Student Support Advisor, London

Position Description:

Student Support Advisors (SSA) work to create an inclusive environment that champions academic success and promotes Verto’s core values of compassion, transformation, vulnerability and responsibility. SSA’s are responsible for providing comprehensive support to Vertoans, cultivating mentor relationships for approximately 30-35 students within their assigned Care Teams at Verto Education. An SSA serves as a resource both academically and personally for students in their community. 

A successful SSA has a passion for advising and supporting students, a commitment to student learning and development in and outside the classroom, and strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills. A successful SSA demonstrates initiative, possesses the ability to work autonomously as well as part of a team, communicates effectively, and maintains a positive attitude.

This job description is meant to provide an outline of essential job functions of the SSA position and is not an all-inclusive list.

Applicants for this position may be considered for temporary position that lasts only for the Fall semester.

Reports to: Student Life Manager or Program Director with dotted reporting line to Academic Director or Manager. This position regularly collaborates with the Academic Coordinator and other academic staff in support of academic success, student advising and transfer services.  

Essential Functions

Administration- 25%

• Prepare, attend, and participate in all meetings (ex: staff, committees, 1:1, trainings, etc.)
• Time management (ex: attendance/timeliness for meetings, availability in the study center, presence in community, etc.)
• Complete all front desk duties (if applicable)
• Proficient and appropriate use of Verto Education systems (ex: Salesforce, Maxient, Google,Campus Groups, Canvas etc.)
• Submit reports and paperwork on time and complete projects thoroughly
• Regularly monitors student academic progress, updates corresponding records, and follows through on necessary academic actions and related reporting.
• Conducts Health & Safety inspections and student well-being checks, as directed by supervisor or duty staff
• Complete required 1:1 meetings with each of your assigned Community members during the course of the semester. 
• Exercise effective and ethical decision-making skills

Community Building and Communication- 30%

• Create and maintain a student-centered environment when working in the office by interacting regularly with students and guests.
• Lead a once per week Care Team meeting for your assigned students
• Promote student leaders when possible to increase student engagement on site
• Support Student Club programs and initiatives
• Educate students on Verto policies and procedures, including, but not limited to: safety and security guidelines, Code of Responsibility, and Academic Actions

• Be visible, available, and approachable in the community through holding regular office hours, events and meetings with students and by being available during working hours in the Study Center.
• Foster an inclusive Community environment
• Create and maintain positive working relationships across the organization through regular attendance and communication at global meetings. 
• Preserve the confidentiality of personal information about students and staff obtained in the course of employment. 

 Duty and Crisis- 15%

• Serve in an on-call rotation that observes, addresses, and responds to the needs of the community.
• Respond to emergencies in accordance with protocol and procedures, which may take place after hours. 
• Support the Student Life Manager, Academic Manager and Program Director in addressing behaviors in violation of Verto Education policy.
• Foster a sense of community by encouraging students to respect the rights of others and empowering them to address issues in the community (ex: roommate disagreements, environment conducive to sleep/study, difficult discussions in classroom setting, etc.)
• Make appropriate referrals to other resources when necessary (i.e counseling, tutoring support, medical practitioners)
• Write incident reports in a timely manner that are clear, concise, accurate, and appropriately detailed
• Follow up with students who are in crisis and/or have been confronted for policy violations

 Education and Leadership- 30%

• Actively demonstrate interest in students’ academic engagement and support development of academic success habits and skills.
• Provide general, first-response academic support to students, and support escalation of student academic concerns, assisting in interventions as appropriate.  
• Monitor student academic accommodations and help students self-advocate with faculty for resources.
• Monitor the academic achievement and class attendance of assigned students. Make care-and-concern interventions when appropriate. Escalate those students who are in danger of losing channel eligibility or who may need safety net services.
• Be familiar with the process of Add/Drop and Course Withdrawals and provide guidance to students.
• Be familiar with and help to uphold the on-site application of the main Verto Academic Policies and advise students accordingly (Attendance policy, Academic Integrity, Academic Actions, Academic Accommodations, Grading policy) 
• Support students in their academic pursuits and future post-Verto planning through mentorship and dialogue
• Plan and implement active and passive programs that align with the Verto Discovery programming model  
• Assess student’s programmatic needs and address them accordingly

QUALIFICATIONS:

The ideal candidate for this position will have:

• 1-3 years of experience in a student-facing position involving university students or young adults 
• BA/BS from an accredited college or university
• Experience working in a mentorship capacity

• Must have a valid driver’s license and passport.
• Fluency in English
• Effective communicator with the ability to show empathy and compassion 
• Demonstrated ability to manage rapidly evolving priorities.
• Ability to work independently or with minimal supervision

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Excellent communication (oral and written) and interpersonal skills
• Ability to establish and maintain positive and effective relationships with Verto students, faculty, and staff
• Ability to coach students to build effective habits and executive functioning skills

• Ability to work collaboratively in a team and build strong working relationships with others
• Appreciation for diversity in backgrounds, cultures, and experiences and a desire to work with a diverse student population
• Ability to be flexible and adaptive and to provide quality work under pressure and ever-changing conditions

WORK AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

• SSA’s will be expected to attend overnight trips in which accommodations and schedule  may differ from typical conditions 
• The work pace is continually fast-paced and work is required for more than 4 hours at time
• The environment in which the job is performed outside may include exposure to extreme temperature, noise, heights, or other hazards 

At Verto Education we value voices of all backgrounds and experiences. We know that creating a diverse environment takes dedication and intentional hiring practices. We are cognizant of the gap between our current state and our commitments. In order to bridge that gap, we have to humbly evaluate where we are today.