Academic Advisor / Student Success Specialist
Classification: MnSCU Academic Professional 1
Campus: Willmar
Bargaining Unit: MAPE, 214
Employment Condition: Full Time, Unlimited
Classified Status: Unclassified
Work Schedule: Monday – Friday (8:00am-4:30pm)
Salary Range: $23.63 - $34.18 per hour / $49,339 - $71,368/ yearly
PCN: 00758990
Job Summary
The Academic Advisor/Student Success Specialist supports incoming, transfer, and returning students by providing high-quality advising and assistance with orientation, course selection, registration, and academic planning. They communicate regularly with students about their academic plans, monitor progress, respond to alerts, and make referrals for additional support. The Advisor also collaborates with faculty and staff, plans student success events, and uses retention strategies to help students succeed and complete their degrees.
A detailed position description can be obtained from the Human Resource Office.
Minimum Qualifications (required skills to enter the job; must be identified on application materials)
- Related experience
- Knowledge of and/or experience in post-secondary education
- Knowledge of student services/student development philosophy, policy, and practice.
- Ability to communicate clearly and professionally in numerous formats for diverse audiences.
- Ability to multitask and be professional, flexible, and tactful in dealing with time constraints and stressful situations.
- Ability to establish and maintain professional relationships and provide customer service sufficient to actively listen to and understand students’ needs and provide accurate information and appropriate alternatives, meet quality of service needs, and evaluate student satisfaction.
- Skilled in planning, organizing, decision making, coordinating and communicating sufficiently to perform student advising services.
Preferred Qualifications (desired but not required)
- Bachelor’s degree or higher
- One-year related work experience.
- Experience at a 2-year community or technical college
- Experience at a Minnesota State institution
- Bilingual
- Experience working with diverse populations
- Experience with academic advising and/or retention initiatives
- Experience with Starfish or other similar student success/retention software systems
- Experience with maintaining confidentially of private information according to law, rules, policies and procedures.
- College policies and procedures, programs and curriculum, services, and resources for admissions, financial aid, records and registration and student life to assist applicants and students in making sound educational and career decisions.
Apply online at: https://minnstate.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/Minnesota_State_Careers/job/RIDG---Willmar-Campus/Academic-Advisor--Student-Success-Specialist_JR0000003052
Online application deadline is 11:59PM on August 20, 2025.
Application must include:
- Online Employment Application
- Resume
- Letter of Interest / Cover Letter addressing the position qualifications
*If you are a current employee, here is how to apply:
All current system employees will need to log into the career site Workday to apply for the position. Employees may also search for “Browse Jobs- Employees” in Workday via the search bar at the top to view open positions.
To access Jobs Hub:
- Log into Workday.
- Open the Jobs Hub app to browse open job postings, save search criteria for future use, and review your submitted applications.
- If you don’t see Jobs Hub on your Workday homepage, use Workday Search.
Why Work For Us
GREAT BENEFITS PACKAGE! Minnesota State offers a comprehensive benefits package including:
- 11 paid holidays each year
- Medical Insurance (Single Coverage $38.50 per month and Family Coverage is $262.66 per month)
- Dental Insurance (low deductibles)
- Paid Parental Leave (six weeks)
- Employer paid life insurance
- Short and Long Term Disability
- Pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts (Medical and Dependent Care)
- Retirement Plan
- Tax-deferred Compensation
- Generous vacation and sick leave
Additional Requirements
In accordance with the Minnesota State Colleges & Universities (MnSCU) Vehicle Fleet Safety Program, employees driving on college/university business who use a rental or state vehicle shall be required to conform to MnSCU’s vehicle use criteria and consent to a Motor Vehicle Records check.
Other Information
Employment information for this position can be found in its collective bargaining agreement or its plan document at http://mn.gov/mmb/employee-relations/labor-relations/Labor/.
Contact
If you have questions about the position, contact Felicia Telecky at Felicia.telecky@ridgewater.edu or at 320-234-8534.
Institution Information
MISSION: Ridgewater College empowers diverse learners to reach their full potential and enrich their lives through personalized and relevant education in an accessible, supportive, and inclusive environment.
VISION: Ridgewater College is a student-centered educational leader focused on innovation, excellence and affordability.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES:
- Enterprising - We are future-focused, and change-oriented, developing creative solutions to challenges that maximize our institutional, system and local resources.
- Empowerment – We develop and empower employees to make decisions to best serve students and stakeholders.
- Excellence – We strive to exceed expectations in all that we do.
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – We seek to understand and appreciate the needs and experiences of every individual and actively work to provide genuine opportunities for everyone to succeed and participate in college activities and processes.
- Trust and Respect – We are committed to developing a culture based in processes and behavior that create trust and respect among all stakeholders.
- Collaboration – We connect and work together to achieve common goals while respecting needs and interests of stakeholders.
- Curiosity and Creativity – We constantly strive to understand, learn, change, and improve.
- Accountability – As individuals and groups, we willingly accept and take ownership of our successes and failures.
