"Assistant Director of Advising and Statewide Transfer Initiatives"

Job Description

Nevada State University invites applications for the position of Assistant Director of Academic Advising and Statewide Transfer Initiatives. The Assistant Director of Academic Advising and Statewide Transfer Initiatives places a strategic emphasis on programs and activities that promote the robust recruitment and enrollment of transfer students, and helps set them on a path to increased success and degree completion. This role champions a forward-thinking approach to transfer recruitment and advising that is tailored to the needs of our student population and fosters collaborative partnerships with internal stakeholders and external community colleges and transfer networks. The Assistant Director leads efforts to integrate recruitment, academic advising, and student support initiatives, ensuring that transfer students receive the guidance, support and resources needed to thrive. Demonstrating a strong commitment to equitable enrollment growth and student success, the Assistant Director employs evidence-based strategies, innovative practices, and data-driven assessment to advance institutional goals related to transfer student enrollment and achievement.

About the institution:

Nevada State University, a four-year Minority Serving public institution with a statewide mission, is dedicated to excellence in teaching and learning and committed to the advancement of a diverse and largely underserved student population. Designated a Hispanic Serving (HSI) and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Institution (AANAPI), Nevada State is a university where teaching and student support are valued above all else.

Nevada State University continues to grow as an institution of higher education. In Fall 2024, the enrollment surpassed 7,500, with 7,464 undergraduate students and 85 graduate students. A majority of our students are first generation, racial/ethnic minorities, parents, and/or returning students, of which 41% are Hispanic, 13% are Asian/Pacific Islander, 9% are Black/African American, 22% are White, and 6% are multiracial.

We celebrate the storied backgrounds of our campus community. We operate with a shared commitment to represent and serve the diverse population of Nevada and to encourage the exchange of ideas that respects and honors the lived experiences of our students, staff, and faculty. We foster a culture of inclusive excellence so our members can live authentically, fully engage, and flourish. In order to strengthen the university and progress its mission, the university dedicates itself to intentional and ongoing reflection to meeting the evolving needs of Nevada State University, the surrounding communities, and the State of Nevada.

We seek applicants who are passionate about working with this promising student population and collaborating with faculty and staff across departments to make a lasting impact in developing our institution and our community. We encourage you to highlight your background in fostering an inclusive campus culture and supporting the success of students who are historically underrepresented in higher education.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Develop, Execute, & Evaluate Transfer Strategy: Create and implement an institutional strategy that enhances transfer student recruitment, enrollment, and eventual success, including the development and assessment of key transfer goals.
• Build and Strengthen Transfer Partnerships & Initiatives: Partner with state and regional community colleges to promote NS as a transfer destination and develop seamless pathways that maximize transferable credits, including the development of dedicated transfer programs (e.g., dual admissions).
• Design and Promote Transfer Pathways that Increase Enrollment & Student Success: Collaborate with internal and external academic partners to create articulation agreements and transfer pathways that improve the transfer student journey from inquiry through graduation and promote timely degree completion.
• Advance Holistic Advising Models: Oversee development of advising practices that address the academic, financial, and social needs of transfer students, in partnership with advising, financial aid, and student affairs.
• Lead Targeted Recruitment Initiatives and Events: Coordinate with relevant campus divisions (e.g., marketing) to design and implement targeted recruitment efforts, including transfer fairs, campus visits, liaison activities with community colleges, and the creation of recruitment content/materials.
• Analyze Trends and Opportunities: Use enrollment data, market analysis, and recommended practices from the relevant literature to identify opportunities for growth in the transfer population and improve institutional practices.
• Support and Supervise Staff: Supervise and develop transfer-focused personnel across key departments such as admissions, advising, and student success.
• Represent NS in Transfer Initiatives: Serve as the institutional representative on regional and state transfer articulation boards or initiatives, advocating for supportive policies.
• Provide Strategic Leadership and Advocacy: Advise senior leadership on best practices and policy recommendations to enhance transfer equity and efficiency across the institution.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution
• At least two (2) years of experience in higher education in transfer operations, advising, recruitment, or a comparable area.
• Demonstrated commitment to a diverse, nontraditional, first-generation student population.
• Effective written and oral communication skills and strong interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and contribute to a collaborative team environment while effectively managing multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Eligibility to work in the United States without sponsorship (Nevada State does not sponsor employment-related visas).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree from a regionally-accredited institution.
• Leadership/supervisory experience in Academic Advising or Transfer Recruitment.
• Experience with data analysis, predictive analytics, and transfer recruitment/enrollment metrics.
• Successful experience guiding a division, program, or initiative that supports the enrollment and success of transfer students.
• Experience developing and conducting transfer and/or recruitment-oriented workshops.

Salary & Benefits

Budgeted salary for this position is commensurate with qualifications and experience. Nevada State University offers excellent benefits, including 19.25% retirement match, 24 annual leave days, beginning balance of 30 sick leave days, 12 paid holidays, educational benefits, and three health insurance plans that can be supplemented with flexible spending accounts or health savings accounts.