Manager, Academic Advising

Job SummaryThe Manager, Academic Advising leads the academic advising function within the Faculty of Management’s Student Development Centre—an integrated hub that includes academic advising, career development, co-op education, alumni engagement, and student leadership programming.This position is responsible for strategic oversight, operational leadership, and quality assurance for advising services in all Faculty of Management programs. The Manager supervises a team of Academic Advisors, provides leadership in complex case management, ensures consistent policy interpretation, and supports student success and retention.The Manager collaborates closely with the Student Development Director, Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning), faculty leadership, and campus-wide partners to support a seamless and holistic student experience aligned with business school accreditation standards and expectations.Organizational StatusThe Manager reports to the Director, Student Development in the Faculty of Management and works collaboratively with the Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning), program administration, career development, co-op, and learning operations teams. They interact extensively with central units including Enrolment Services, Wellness Services, Equity & Inclusion, Indigenous Programs & Services, and others.They provide guidance to faculty committees, represent the Faculty in campus advising networks, and exercise a high degree of autonomy and professional judgment.Work PerformedLeadership & Team ManagementLeads and manages the Faculty of Management academic advising team, establishing a high standard of student service.Recruits, hires, orients, trains, and develops Academic Advisors and student staff.Assigns advising caseloads and program portfolios; ensures equitable workload distribution.Conducts ongoing performance evaluation, coaching, and professional development.Leads regular team meetings, case reviews, and training sessions.Develops advising protocols, workflows, service standards, and documentation.Ensures consistent application of advising policies across all advisors.Academic Advising Operations & Service DeliveryOversees daily advising operations for the Bachelor of Management program.Ensures high-quality academic advising related to degree requirements, course selection, registration, academic progression, and graduation.Provides direct academic advising during peak periods or when handling escalated or highly complex cases.Oversees processing of academic concessions, late withdrawals, transfer credit issues, and special requests.Ensures timely and accurate completion of graduation checks and progress-to-degree reviews.Coordinates advising support during high-volume periods such as registration and add/drop.Complex Case Management & EscalationServes as the senior escalation point for complex, sensitive, or precedent-setting student cases.Makes decisions or recommendations on difficult policy interpretations and exceptions.Supports advisors with challenging academic or personal student situations.Coordinates with central campus units (e.g., Senate, Enrolment Services) on cases requiring cross-unit interpretation or decision-making.Student Success, Wellness, and Holistic SupportConducts or supports holistic assessments of student needs that may impact academic performance.Identifies students in distress or crisis and coordinates referrals to appropriate support units, including:Wellness ServicesCounsellingFinancial ServicesEquity & InclusionGlobal Engagement Office (GEO)Indigenous Programs & Services (IPS)SVPROAccessibility Services (DRC)Ensures the advising team is equipped to integrate wellness, personal support, and academic planning.At-Risk Student Monitoring & InterventionOversees intervention strategies for at-risk students (academic, personal, or behavioural).Receives referrals from academic operations or faculty members and leads coordinated outreach.Develops and monitors intervention plans and tracks student outcomes.Analyzes trends in student concerns, barriers, and retention risks and provides recommendations for improvement.Policy, Curriculum, and Process ManagementInterprets and applies Faculty and University academic policies, ensuring consistency and fairness.Advises the Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning) and curriculum committees on policy implications, student impacts, and emerging issues.Develops advising procedures, decision matrices, and training resources to support consistent advising practice.Provides insight into curriculum changes, new programs, and course proposals from an advising and student progression perspective.Ensures advising processes align with business school accreditation requirements and experiential learning expectations.Registration, Scheduling & Enrollment SupportCoordinates with learning operations and program administration on:registration preparationcourse schedulingdemand analysisenrolment caps and seat availabilityMonitors enrolment patterns and identifies potential barriers to degree progression.Advises leadership on impacts related to course access, waitlist management, or curriculum bottlenecks.Troubleshoots complex registration issues escalated by students or advisors.Systems, Data & ReportingOversees use of advising systems (12Twenty, OAMS, Workday, early alert, case management tools).Tracks advising metrics, service utilization, caseload distribution, and key performance indicators related to student success.Produces reports to support strategic planning, accreditation requirements, and continuous improvement.Identifies opportunities to improve system use, data integrity, and workflow efficiency.Student Engagement & Retention InitiativesSupports planning and delivery of orientation, transition programming, and persistence initiatives.Collaborates with central and Faculty teams to design programming that enhances student engagement, academic success, and career readiness.Participates in campus recruitment, information sessions, and outreach events for prospective and new students.Cross-Functional CollaborationWorks closely with:Co-op & Career practitioners to integrate academic and career planning.Faculty Operations on academic policies, concessions, and student concerns.Learning Operations on curriculum delivery, registration cycles, and graduation processes.Faculty leadership to identify systemic student issues and recommend improvements.Represents the Faculty of Management in campus committees, advising networks, and student success initiatives.Consequence of Error / JudgementPoor judgment or misinterpretation of policy may negatively impact student progression, academic standing, degree completion, or retention. Errors can affect accreditation compliance, create inequitable student experiences, and damage the Faculty’s reputation. The Manager must exercise sound judgment, discretion, and confidentiality.Supervision ReceivedWorks under the general direction of the Director, Student Development. Expected to operate with a high level of independence and initiative.Supervision GivenSupervises Academic Advisors, administrative staff, and student employees. Provides leadership, mentoring, and training to staff across the Student Development Centre.QualificationsMinimumUndergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum four to five years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.PreferredExperience in academic advising or student services in a professional or business school environment.Knowledge of academic policies, student development theory, advising best practices, and case management.Experience interpreting complex academic regulations and navigating sensitive student situations.Demonstrated experience leading teams and managing operational processes.Commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, intercultural competency, and Indigenous engagement.Ability to deal with a diverse population in a calm, courteous, and effective manner.