AddressThe Academic Coach is responsible for providing personalized interactions to assist learners in successfully navigating the path to achieve their educational goals. The Academic Coach will provide outreach at key milestones and based on identified behaviors throughout learners’ programs to help keep them on track and to assist with overcoming obstacles they encounter. Each interaction includes exploration of needs and provides personalized solutions to learners to effectively prepare them for long-term success.
The Academic Coach also works with faculty and other University partners to address learner concerns and to collaboratively define options to help learners overcome obstacles and achieve academic success.
The schedule for this position is 4 days a week 9:00 am to 6:00 pm CST, and 1 day a week 11:00 am - 8 pm CST. Require some Saturday shifts, 9:00am to 5:00pm CST. Training for this position is 3 weeks long and will have a Monday through Friday schedule of 8:00 am to 4:30 pm you will need to be available for. (Please be aware of the time difference if you are in a different time zone)
Essential Duties
- Academic Planning & Engagement
- Assist learners in developing an academic plan that includes all program requirements, enables most direct path to completion, and aligns with their educational and career goals
- Leverage tools, systems and software applications to optimize advising engagement.
- Build a relationship with the learner to encourage learner success and engagement
- Utilize program analytics and outreach protocols to drive purpose-driven and transformational conversations.
- Help learners navigate changes in their programs and plans and understand and respond to Capella-initiated changes
- Explore alignment of learner’s educational and financial plans in relation to degree completion
- Provide resources and refer learners to university support services
- Assess learner needs in order to help them make fully informed decisions about their pathways as well as challenging them to make progress toward their goals.
- Progress Monitoring & Academic Risk Mitigation
- Proactively reach out to learners identified as at-risk, including but not limited to, lack of engagement, academic standing, pace of progress, course completion, gaps in competency development
- Highlight and address potential barriers that may impact persistence, success and completion
- Encourage learners to develop skills and abilities in direct resolution of challenges and issues; coordinate with faculty, academic leadership and learner-facing team to seek resolution of learner issues.
- Coach learners through disruptive life events and challenges.
- Provide options based on the unique situation.
- Respond to the learner via a wide variety of communication tools and systems including, but not limited to: phone, voicemail, chat, email, casework and social media.
- Collaborate with faculty, chairs and other university leaders in handling escalated learner situations and supporting conflict resolution
- Communication & Interaction
- Respond to the learner via a wide variety of communication tools and systems including, but not limited to: phone, voicemail, chat, email, casework and social media.
- Maintain appropriate and accurate documentation of all learner interactions in accordance with departmental best practices
- Program, Process, and Policy Subject Matter Expertise
- Serve as University Subject Matter Experts concerning programs, processes, and policies in meetings, committees, and informal sessions
- Monitor and communicate trends impacting learner persistence, success, and completion; discuss obstacles and challenges to the learner
- Support development and training for faculty and/or staff regarding programs, process, and policy
- Proactively and respectfully identify and provide insight into program, process and policy opportunities and gaps. Participate in creating solutions in partnership with the key stakeholders once areas of improvement are identified.
- Build trusted professional relationships across the business
- Participate in projects or initiatives that support departmental goals
- Support and participate in departmental and crossfuctional training
- Research and stay abreast of issues and trends in other institutions of higher education.
Job Skills
- Driving Results:
- Ability to understand key metrics and utilize self-service reporting and tools to monitor and share data.
- Ability to drive results in a team-based environment.
- Ability to influence positive learner behaviors and outcomes.
- Thinking and Judgment
- Fundamental understanding of business acumen in order to successfully balance learner and University needs.
- Ability to exercise keen discretion and ethical judgment in responding to complex learner situations.
- Ability to adapt quickly and thrive in a fast-paced, changing professional environment
- Ability to innovate with the purpose of accomplishing key objectives. Willing to take risks.
- Ability to respond positively to consistent change.
- Ability to think critically in order to build plans of action and personalized solutions.
- Comfortable representing a complex program requiring in-depth, specialized knowledge.
- Ability to manage sensitive and confidential information.
- Working with Others
- Ability to prioritize the needs of the learner, and committed to providing an excellent learner experience
- Ability to quickly understand problems and provide proactive solutions.
- Ability to form positive working relationships, foster effective team atmosphere and promote a collaborative environment with the learner, faculty, staff and leadership.
- Ability to work effectively and efficiently with a diverse population
- Ability to manage conflict. Motivated and engaged by frequent and occasionally challenging interactions.
- Ability to develop trust and hold others accountable to commitments.
- Ability to assess challenging situations and effectively communicating with leadership.
- Ability to maintain departmental guidelines for interacting with and responding to learners and Capella stakeholders.
- Managing Self
- Ability to manage time effectively by prioritizing and evaluating work to manage a variety of daily activities.
- Ability to effectively juggle multiple tasks and handle competing priorities
- Ability to demonstrate resilience and respond appropriately to stressful situations
- Ability to be self-aware and behave appropriately with a commitment to continuous self-improvement.
- Ability to self-direct and follow through on assigned tasks while working both independently and collaboratively.
- Motivated in a fast-paced, high intensity environment driven by deadlines.
- Technical Functions and Skills
- Ability to maintain best practices for learner interaction: Each interaction involves discovering needs, understanding the situation, recommending options and customized solutions, determining a way forward, and always engaging and listening to the needs of the learner. Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to communicate through a variety of channels/systems.
- Foundational understanding of the advising discipline– both from educational and career perspective.
- Ability to evaluate and learn new computer software applications quickly.
- Proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel and Outlook.
- Work/Location Requirements
- Must be able to spend significant time working at a computer and on the phone using a headset.
- Must be flexible in work hours/schedule in order to accommodate learner needs.
- Position may require work above and beyond 40 hours per week during peak periods.
Work Experience
- Prefer two to four years of professional experience using advanced coaching, critical thinking, and problem solving skills. Experience working with adult learners and/or faculty is preferred
Education
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution required. Master’s degree from an accredited institution preferred. Doctoral degree from an accredited institution preferred for Doctoral Advisors. degree from an accredited institution(s) in disciplines such as student development, college student personnel management, education psychology, counseling psychology, social work, student affairs, or higher education are preferred. Specific degree from an accredited institutions may be preferred based on school and program assignment
Certificates, licenses and registrations
Other
- Must be able to travel occasionally should a business need arise. For most roles travel would not be common. Travel may involve plane, car or metro. In accordance with ADA policies, reasonable accommodations regarding travel limitations can be provided. Travel will be more common for roles such as Account Executives (25 - 50%), senior leaders (10 – 20%) or Capella Core Faculty (5 – 10%).
- Ability to work onsite in Corporate or Campus location (in a typical office environment) may be required based on role. If so, this would include being mobile within the office, including movement from floor-to-floor using elevators or stairs.
- If offsite or hybrid role, must have access to work in setting which enables meeting all requirements of the role (including privacy, reliable internet access, phone, ability to video conference, etc.) at a remote location.
- Faculty and Federal Work Study roles require access to work in setting which enables meeting all requirements of the role (including computer, privacy, reliable internet access, phone, ability to video conference, etc.) at a remote location.
- This role may require lifting, however reasonable accommodations will be provided in accordance with our ADA policies.
- Must be able to meet critical thinking and problem solving aspects aligned to job duties, as well as effectively communicating with co-workers.
- Must be able to work more than 40 hours per week when business needs warrant. Accommodations related to schedule may be considered.
- Able to access information using a computer.
- Other essential functions and marginal job functions are subject to modification.
SEI is an Equal Opportunity employer committed to a diverse and inclusive community. We welcome applications from all. While it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top end of the pay range at SEI, we offer a competitive salary and benefits package. The actual base pay offered to the successful candidate may vary depending on multiple factors including, but not limited to, job-related knowledge/skills, experience, business needs, geographical location, and internal pay equity. Our Talent Acquisition Team is ready to discuss your interest in joining SEI. The expected salary range for this position is below.
If you require reasonable accommodations to complete our application process, please contact our Human Resources Department at Careers@strategiced.com.
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