Student Success Advisor

About the Role

Walden University was established over 50 years ago to help adult learners reach their academic ambitions and create meaningful impact in their workplaces and communities. The university serves learners from the United States and more than 115 countries through fully online certificate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs. Walden offers 100+ online degree and certificate options and is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission.

This role follows a standard Monday to Friday schedule, with working hours of either 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. or 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. local time. Occasional weekend shifts are required during the year. Candidates located in Illinois, Minnesota, and Maryland will be preferred.

Role Summary

Student Success Advisors help learners remain on course toward their academic goals by providing proactive guidance, personalized support, and timely follow-up. The position focuses on building strong student relationships, helping with academic planning and university processes, and coordinating with internal support teams so student questions and concerns are resolved efficiently. Advisors also support students in adjusting to online learning and encourage steady engagement with the university community.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the main point of support to help students stay aligned with their academic objectives.
• Reach out to newly admitted students to confirm readiness and escalate any issues that could affect a smooth start.
• Help students understand degree completion requirements.
• Support students with course registration decisions and processes.
• Advise on university rules, procedures, program expectations, and related academic topics.
• Proactively contact students who may be at risk of falling behind in satisfactory academic progress.
• Track student progress closely to identify risk areas and improve academic success strategies.
• Coordinate with university teams to ensure inquiries are handled quickly while maintaining academic standards and policy compliance.
• Guide students toward ownership of their decisions and awareness of how those decisions affect outcomes.
• Offer practical advice for adjusting to graduate study and building a supportive environment for success.
• Encourage ongoing participation in the university’s online learning community.
• Serve in the designated Campus Security Authority role.
• Handle additional duties as assigned.
• Follow all applicable policies and standards.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree is required.
• At least 3 years of experience in a service-focused environment or within a university setting.
• A genuine commitment to education, along with coaching or counseling ability to keep online students on track.
• Strong analytical thinking and time management abilities.
• Comfort managing multiple priorities at once.
• Excellent spoken and written communication skills.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to resolve student issues from initial request through final resolution.
• Experience working across multiple databases and student systems.
• Ability to build rapport with learners from a wide range of backgrounds.
• Creative, adaptable, and able to work both independently and collaboratively.
• Self-driven and comfortable taking initiative.
• Willingness to adjust to fast-changing conditions.
• Familiarity with online learning tools and internet technology is an advantage.

Compensation and Benefits

The expected pay range for this position is $24.00 to $28.00 per hour. Final pay may vary based on factors allowed by law, including experience, training, location, licenses and certifications, market conditions, departmental budget, and role responsibilities.

This position includes a benefits package with health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance; a 401(k) retirement program with a 6% employer match; 15 paid vacation days per calendar year; and 12 paid holidays plus 2 floating holidays.

Equal Opportunity

The employer maintains an equal opportunity policy covering minority status, female candidates, disability, veteran status, gender identity, and sexual orientation.