Academic Success Coach & Advisor

About Roanoke College

Roanoke College is a place where every student who works hard has the opportunity to succeed. We champion potential, providing essential learning and leadership through innovative academic programs and transformative educational experiences, giving students the mettle, mindset, and empathy to pursue lives of purpose, build meaningful careers, and meet society’s most pressing needs. Located in scenic Salem, Virginia, Roanoke College is an intimate, welcoming community that has served the local region and beyond for nearly 200 years. Now, we’re building on momentum and offering a Roanoke experience for today’s students and a legacy that belongs to every Maroon. Learn about the College's new strategic plan, Imagine Roanoke: A Strategic Plan for Roanoke College and the 21st Century Learner.

Roanoke College is a nationally ranked residential liberal arts college affiliated with the Lutheran Church (ELCA), located in the beautiful Roanoke Valley of Virginia. A Phi Beta Kappa institution, Roanoke College is an equal opportunity employer and actively seeks diversity among its faculty, staff, and students; women and members of under-represented groups are especially encouraged to apply.

The Position

Roanoke College is seeking dedicated and student-centered individuals to join our advising team as Academic Success Coaches. The Academic Success Coaches will work together to build a program to support undergraduate and/or graduate students in achieving their academic, professional, and personal goals. These individuals will provide comprehensive advising services utilizing a Field of Study/appreciative advising approach to incoming first-year, undeclared students, and transfer students and ensure a supportive learning environment for all students. This is a 12-month position.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide individualized and small-group academic advising to a caseload of incoming first-year, undeclared students, assisting with purpose discernment, course selection, degree planning, and registration.
• Collaborate with faculty advisors once students declare a major.
• Support students in adjusting to college life by facilitating five sections of a First-Year Experience (FYE) course offering guidance on time management, study skills, goal setting and career exploration.
• Serve as a central point of contact, connecting students with appropriate campus resources such as tutoring, counseling, financial aid, and career services.
• Empower students to make the most of the college environment by helping them navigate institutional systems and connect with mentors, faculty, and campus opportunities.
• Help students interpret academic policies and procedures, including general education requirements, major selection, and institutional expectations. Provide input to College leadership regarding potential revisions to ineffective policies and practices.
• Assist students in understanding how Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Dual Enrollment, prior learning, and transfer credits apply to degree requirements.
• Guide students through the process of requesting course substitutions or credit evaluations when needed.
• Monitor students placed on academic warning or probation and work closely with them to develop strategies for improvement.
• Adjust course schedules for students on academic warning prior to the start of each semester, based on final grade postings and academic standing.
• Assist with summer and spring registration for new students, including regular outreach to students in the onboarding process to provide support and guidance.
• Develop and facilitate workshops or orientation sessions tailored to the needs of first-year students.
• Monitor student progress through proactive outreach and regular check-ins to identify challenges early and provide timely intervention.
• Maintain accurate records of student interactions using advising software or institutional systems.
• Collaborate with faculty and staff to support student retention and success initiatives.
• Participate in ongoing training and professional development to stay informed about advising best practices and institutional updates.
• Manage or assist with SSC programming, which may include Peer Tutoring, or the retention program, RC Success.
• Perform other tasks as assigned to support the ongoing success of the Student Success Center and of Roanoke College.

Education, Experience, Skills, and Abilities:

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in education, counseling, student affairs, or any related liberal arts field.
• Strong interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills.
• Commitment to student development and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Ability to work collaboratively and independently in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong customer service orientation with a genuine passion for supporting student success.
• Proficiency in advanced Microsoft Office applications, including Teams and CoPilot.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends when necessary.

Preferred:

• Master’s degree in Higher Education, Student Affairs, Counseling, or related discipline.
• A minimum of 2 years of experience in an educational setting is preferred.
• Prior experience in academic advising.
• Knowledge of academic policies and degree requirements at the collegiate level.
• Familiarity with student information systems (e.g., Self-Service, Colleague, Navigate) though training will be provided.