Associate Director of Advising - MnSCU Academic Professional 3

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Working Title:

Associate Director of Advising - MnSCU Academic Professional 3

Institution:

Minnesota State Community and Technical College

Classification Title:

MnSCU Academic Professional 3

Bargaining Unit / Union:

214: Minnesota Association of Professional Employees

City:

MSTA - Moorhead Campus

FLSA:

Non Job Exempt

Full Time / Part Time:

Full time

Employment Condition:

Unclassified - Unlimited Academic

Salary Range:

$28.75 - $42.16

Working Title: Associate Director of Advising

Classification: MnSCU Academic Professional 3

Join Us at M State

Where your work helps create a success story for every student.

Minnesota State Community and Technical College (M State) is seeking passionate, talented professionals to join our learning‑centered community. Whether you are an educator, administrator, or staff professional, your work at M State will directly support students as they shape their futures and will strengthen the communities we serve.

With four welcoming campuses in Detroit Lakes, Fergus Falls, Moorhead, and Wadena, M State combines big‑college opportunities with a small‑college feel, offering nationally accredited programs, flexible learning options, and a deeply student‑focused culture.

Why Work at M State?

At M State, we are all in on student success.

Our work is guided by shared values of:

• Integrity - As dedicated professionals, we act with purpose in everything we do. We are sincere and honest in our relationships and communications, and hold ourselves accountable to doing the right thing even when no one is watching.
• Inclusion - We welcome, respect and accept people for who they are and celebrate the power of our collective differences in creating and shaping more robust, energized communities.
• Innovation - Through the power of our four campuses, strategic partnerships and creative problem-solving, we enhance communities. We incorporate technology to improve student experience, and we see continuous improvement as a constant.

Together, these values support our vision: A success story for every student.

Position Overview

M State is accepting applications for an Associate Director of Advising. This position is located on the Moorhead campus.

This position exists to provides coordination, lead work, and operational support for academic advising services across M State. Working in partnership with the Director of Student Success and campus partners, this position helps implement and continuously improve advising strategies, systems, and practices that support institutional enrollment, retention, persistence, and completion goals.

The Associate Director provides lead work and operational coordination for advising initiatives, including advising delivery models, student engagement strategies, CRM-supported advising activities, and advising-related student success efforts. This position collaborates with Student Affairs leadership, Enrollment Management, faculty, and Institutional Research to support the implementation of data-informed advising practices aligned with the college's Strategic Enrollment Management and student success priorities.

In addition to operational leadership responsibilities, the Associate Director of Advising maintains an assigned advising caseload and provides direct advising support to students. Maintaining a caseload ensures the position remains closely connected to student needs, supports complex academic planning, and informs ongoing improvements to advising services and student support strategies.

The values that guide our work include: access and opportunity, equity, inclusion and belonging, cultural competence, cultural responsive pedagogy & service, and community engagement. Our educational environments are culturally relevant, responsive, and innovative to the students we serve. Our students are assets, we affirm their identities and lived experiences, and provide spaces that are emotionally safe and reflect who students are.

Customer Service.

On a daily basis, live the mission, vision and values of M State to ensure a positive experience for all students and stakeholders. Service to M State students and stakeholders is a core component of the position and work responsibilities.

Provide comprehensive advising to prospective, new, current, and returning students.

• Stay current in advising and workforce trends and expansion of knowledge and skills through growth and developmental opportunities.
• Work with enrollment to guide prospective students in making informed decisions to reach their academic goals.
• Design, direct, and execute advising techniques aimed toward developing and maintaining working relationships with advisees to maximize student achievement, retention, persistence, and educational goal attainment.
• Orient new students by covering essential entrance information and start academic planning with students in college-wide programs to maximize student preparedness for college life. Discuss how program of study aligns with career goals.
• Facilitate use of online resources, Focus2Career, and other academic/career planning resources/materials so students are able to identify experiential opportunities that will enhance their success in entering their chosen career field.
• Provide assessment advising by interpreting placement scores, guiding students through multiple measures review process, discussing resources for retesting (ex. ABE, academic bridge, tutoring), and describing developmental course sequences.
• Facilitate comprehensive academic planning, utilizing a thorough knowledge of college curriculum and resources, based on students' individual needs, goals, values, and resources to ensure success, persistence, and goal attainment.
• Provide targeted services and engage in proactive advising with specific advising groups (ex. single parents, veterans, ELL, selective admission program candidates, PSEO, online) allowing for a successful transition to and from M State.
• Coach students in identifying and overcoming academic barriers by identifying available options, discussing consequences, and connecting them with resources.
• Identify, explore, and educate on non-traditional options to meet course outcomes/credit needs (ex. credit for prior learning, course substitutions, credit by exam, CLEP, courses at other MN State colleges).
• Review program requirements with individual students to confirm graduation requirements are met and discuss next steps in their academic journey.
• Provide financial aid explanation, advising, and advocacy.
• Document student meetings, interactions, and correspondence in a customer relations management system to allow for seamless communication throughout the institution.
• Collaborate with academic leadership and faculty to support student academic planning and progression.

Provide coordination and lead work for academic advising services across the college.

• Support the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of advising structures, caseload design, and outreach strategies aligned with institutional enrollment, retention, and completion goals.
• Provide lead work, guidance, and operational direction to advising staff to ensure consistent, high-quality advising practices across campuses and modalities.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of advising policies, procedures, workflows, and service standards.
• Coordinate advising support for new student onboarding, registration, and transition to college.
• Identify operational barriers to student success and implement process improvements to enhance advising effectiveness.
• Ensure advising services align with Strategic Enrollment Management and institutional student success initiatives.
• Collaborate with academic and student affairs leadership to improve student onboarding, course planning, and pathway clarity.
• Support the development of standard operating procedures, annual goals, and work plans for advising, outreach, and engagement functions, ensuring alignment with institutional enrollment and retention strategies and providing clear guidance to advisors and staff.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with campus partners and external stakeholders.
• Support institutional change initiatives and operational improvements that enhance the student experience.

Lead CRM Support for Student Success Initiatives and Advising Engagement.

• Support the design, implementation and continual improvement of student success initiatives through proactive communication campaigns, advising-related workflows in M State's CRM, Slate.
• Help identify and recommend CRM priorities and advising workflows that support student onboarding, registration, retention, and completion.
• Maintain CRM communications, forms, and events that support advising outreach, student engagement, persistence and completion.
• Assess campaign effectiveness and inform CRM priorities and student success strategies to Director of Student Success to ensure accurate and timely information flow.
• Manage and monitor events related to advising and first year experience programming.

Support for campus and college operations.

• Recognition of broad and varied professional responsibilities which include but are not limited to support for campus and college operations such as: front desk coverage, registration events, Spartan Welcome Days, Commencement, this is not an exhaustive list.
• Support the operation of college and campus Student Services operational area(s) beyond the Academic & Student Affairs office.
• Serve on campus, college and community committees as assigned, approved and appropriate that seek to enhance the student experience.
• Other related duties as assigned by the Dean of Student Affairs and/or supervisor.

What We're Looking For

Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum of 2 years of professional experience in advising, higher education or related field involving program coordination, student support or operational leadership. A
• bachelor's degree may substitute for 1 year experience, an associate's degree may substitute for 6 months experience.
• Ability to coordinate day-to-day advising services, operational processes and student success initiatives.
• Ability to analyze data, identify trends, and develop strategies to improve students success outcomes.
• Problem solving skills with the ability to set priorities, reason analytically, determine alternative solutions, and analyze and interpret information with a high degree of accountability and accuracy.
• Experience using Customer Relationship Management system, computer software applications and systems sufficient to enter data and create basic business correspondence, document interactions and training presentations.
• Ability to explain and help interpret complex policies involving multiple departments, systems, and levels, such as records and registration, support programs, financial aid, business services, bookstore, and admissions (this is not an exhaustive).
• Effective organizational skills with the ability to plan and organize multiple activities, deliver results, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in education, social sciences, higher education, human services, or related field.
• Familiarity with higher education and/or Minnstate educational policies and procedures, programs and curriculum, services, and resources for admissions, financial aid, support programs, records and registration to assist students in making sound career and educational decisions.
• Experience working in a two-year community and technical college setting.
• Experience working with student record systems, project management and specialty software such as DARS, ImageNow, Customer Relations Management Systems, and Office 365.
• Familiarity with research design, interpreting data, and making data driven decisions.

Work Shift (Hours / Days of work)

40 hours per week, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

• Please note our summer hours: effective May 20 - July 28, 2026 - summer hours will be Monday through Thursday 7:30 AM - 5 PM and Friday 7:30 AM - 11:30 AM (excluding the following weeks which will be five, 8-hour days due to the holiday)
• Juneteenth pay period
• Fourth of July pay period

Application Procedure

The vacancy is posted online through August 18, 2026. To apply, submit a letter of interest, resume, three professional references, and any applicable transcripts by 12:01 a.m. on August 19, 2026. Internal applicants need to apply through the Jobs Hub in Workday.

NOTICE: The college regrets that it is unable to offer H-1B sponsorship. The successful candidate under U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services regulations must be able to accept work in the U.S. by the day employment begins.

Salary

This is the correct salary range for this position, disregard the full range listed by this website: $28.75 - $39.22 per hour or $60,030-$81,891 annually.

Questions About the Position? Contact Heidi Balgaard, M State's Staff Recruiter, at Heidi.Balgaard@minnesota.edu

About

M State is a regional student-focused institution that is poised for a strong future. It is the sixth-largest outstate college in the Minnesota State system and the largest two-year college in Greater Minnesota, serving more than 10,500 students in credit and non-credit courses each year. M State offers big-college resources and a small-college feel on our four welcoming campuses and in our many online courses and programs. Our faculty and staff are dedicated to the values of integrity, inclusion and innovation, and that dedication is reflected in our programs and in the support we offer to our students.

Minnesota State is an equal opportunity employer/educator committed to the principles of diversity. We prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their race, sex, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or membership in a local commission as defined by law. As an affirmative action employer, we encourage applications from women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and individuals with protected veteran status. All applicants must be able to lawfully accept employment in the United States.

Inquiries about Title IX can be directed to the college's Title IX Coordinator and/or to the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights. The Title IX office is located on Moorhead's campus, but it travels and serves all 4 campuses.

Elise Sturdivant

Vice President of Student Affairs and Title IX Coordinator

1900 28th Ave S

Moorhead, MN 56560

(218) 299.6853 | elise.sturdivant@minnesota.edu | titleix@minnesota.edu

If you need accommodations to take part in the application process, please contact Human Resources at (218) 736-1512. For more information regarding M State, refer to our website at: www.minnesota.edu. Minnesota State Community and Technical College, a member of the Minnesota State system, is an affirmative action, equal opportunity educator and employer.

NOTICE: In accordance with the Minnesota State Vehicle Fleet Safety Program, employees driving on college/university business who use a rental or state vehicle shall be required to conform to Minnesota State's vehicle use criteria and consent to a motor vehicle records check.

This vacancy notice may be removed at any time for any reason.

Benefits Information:

At Minnesota State, we take your well-being and work-life balance seriously. We offer a comprehensive benefits package that features low-cost medical and dental insurance with affordable deductibles, employer-paid life insurance, short- and long-term disability, and pre-tax healthcare and dependent care accounts with a roll-over option. To further support your holistic health, employees also have access to a confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for mental health, legal, and financial counseling. Detailed plan details, rates, and coverage choices can be reviewed directly via the State Employee Group Insurance Program (SEGIP) website.

To support your life outside of work, our package includes 12 paid holidays, generous vacation and sick time, and six weeks of Paid Parental Leave. We also help you secure your financial future with a robust Pension Plan, 457(b) and 403(b) retirement accounts, and various investment options. Furthermore, we invest in your growth by providing dedicated professional development and tuition waivers for both you and your dependents. Please note that specific benefit eligibility and coverage levels may vary depending on the type of position, employee classification, and collective bargaining agreements.

Desired Start Date:

09-01-2026

Position End Date:

Open Date:

07-20-2026

Close Date:

08-19-2026

Posting Contact Name:

Heidi Ruth Balgaard

Posting Contact Email:

heidi.balgaard@minnesota.edu