"Academic Success Coach"

Job Details

The Opportunity

The University of Tennessee Southern enthusiastically invites applications for the position of Academic Advisor in the Office of Student Success. We are looking for candidates who are dynamic leaders and advisors who put students first.

This is a full-time, staff position beginning in May 2026.

Position Summary

The Academic Advisor is under the supervision of the Vice Provost for Student Success. Primary responsibilities include advising and retention of students. The Academic Advisor will support students from identified academic programs in collaboration with colleagues on their College Success Team. Additionally, the Academic Advisor will support university-wide engagement and retention initiatives that support all UTS students.

About the University

The University of Tennessee Southern (UT Southern) is a public university established in 2021 through the acquisition of Martin Methodist College, founded in 1870. Located in Pulaski, UT Southern stands as the fourth undergraduate campus in the UT System. It is the only public four-year institution of higher education between Chattanooga and Memphis, and situated along Tennessee’s southern border, the campus is conveniently located about 70 miles south of Nashville and 40 miles north of Huntsville, Alabama. The over 1,000 students enrolled at UT Southern enjoy a private, small-college experience at an affordable, public-university cost. Low student-teacher ratios, high classroom personalization, and the resources of a land-grant university system are among the many advantages students experience. Nearly 30 academic programs are available through the schools of business, education, arts and humanities, mathematics and sciences, nursing, and social sciences. The UT Southern Firehawks, competing in the Southern States Athletic Conference, have 19 nationally competitive athletic teams. The University of Tennessee Board of Trustees recently approved UT Southern’s inaugural five-year strategic plan: Igniting Excellence. The strategic plan is built on three foundational pillars designed to guide UT Southern through its next phase of growth and development: enhance academic excellence and promote innovation; create transformational student experiences and foster student success; and establish greater connectedness and facilitate campus and community engagement.The University of Tennessee Southern’s vision is to be the epicenter for education, community leadership, and workforce development in south-central Tennessee and a national model for higher education in rural America.The mission of the University of Tennessee Southern is to provide an inspiring student-centered and transformative academic experience that empowers our students to excel in their chosen fields, to nurture intellectual inquiry and critical thinking, and to instill a commitment to lifelong learning. With a profound sense of responsibility to our community, we strive to foster engagement and collaboration with all stakeholders to advance effectual change in the region and beyond.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Be a proactive and constructive participant within an advising team dedicated to student success.
• Advise a caseload of students to support their transition and success at UTS.
• Provide proactive advising using techniques such as motivational interviewing and the appreciative advising framework.
• Support student retention by working with advisees in academic difficulty and recommending appropriate actions and resources.
• Utilize retention data to inform decisions on student advising initiatives.
• Track and manage student appointments, alerts, and notifications within UTS Systems (SIS).
• Assist students in the process of declaring or changing a major.
• Participate in retention initiatives sponsored by the department, school, or university.
• Help students understand university and degree requirements, interpret a degree evaluation, and develop a responsible approach to academic planning.
• Be knowledgeable of all academic programs at the university; maintain awareness of and integrate revisions in departmental requirements.
• Support efforts in Enrollment Management and Student Affairs in planning the logistics and the advisement of students at orientation sessions.
• Evaluate and recommend academic offering options to the Vice Provost for Student Success based on enrollment data during the registration process for space.
• Assist with the coordination and delivery of workshops and classroom presentations regarding academic advisement.
• Represent the office during campus events.
• Complete annual NACADA (National Academic Advising Association) training/professional development as determined by your supervisor.
• Other duties as assigned

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of current professional literature trends in academic advising, and University and degree requirements.
• Ability to interact in an effective and appropriate manner with diverse populations, the University community, students, family members, and the public.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of records and information; maintain files accurately, in paper and in software programs (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Pharos, Elements).
• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Strong planning, collaboration and time-management skills.
• Ability to efficiently operate a personal computer and associated software (Outlook, Word, Excel, etc.)
• Knowledge of UTS undergraduate degree requirements.
• Ability to communicate effectively and appropriately, both verbally and in writing.

Physical Requirements

• Sedentary Work

Required Minimum Qualifications

• Earned Bachelor’s degree in Counseling, Education, Psychology, Communications or related academic program
• A background check will be required of the successful candidate.