Advising Assistant

Job Title: Advising Assistant
Classification: C4
Department: CLAS Academic Advising Center
Updated: March 2019

Job Summary

Assistant to the Director of the Northern MI programs, as it relates to the support of the objectives for the Center for Adult and Continuing Studies.

Essential Functions

  • General CLAS Academic Advising Center.
  • Provide administrative and clerical support for the CLAS Academic Advising Center including answering telephones, managing calendars and correspondence, maintaining electronic/paper recordkeeping systems and materials and coordination and implementation of projects and events.
  • Compile and analyze data, prepare standard and requested reports, generate correspondence, presentation materials, spreadsheets, graphics, meeting materials, and other similar items using various computer systems.
  • Disseminate information that may require explanation and interpretation of established university and unit policies and procedures, and direct individuals to sources of additional information.
  • Assist faculty, staff, and students with academic questions.
  • Coordinate and manage the departmental email site. Respond to appropriate inquiries and forward to advisor when necessary.
  • Manage programs’ database systems; developing queries necessary for data requested by staff members.
  • Assist with the design and maintenance of the departmental website.
  • Maintain and analyze budgetary records (Banner) by performing bookkeeping related duties such as reconciling, monitoring, making and tracking expenditures, preparing statements regarding the status of accounts and making recommendations as to projected budgets. Both general departmental account and the designated pre-professional account.
  • Assist Director in disseminating information regarding mid-term and final semester grades for students who may be at risk for academic issues.
  • Assist all staff is coordinating and promoting student and faculty workshops throughout the year.
  • Coordinate employment search processes.
  • Assist with the training of new AP and PSS staff.
  • Pre-Professional Team Duties.
  • Coordinate the correspondence to incoming freshmen after their schedule is reviewed by staff advisors.
  • Member of pre-professional advising team, provides administrative support in coordinating events, developing materials, assisting pre-professional students who apply to professional school, developing and maintaining spreadsheet data for multiple resources and a wide variety of additional duties.
  • Have full understanding of the different professional school applications, processes, deadlines and requirements.  Disseminate this information to students as appropriate.
  • Maintain student data on various websites, monitoring payment, signup and completeness of their professional school application file.
  • Provide detailed and specific administrative support for: Professional School Fair, Suture Clinic; Test Prep Course and other Pre-professional events.

Non-Essential Functions

Not Applicable

Required Qualifications

  • High school graduate or equivalent.
  • Minimum of four years of relevant work experience.
  • Demonstrated administrative and organizational skills.
  • Experience with various computer software applications such as Microsoft Office and/or equivalent.
  • Data entry experience.
  • Typing and spelling competency with grammar and proofreading skills.
  • Possess strong verbal and written communication skills.
  • Demonstrated experience to successfully provide quality customer service.
  • Demonstrated experience to successfully work independently, organize own work and coordinate work activities of others.
  • Demonstrated experience to successfully coordinate large projects.
  • Demonstrated experience to successfully handle multiple demands efficiently.
  • Demonstrated experience to successfully organize and prioritize workload.
  • Demonstrated experience to successfully navigate challenging situations in the workplace, while using good judgement.
  • Demonstrated experience to successfully work under pressure and meet deadlines.
  • Demonstrated experience to successfully maintain satisfactory work performance and attendance records.
  • Ability to successfully maintain positive intercultural and interpersonal relationships.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree
  • Higher education experience
  • Supervisory experience

Supervision Received

Receives minimal supervision from a designated supervisor. Much of the work is self-initiated. Person is expected to function with considerable independence and apply appropriate policies and procedures within the assigned area of responsibility.

Supervision Exercised

Hire, train, schedule and coordinate the work of student employees and may act as lead worker to PSS staff members within the department/unit/division. 

Physical Demands

  • To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. Must have the physical stamina to work long hours and/or more than 5 days per week. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
  • The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. Additional duties are performed by the individuals currently holding this position and additional duties may be assigned.


Page last modified October 5, 2020