize institutional advising standards.
• High‑level data literacy.
• Commitment to equity, access, and inclusive advising practices.

Position Details:

The job grade for this position is Grade 9.

The expected salary for this position is between $90,000 - $113,000 which reflects what we reasonably expect to pay for this role.

At this time, the university is unable to sponsor applicants for H-1B visas.

This position is a full-time benefits eligible position with a 37.5-hour work week and is on-campus 5 days a week.

Compensation and Benefits

Wentworth Institute of Technology is committed to fair, transparent, and legally compliant compensation practices. We believe that clarity about pay structures and ranges supports equity, fosters trust, and ensures a positive workplace for all employees.

Please visit here to see the comprehensive benefits package offered to support the best experience for our employees. https://wit.edu/careers/work-wentworth

Inclusive Excellence at Wentworth

Inclusive Excellence is one of the four pillars of the Strategic Plan. Actively and intentionally cultivating a diverse and culturally competent institution where each member has the opportunity and support to reach their full potential and make contributions to our campus community and beyond is Inclusive Excellence at Wentworth.

To find out more about the Wentworth’s commitment to Inclusive Excellence, please visit the website https://wit.edu/about/inclusive-excellence.

All applicants have the right to accessibility support and accommodations. To request accessibility support or accommodations, contact the Executive Director of Equity and Compliance, Catlin Wells, at [email protected].

E-Verify for Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9)

Wentworth participates in E-Verify. E-Verify is an internet-based system that compares information from your Form I-9 to records available to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA) to confirm that you are authorized to work in the United States.