Graduate Student Affairs Advisor

The Graduate Student Affairs Officer serves as a key member of the Department of Social Medicine, Population & Public Health (SMPPH) within the UC Riverside School of Medicine, supporting the success of students throughout the Master of Public Health (MPH) program. This position provides comprehensive student services in the areas of recruitment, admissions, academic advising, program administration, student engagement, practicum coordination, and graduation. Working collaboratively with faculty, staff, campus partners, and community organizations, the incumbent helps deliver an outstanding graduate student experience while ensuring compliance with University policies and supporting the School of Medicine's mission to educate the next generation of public health leaders dedicated to improving the health and well-being of diverse communities. Special Instructions to Applicants A cover letter is required as part of the application package. Applications submitted without a cover letter will not be considered. This position is expected to work on-site during the six-month probationary period. Upon successful completion of probation and based on operational needs, the position may be eligible for a hybrid work arrangement consisting of three days on-site and two days remote per week. Hybrid work arrangements are subject to departmental approval and may be modified based on business needs. The full salary range for Graduate Student Affairs Advisor position is $54,183.60 - $91,350.00. However, the expected pay scale for this position is up to $72,766.80 annually. We base salary offers on a variety of considerations, such as education, licensure and certifications, experience, and other business and organizational needs. Applicants must have current work authorization when accepting a UCR staff position. Currently, we are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa for staff. As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements. \n \nAcademic Advising & Progress Tracking: Provides routine academic, programmatic, and foundational career advising to new and continuing graduate students within the department. Assists students with degree progress tracking, major/concentration requirements, course scheduling, and navigating University or Grad Division policies. Monitors student programs and prepares required milestone documentation for MPH including Capstone/Thesis Projects, Comprehensive Fieldwork Reports, etc. Ensures that final culminating projects or exam records are complete and accessible to the faculty review team. Reviews student records to identify academic progression or GPA issues and coordinates standard interventions under the guidance of the Graduate Advisor. Advises students on standard professional norms, resume preparation, and interviewing processes specific to public health career pathways.Admissions Processing: Coordinates the graduate admissions pipeline and supports the department's holistic review process for applicants. Corresponds with applicants to interpret admission policies, clarify regulations, and provide status updates on application completeness. Advises prospective applicants on necessary academic preparation and the alignment of the MPH program with their professional goals. Reviews and evaluates domestic transcripts for degree eligibility. Coordinates a holistic screening of applications by assessing qualitative and quantitative records\u2014including GPAs, letters of recommendation, professional/community experience, and personal statements\u2014to identify alignment with faculty specialties and department areas of emphasis. Utilizes established departmental systems to ensure consistent and reliable circulation of applicant files to the faculty admissions committee. Program Administration & Database Maintenance: Applies professional student services concepts to provide a full range of administrative support to the student population, faculty, and management within the organization. Serves as a recognized resource of program knowledge, reviewing and implementing procedures for handling program processes and exceptions under the guidance of the Graduate Program Director. Serves as a primary liaison with other departments to resolve day-to-day administrative and operational issues. Coordinates quarterly teaching assistant meetings, schedules and attends Graduate Advisory/Admissions Committee meetings, and participates in various MPH-related committee meetings. Independently maintains, updates, and updates departmental databases and spreadsheets; prepares reports and provides statistical, placement, and procedural data to program Chairs and SOM leadership as needed. Performs enrollment management duties, reviews the campus General Catalog, and certifies classes through the Course and Instruction Reporting System.Financial Aid & Appointment Processing: Coordinates the graduate student financial support pipeline, reviewing fellowship allocations, grants, and funding packages for compliance with campus, state, and federal guidelines. Participates in the processing, evaluation, and awarding of departmental fellowships and awards, and advises students on standard financial aid options. Initiates program financial support tracking and monitors spending to ensure the optimal, timely, and compliant use of funds in alignment with the operating budget and project goals. Coordinates with leadership to ensure that modifications to student financial packages are sustainable given department and program resources. Manages administrative processes, tracking, and paperwork required for academic student employee appointments, including Graduate Student Researchers (GSRs), Teaching Assistants (TAs), Readers, and Tutors.Student Recruitment and Event Operations: Coordinates student recruitment, outreach, and event operations for the MPH program. Designs, develops, and distributes targeted recruitment materials, including newsletters, program announcements, event calendars, posters, and digital content. Represents the department and the School of Medicine (SOM) at outreach events and college fairs to communicate information regarding admissions criteria, curricular options, housing, and fellowships. Coordinates comprehensive campus visit logistics for prospective graduate students. Plans, implements, and manages logistics for standard student events\u2014such as orientations, open houses, and info sessions\u2014and assists leadership with the execution of highly complex events such as commencement/hooding. Collaborates with SOM partners to organize and coordinate graduate student social, cultural, and leadership development programs.Practicum Coordination: Coordinates operational logistics for student placements at external practicum and fieldwork sites. Serves as the primary administrative point of contact for external site partners and preceptors to coordinate placement schedules. Gathers necessary organizational metrics, contact information, and scope-of-work details required to initiate institutional affiliation agreements, routing complete profiles to leadership for contract execution. Monitors ongoing student placement logs and maintains up-to-date site data and partner contact records in departmental databases. Administers and tracks mandatory pre- and post-placement evaluation metrics, including distributing and compiling post-practicum preceptor surveys to ensure continuous program compliance and quality control.Student Life, Conduct, & Compliance Liasison: Serves as the primary departmental resource and liaison on matters regarding student conduct, academic integrity, and university policies. Provides guidance to students and faculty regarding organization policies and procedures on student conduct, and routes complex grievances or disciplinary issues to central campus compliance offices. Independently develops, edits, and maintains the program's official academic literature, assuring that the MPH student handbook accurately reflects current degree requirements, university regulations, and designated emphasis guidelines. Manages the administrative tracking and compliance pipeline for student onboarding requirements, ensuring all incoming students complete mandatory university trainings, health clearances, and background checks required for departmental enrollment.\n \nAbility to interpret and apply federal, state and UC regulations pertaining to student records and confidentiality, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Ability to maintain strict confidentiality.Excellent writing skills to produce spreadsheets, reports, instructional brochures, booklets, handout materials, and various forms of communication including promotional information, website content, announcements, correspondence, etc.Strong computer proficiency in MS Office applications, online business systems and online student information systems. Demonstrated experience working in a student information/records system.Ability to multi-task; verbal and written communication skills.Strong interpersonal skills.Demonstrated organization and prioritization skills necessary to meet daily, weekly and monthly deadlines.Working knowledge of advising and counseling techniques.Ability in problem identification and reasoning; ability to develop original ideas to solve problems.Multicultural competencies; ability to work with diverse populations.Skills in judgment and decision-making, problem solving, identifying measures of system performance and the actions to improve performance.Knowledge of University-specific computer application programs and knowledge of University and departmental principles and procedures involved in risk assessment and evaluating risks as to likelihood and consequences.Strong verbal and written communication skills.Knowledge of complex U.S. visa and immigration procedures, compliance issues, and employment eligibility/authorization for international students and scholars.\n \nDemonstrated organization and prioritization skills necessary to meet daily, weekly and monthly deadlines. Knowledge of University-specific computer application programs and knowledge of University and departmental principles and procedures involved in risk assessment and evaluating risks as to likelihood and consequences. Strong verbal and written communication skills. Ability to interpret and apply federal, state and UC regulations pertaining to student records and confidentiality, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Ability to maintain strict confidentiality. Excellent writing skills to produce spreadsheets, reports, instructional brochures, booklets, handout materials, and various forms of communication including promotional information, website content, announcements, correspondence, etc. Strong computer proficiency in MS Office applications, online business systems and online student information systems. Demonstrated experience working in a student information/records system. Ability to multi-task; verbal and written communication skills. Strong interpersonal skills. Working knowledge of advising and counseling techniques. Ability in problem identification and reasoning; ability to develop original ideas to solve problems. Multicultural competencies; ability to work with diverse populations. Skills in judgment and decision-making, problem solving, identifying measures of system performance and the actions to improve performance.Knowledge of complex U.S. visa and immigration procedures, compliance issues, and employment eligibility/authorization for international students and scholars.