Associate Director for PES/MLK Advising

Overview

College of Liberal Arts Student Success – Associate Director of CLA PES and MLK Advising. Student Services Manager 2 - 9362AA. Salary Range: $83,000-$88,000. This role includes limited hybrid work options but requires a regular on-campus presence.

The College of Liberal Arts (CLA) Student Success unit at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities seeks an Associate Director of Advising for the President’s Emerging Scholars (CLA PES) and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) programs. This role provides leadership for advising and student support within two signature programs in the college that advance equity and student success.

The Associate Director supervises professional academic advisors, advises students in the CLA PES and MLK programs, and works with the Director to plan, coordinate, and deliver high-impact advising and support services. The Associate Director is a key leader shaping the culture and practice of advising in the college, collaborating with fellow Associate Directors and campus partners to advance retention, timely degree completion, and holistic student success. Successful candidates will be compassionate, confident, and solution-oriented leaders with a positive attitude, strong collaborative skills, and a demonstrated commitment to undergraduate education. The Associate Director is collectively responsible for ensuring exceptional student service and for advancing unit, collegiate, and university-wide goals related to student persistence and degree progress.

The CLA PES and MLK programs provide high-impact, community-centered educational experiences designed to nurture student leaders grounded in intersectional identity development, diversity education, equity, racial justice, and social justice. The Associate Director collaborates with campus partners to address the needs of historically underrepresented and underserved students, particularly first-generation and low-income students, and fosters an environment that promotes belonging, well-being, inclusion, and social responsibility.

Key Responsibilities

• Campus Partnerships and Planning (40%)
• • Identify systematic barriers to equitable practices and collaborate with campus partners to create solutions that impact individual students and student services systems across the university.
  • Anticipate campus-wide issues, research information needed to address concerns in CLA PES and MLK advising, and highlight opportunities to relevant campus partners to ensure changes are made to provide consistent university-wide advising practices, enhance advisor credibility and prevent issues with student degree progress and retention.
  • Serve as a senior leader representing CLA PES and MLK advising on university-wide committees and initiatives to ensure the retention of undergraduate students across the campus.
  • Expand the unit's presence and voice in university-wide initiatives and decisions to ensure a wide range of perspectives are heard.
  • Collaborate with Student Success and Academic Support Resources to resolve student degree process issues to ensure that policies surrounding Liberal Education, residency, credit total, etc., are meeting student needs.
  • Maintain knowledge of CLA and University Advising policies and procedures to advocate for and guide university and unit-wide decisions.
  • Identify changing needs of all student populations, anticipate needs of future high school and transfer students, and proactively develop advising strategies to support those needs for successful transitions to campus.
  • Create, maintain and deepen relationships with campus partners to identify, address and resolve challenges for continuous improvement of student services.
  • Collaborate with University partners through AAN and the Advising Task Force to create university-wide professional development and training opportunities for advising staff in the unit.
• Strategic Administration and Operations (40%)
• • Deliver leadership, vision, and strategic thinking, alongside the Director, for CLA PES and MLK advising efforts.
  • Foster a workplace climate that respects differences and cultivates a learning environment for students that promotes personal development, self-reflection, and academic success.
  • Supervise and coach a team of advisors, support staff, and undergraduate peer advisors with ongoing training through individual check-ins and team meetings.
  • Lead the development of unit goals and contribute to the overall strategic planning process.
  • Assist in strategic budget decisions and manage the budget for CLA PES and MLK advising.
  • Serve on the Assistant Dean's Leadership Team, contributing to strategic thinking about all aspects of student services, including advising, career services, scholarships, recruiting, curricular innovations, student affairs, information and data systems, communication, and outreach.
  • Work collaboratively with other CLA Associate Directors of advising to ensure alignment with CLA advising best practices and processes.
  • Collaborate with the Office of Admissions and CLA's recruitment team to increase admission of students of color through recruitment initiatives and partnership strategies with transfer students and other outreach methods.
  • Manage a small academic advising caseload of CLA PES/MLK students, tracking progress toward program completion.
  • Support advising staff during peak advising periods to ensure high-quality, consistent, and accurate advising aligned with the university’s mission to promote student success.
  • Develop and assess procedures, mechanisms, and strategies for high-quality academic advising.
  • Provide consistent advising information to students through APLUS and across departments to ensure information is current and accurate.
  • Analyze and maintain student data, identifying retention and persistence patterns to help the unit make data-informed decisions regarding advising
  • Direct and implement policies and procedures within a fast-paced, multi-layered academic student success environment.
  • Coordinate probation review and degree clearance processes, ongoing advisor professional growth and development, staff hiring, training, performance review, and promotion processes.
  • Conduct analytic reviews of student records to certify academic standing regarding probation, suspension, and degree completion.
  • Engage in University/Collegiate committees to develop relationships with other units and advance equity, diversity and inclusion efforts.
• Curricular and Programming (20%)
• • Assist in developing comprehensive programs and services to enhance the academic and social success of underrepresented students with a focus on engagement, retention, and graduation aligned with CLA PES and MLK goals.
  • Collaborate with the director, CLA PES team and CLA Career Services to deliver high-impact practices for senior-year scholarships.
  • Develop, implement, and assess curriculum for CLA PES and MLK students, including first-year experience courses and immersion experiences.
  • Co-lead instructor meetings for CLA 1005 & 2005 and MLK 1001 & 1002 to stay abreast of first-year concerns.
  • Assist CLA Campus Life group for Multicultural and First Generation College Students seeking belonging and professional development initiatives.
  • Support the CLA PES and MLK Living Learning Communities to integrate academic, cocurricular, and residential experiences.
  • Plan with the CLA PES Project Specialist to schedule and evaluate programs, events, and services.
  • Collaborate with the OUE CLA PES Central team and other units to promote events and initiatives that impact first-generation and underserved students with intersectional identities.

Required

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with at least eight years of relevant experience, or master’s degree with at least six years of relevant experience.
• Three years of progressively responsible supervisory experience in higher education.
• Depth of knowledge in academic advising, student services, and student development.
• Significant experience working directly with underserved undergraduate student populations.
• Strong commitment to student and staff diversity, and experience cultivating inclusive working and learning environments.
• Experience in managing and resolving conflict, confronting challenges, and building consensus and successful collaborative teams.
• Tolerance for ambiguity, enthusiasm for innovation, and capacity to implement change.

Preferred

• Master's degree or higher in higher education, counseling, or related field with at least six years of administrative experience in higher education, including supervisory responsibilities, that were collaborative, flexible, responsive, transparent, and accountable.
• Superior interpersonal and communication skills and ability to develop and maintain positive relationships with a diverse community of faculty, staff, and students.
• Proven ability to manage substantial workload with multiple commitments and priorities.
• Knowledge of student services at the University of Minnesota and related advising structures and technologies.
• Experience with curriculum development and/or teaching.
• Experience with program evaluation, assessment, data analytics, and budget-driven decision-making.

About The Department

The College of Liberal Arts (CLA) at the University of Minnesota is part of a premier land-grant research university. CLA’s Student Success unit oversees academic advising, student support services, career services, student recruitment, and scholarships. CLA is the largest college in the university, with approximately 13,000 undergraduate students across 31 academic units.

Pay And Benefits

Pay Range: $83,000 - $88,000; depending on education/qualifications/experience.

Time Appointment: 100% Appointment

Position Type: P&A Staff

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for benefit information. The University offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Competitive wages, holidays, and time off
• Professional development opportunities and Regents Tuition Benefit Program
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Flexible spending accounts and University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program and retirement plans
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
• Financial counseling and Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Transit Pass options

Note: Salary offers reflect individual credentials and experience.

How To Apply

Please submit leadership philosophies along with your resume and cover letter to apply. Priority Application Deadline: 03/02/2026. Applications must be submitted online via the Apply process. You will be able to attach a cover letter and resume. Additional documents may be uploaded later via the My Job Applications page. For accommodation requests, email or call .

Diversity and Employment Requirements

The University recognizes diversity and inclusion as essential to its mission and is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varied identities and backgrounds. Equal access to programs, facilities, and employment is provided without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. More at: diversity.umn.edu

Employment Requirements

Any offer of employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check. Prospective employees are presumed eligible to work. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists.

About The U Of M

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC) is a large public research university offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. Located in a vibrant metro area, the campus benefits from extensive partnerships with health centers, government, industry, and nonprofit organizations. UMN is recognized as a Top Workplace and has earned multiple employer recognitions.

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