Academic Advisor, Special Education and Assistive Technology

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Department: Col of Ed and Human Development

Classification: Education Support Spec 3

Job Category: Classified Staff

Job Type: Part-Time

Work Schedule: Other

Location: Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible

Sponsorship Eligibility: Not eligible for visa sponsorship

Pay Band: 04

Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department:

The College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) prepares professionals to promote learning and development across the life span and contributes to research and practice in human and organizational performance and learning and developmental sciences. The college offers programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels and engages in research and community partnerships that support student and community success.

About the Position:

The Academic Advisor plays an important role in facilitating academic progress and degree completion for undergraduate and graduate students across multiple Special Education and Assistive Technology programs, delivery formats (campus, online, outreach/contract), and diverse student populations. The position provides direct advising from initial acceptance through graduation by interpreting policies and requirements, streamlining student navigation of academic processes, and delivering individualized student support. The advisor collaborates with other advisors, academic program coordinators, unit leads, Deans, and university offices to resolve student issues and ensure accurate, timely academic actions.

Responsibilities:

• Advises and guides undergraduate and graduate students from acceptance through graduation via in-person and virtual meetings, phone, and email;
• Develops individualized programs of study and course plans;
• Monitors student progress;
• Identifies at-risk students and coordinate interventions;
• Facilitates referrals to campus resources and support services;
• Documents advising interactions and outcomes;
• Facilitates new-student onboarding and orientations;
• Communicates academic and program requirements clearly to diverse student audiences;
• Responds to general program inquiries through shared inboxes and phone coverage;
• Maintains student and alumni listservs/communications;
• Triages issues and refers/escalates as appropriate to ensure timely resolution;
• Interprets university/college/program policies and requirements;
• Processes and completes academic actions routed to the assigned advisor (e.g., registration changes, program changes, milestone actions) using Banner and related systems;
• Verifies student records for accuracy;
• Resolves discrepancies by coordinating with registrar/college offices;
• Maintains FERPA-compliant records and advising documentation;
• Runs and analyzes reports to track progress (e.g., GPA/requirements monitoring) and support proactive advising;
• Identifies recurring process barriers and recommend streamlined workflows;
• Documents procedures and contribute to continuous improvement of advising communications and service delivery;
• Coordinates with staff and faculty and to support program operations and student success initiatives;
• Supports program events;
• Represents programs at recruitment events;
• Participates in professional development to maintain advising, policy, and system knowledge; and
• Provides cross-coverage for advising continuity during peak cycles.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience;
• Typically, a minimum of one year of professional experience serving as an Academic Advisor in a higher education setting, with primary responsibility for a student caseload and for completing academic actions/records processes;
• Experience without primary advising caseload responsibility does not meet this requirement;
• Knowledge of academic advising theories and strategies and ability to apply them to support student success;
• Skill in interpreting and applying university, college, and program policies to advise students and to complete academic actions accurately;
• Skill in using student information systems and advising platforms to document, process, and track student records and academic actions;
• Ability to communicate clearly and professionally in writing and verbally with diverse student populations and stakeholders;
• Ability to prioritize, coordinate, and manage multiple deadlines while maintaining attention to detail and confidentiality; and
• Other attributes: customer-service orientation; proactive problem solving; ability to work independently and collaboratively in a flexible environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience advising across multiple programs, delivery formats (campus/online/outreach), and diverse student populations;
• Skill/experience using Ellucian Banner (INB), MicroStrategy reporting, and Salesforce products; and
• Familiarity with Mason systems.

Instructions to Applicants:

For full consideration, applicants must apply for Academic Advisor, Special Education and Assistive Technology at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a Cover Letter/Letter of Intent with Resume for review.

Posting Open Date: July 2, 2026

Posting Close Date: July 16, 2026

Open Until Filled: No