COLLIN COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT

POSITION DESCRIPTION

TITLE: Academic Advising Specialist

DIVISION: Student Development

DEPARTMENT: Academic Advising

SECURITY SENSITIVE: Yes

JOB TITLE CODE: 0125

FLSA STATUS: Non-exempt

____________________________________________________________________

FUNCTION: Assist the Director of Advising with administrative duties related to departmental functions especially as they relate to budget, personnel, purchases, and the coordination and support of diverse staff and departmental needs. Maintain a high degree of confidentiality.

REPORTS TO: Director of Academic Advising

SUPERVISES: Student Assistants

____________________________________________________________________

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

Essential Job Functions:

1) Assist the Director with the development, revision and maintenance of the Academic Advising budget to include but not limited to preparation of the annual budget, projecting personnel costs and departmental operating and other associated costs. Enter personnel-related data in "Personnel Cost Backup System". Analyze and monitor the Academic Advising budget, ensuring that all expenditures are authorized, accurately recorded and charged to the correct cost center and account. Prepare budget adjustment forms when necessary. Monitor budget reports from the business office to ensure accuracy of the department's budget, monitor expenditures to ensure availability of funds.

2) Provide diverse secretarial support to Director, Assistant Director, Coordinator for Student Success, staff, and V. P. of Student Development departments as requested to include, drafting letters, documents, reports, schedules, memoranda, proofreading all work to ensure accuracy. Input catalog revisions for the department. Assist with special projects and presentations to include graphic projects. Plan and schedule conferences including the scheduling conference rooms for meetings and notify personnel scheduled for attendance.

3) Work closely with Coordinator for Student Success providing clerical support and scheduling student appointments. Perform mail merge, coordinate mailings for Academic Action (SSP).

4) Maintain Database for Multiple Repeat Policy, order reports and set timelines for multiple mailings.

5) Assist (Interim) Assistant Director with processing new hire paperwork , and scheduling part-time advising assistants weekly for each campus.

6) Answer telephone directing the call to the appropriate personnel or answer inquiries and transmit instructions. Screen unscheduled visitors. Ascertain situation and when necessary direct person(s) to appropriate staff member with follow up to ensure situation is resolved.

7) Maintain and schedule appointments for Director. Maintain advising department's calendar to ensure coverage of the respective area. Screen sort and distribute incoming mail; make travel arrangements and coordinate all details of business trips with the Division's Executive Assistant.

8) Review and follow-up on all reimbursement requests local and professional travel, check requests, and other forms to ensure receipt of items/completion of requests as appropriate. Distribute payroll and reimbursement checks.

9) Assist with determining supply, equipment, software and miscellaneous expenditures for the department; research purchase options; input purchases through Purchasing System; follow-up and generate receiving reports for vendor payment.

10) Serve as liaison between students, faculty, staff, general public and Division responding to questions, providing information, resolving problems, and/or referring to appropriate resources. Expedite materials or actions, following director's instructions with little or no supervision. Answer inquiries and transmit instruction during director's absence.

11) Assist Director with coordination of all departmental moves, computer hook-ups, software installations, VAX and LAN connections and training sessions for staff with designated CCCCD departments.

12) Assemble and review time sheets for completeness and accuracy. Maintain copies, calculate budget expenditure for personnel, and deliver original to Business Office by due date.

Marginal Job Functions:

Assist with compiling and producing updated advising notebooks/manuals/faculty advising lists and ensuring the distribution to designated staff.

Work in a fast-paced environment with continual interruptions, loud noise and heavy traffic.

Assist immediate staff with minor computer related questions.

Serve as back-up for advising by answering general advising questions.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Knowledge and ability to use advanced software to include Microsoft Word, spreadsheet applications, PowerPoint, and desktop publishing software with capacity for learning new applications. Dbase and Access desired.

Organizational skills with the ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks simultaneously.

Ability to answer telephone, transmit information, direct or answer questions from general public, public officials, executives from business and industry, faculty, staff and students in a professional, and courteous and timely manner.

Effective keyboarding skills and knowledge of related software.

Ability to make independent judgments.

Ability to file and operate a photocopier and facsimile machine.

Ability to perform assigned responsibilities, duties and tasks according to established practices, procedures, techniques, philosophies, and standards with minimal supervision.

Knowledge of the college's budget procedures and practices.

Ability to write in complete sentences using appropriate words, correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

Ability to listen actively and demonstrate understanding.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

Ability to organize data.

Ability to independently identify and undertake additional tasks to be accomplished.

Ability to demonstrate safe work habits and safe use of equipment.

Ability to maintain restraint and keep calm when faced with emotional or irate individuals.

Skill to effectively plan work activities, schedules, priorities and utilization of resources.

Ability to perform all the essential functions of this job.

EDUCATIONAL AND EXPERIENCE:

Education: Associate’s Degree from a regionally accredited institution

Experience: Two years directly related experience to include filing, answering telephones, PC experience, and high-volume of customer contact – face to face and over the telephone. Excellent organizational skills are required. Strong written and oral communication skills with the ability to relate well to students, staff , faculty and the general public in a friendly, courteous and professional manner.

OR

Any equivalent combination of training and experience.

NOTE: This job description is not an employment agreement or contract. The President and/or designee has the exclusive right to alter this job description at any time without notice.

Employees of CCCCD are expected, as required in their specific job functions, to participate in maintaining standards required for accreditation; to participate in college task forces, activities, meetings, committees and councils; to interact and work cooperatively in order to assist students, staff, faculty and the community in the accomplishment of various goals; to represent one’s self and the college in a positive, professional manner consistent with the core values which include a passion for learning, service and involvement, creativity and innovation, academic excellence, dignity and respect, and integrity; and to safeguard sensitive or confidential information from intentional or unintentional disclosure.

Employees are expected to maintain current working knowledge of policies, procedures and guidelines necessary to answer work-related questions and to provide assistance to students, staff, faculty and the general public in a timely and courteous manner. Employees are also expected to perform other duties as may be assigned by their supervisor and to contribute to the team efforts of the department and to assist the college in achieving its strategic goals.

Employees must abide by all laws, college policies and guidelines.

Collin County Community College District is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability or veteran status.