Director of the Center for Integrated Advising

Located in Lexington, Virginia, Washington and Lee University (W&L) integrates rigorous inquiry and critical thinking of a liberal arts curriculum with nationally accredited undergraduate programs in business and journalism, as well as a graduate School of Law. With an enrollment of 1,916 undergraduates and 370 law students, Washington and Lee's small size enables students to find mentors and develop personal relationships across campus. W&L is one of only a handful of colleges and universities in the United States that are both need-blind in admissions-meaning the institution admits students without regard for their ability to pay-and committed to meeting 100 percent of demonstrated need for all students through financial aid packages that include no loans. The W&L Promise, which launched in 2014, is one of the oldest tuition-guarantee programs in the country, and was recently expanded to guarantee that students from families with an annual household income of less than $200,000 will attend tuition-free, starting in fall 2027.

The Position

Reporting to the associate provost for academic development and operations, the director of the Center for Integrated Advising (director) will lead W&L's efforts to build a coordinated advising system around the Compass Curriculum, working closely with faculty and academic leadership as the curriculum is implemented and refined. The director will oversee a growing team of professional advising specialists and the university's fellowship advising function, while establishing the systems, resources, and partnerships necessary to support students throughout their undergraduate careers.

In addition to leading Compass advising, the director will provide strategic and operational leadership for fellowship advising and will help connect fellowship opportunities to students' broader academic and experiential goals. The director will also play a central role in advancing the Full W&L Experience (FWLE), helping ensure that students can identify, plan for, access, and complete the high-impact learning experiences that are an integral part of a W&L education.

Working across academic and administrative units, the director will help create a more coherent student experience by connecting the Compass Curriculum, advising, fellowships, experiential learning, funding, and other forms of student support.

Essential responsibilities of the director of the Center for Integrated Advising include the following:

• Provide leadership for the advising implementation of W&L's new Compass Curriculum, working closely with faculty, academic leadership, and relevant administrative offices.
• Supervise, mentor, and evaluate professional advising specialists and fellowship advising staff, establishing clear expectations, priorities, and professional development opportunities.
• Work with faculty and academic leadership to evaluate how effectively advising practices are supporting the goals of the new curriculum and recommend adjustments as the first cohorts progress.
• Collaborate with university partners on developing the advising infrastructure necessary to support the phased implementation of Compass, beginning with incoming first-year students and expanding as subsequent cohorts progress through the curriculum.
• Manage the Center's budget, infrastructure, and administrative operations.
• Develop annual priorities, goals, assessment strategies, and measures of success for the Center and communicate progress to university leadership.
• Represent the Center in university committees, planning processes, and cross-campus initiatives related to advising, undergraduate education, student success, and experiential learning.
• Provide leadership for the advising and coordination components related to the funding of experiential learning opportunities.
• Lead the development of an integrated advising infrastructure that gives authorized advisors an accurate view of student progress, advising needs, experiential participation, and relevant funding.
• Develop regular reporting for university leadership and relevant governance bodies regarding advising and experiential learning.

The target salary range for the director of the Center for Integrated Advising is $100,000-$135,000, commensurate with experience and education.

Qualifications

Minimum requirements for the position include a master's degree or equivalent advanced degree and significant relevant professional experience, including supervision and development of professional staff, in academic advising, undergraduate education, student success, or a closely related function.

Application and Nomination

Washington and Lee University has selected Spelman Johnson, a leading executive search firm, to assist with conducting this search. Review of applications will begin Monday, October 19, 2026, and continue until the position is filled. Submit a resume and cover letter via https://spelmanandjohnson.com/position/director-of-the-center-for-integrated-advising/

• Contact Michel R. Frendian, senior consultant and practice leader, at mrf@spelmanandjohnson.com for confidential inquiries.
• Applicants needing reasonable accommodation to participate in the application process should contact Spelman Johnson at 413-529-2895 or email info@spelmanjohnson.com.

Visit the Washington & Lee University website at www.wlu.edu

Washington and Lee is an Equal Opportunity Employer seekingâEUR¯candidates committed to high standards of scholarship, performance, professionalism, and to a welcoming campus community. Job description requirements are representative, but not allâEUR?inclusive of the knowledge, skill, and abilities needed to perform this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

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