Director of Academic Advising en Fuller Theological Seminary

Director of Academic Advising

Position Title: Director 

Department:  Academic Advising

Status: Full-time, exempt    

Work Mode: Hybrid (Pasadena)

Reports to:  Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs and Institutional Effectiveness

Position Summary

The Director of Academic Advising provides strategic leadership in delivering a student-centered, digitally integrated approach to academic advising. This role ensures students receive timely, accurate, and personalized support throughout their academic journey while leveraging technology, data, and automation to improve student engagement and retention.

Working collaboratively with the Associate Directors, the Director specializes in supporting advisors who, in turn, support all academic programs to ensure a seamless and cohesive student experience. The Director leads the advising team, implements retention strategies, and works across departments to optimize student success.

As a key institutional leader, the Director plays a highly visible role in advising, retention strategy meetings, faculty collaborations, and broader student success initiatives. This position requires active participation in strategy meetings, cross-functional collaborations, and enrollment planning sessions. The individual must demonstrate professionalism, strong communication skills, and a leadership presence—both in person and in virtual settings. Full engagement and attendance at leadership meetings is expected. 

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Digital Transformation

• Develop and implement a digitally forward, student-centered advising model that integrates AI tools, predictive analytics, and automation to enhance student engagement.

• Partner with institutional leaders to align advising strategies with retention and academic success initiatives.

• Continuously optimize digital advising tools, communication workflows, and self-service student resources to improve efficiency and responsiveness.

• Leverage data analytics to monitor advising trends, assess student needs, and refine advising strategies.

• Maintain and share documentation on advising policies, procedures, and best practices.

Student Support & Academic Advising

• Provide direct academic advising for 10–25 students annually, focusing on complex cases and specialized programs.

• Ensure students receive clear, consistent guidance on academic policies, degree requirements, and institutional procedures.

• Work with faculty and academic leadership to develop innovative advising solutions that enhance student success.

• Collaborate with Access Services to ensure accommodations are effectively integrated into academic advising.

Retention & Student Success

• Serve as a key leader in institutional retention efforts, developing proactive strategies to support student persistence and degree completion.

• Analyze retention data to identify trends and implement targeted interventions for at-risk students.

• Work closely with the Associate VP for Academic Affairs and Institutional Effectiveness to align retention efforts with seminary-wide strategies.

• Assist with Day 10 Enrollment Reports and use data insights to inform advising and retention initiatives.

Process Optimization & Policy Implementation

• Ensure advising processes are student-friendly, efficient, and aligned with institutional goals.

• Oversee policy interpretation and implementation, providing clear guidance on academic regulations and procedures.

• Collaborate with the CAO and Deans to develop, assess, and refine academic policies.

Team Leadership & Development

• Structure and organize the Advising team to effectively support the tasks and the seminary’s needs. 

• Lead and mentor the advising team, fostering a data-driven, student-first approach.

• Oversee hiring, training, and professional development, ensuring a dynamic and diverse advising staff.

• Conduct regular performance evaluations and facilitate ongoing staff training in digital tools and advising best practices.

Cross-Departmental Collaboration

• Partner with faculty, academic departments, and student services to ensure a cohesive student experience.

• Work with Enrollment, Financial Aid, and Student and Academic Services to improve student onboarding and retention.

• Serve as an institutional liaison, representing advising in meetings with senior leadership, faculty, and deans.

Process Improvement & Student Experience

• Continuously refine advising workflows, integrating automation, chatbots, and digital advising tools to enhance accessibility.

• Utilize behavioral analytics and student feedback to improve advising services and student engagement.

• Work with IT and digital teams to implement innovative advising solutions that streamline student support.

Accreditation & Curriculum Support

• Support institutional accreditation efforts and curriculum development initiatives.

• Work with Advising staff to address curriculum-related accreditation questions and collect data relevant to program assessment as needed.

• Oversee directed studies for SMT master’s level students, ensuring academic integrity and student success.

Budget & HR Management

• Manage advising budget, ensuring financial resources are allocated effectively to support strategic initiatives.

• Work closely with the Office of Financial Affairs (OFA) to oversee budget planning, expenditures, and financial reporting.

• Coordinate HR paperwork and personnel management for the advising team, ensuring compliance with institutional policies and procedures.

• Prioritize the recruitment of a vibrant and diverse team that reflects the student population and fosters a variety of perspectives and experiences

• Collaborate with HR to facilitate hiring, onboarding, and professional development opportunities for advising staff.

Qualifications & Skills

• Master’s degree required, preferably in student development, higher education, or a related field.

• Minimum of three years of experience in academic advising or a related higher education role.

• Strong background in student support, digital advising tools, and data-informed decision-making.

• Experience with AI-driven advising solutions, CRM tools, and digital engagement strategies preferred.

• Proven leadership and team management experience.

• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to translate data into actionable strategies.

• Excellent cross-cultural communication and conflict resolution abilities.

• Commitment to a student-centered, equity-driven advising philosophy.

Additional Remarks:

• Must be willing to abide by Fuller Community Standards

• Must be willing to sign Fuller's Statement of Faith

• This is a hybrid position working primarily from the Pasadena, CA campus with some availability to work from home. 

Pay Scale: 

• Annual salary the seminary expects to pay: $83,000 - $88,000 annually USD

Why This Role Matters

The Director of Academic Advising plays a crucial role in shaping student success at Fuller. By integrating technology, data analytics, and student-centered advising strategies, this leader ensures students receive the support they need to thrive.

Collaboration with institutional leaders, faculty, and student services is essential to creating a seamless academic experience that prioritizes retention and student engagement. This role requires a forward-thinking, innovative leader dedicated to improving advising processes and student outcomes in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Fuller Theological Seminary is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. To the extent required by law, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected Veteran status.  As a religious institution, Fuller Theological Seminary is permitted and reserves the right to prefer employees or prospective employees for certain positions on the basis of religion.