Professional Learning Specialist Jobs in Kansas

Position Overview

Jayhawk Academic Advising (JAA) is a unit within Academic Success, a division of Academic Affairs. JAA provides comprehensive academic advising services for new and currently enrolled students and serves all undergraduate majors across the University. JAA is staffed by professional advisors and support staff. JAA maintains a highly student-centered focus and demonstrates commitment to continuous quality improvement and resilience for a dynamic and changing work environment.

Senior Academic Advisors provide holistic and proactive academic advising to support a caseload of students. They may be called upon to serve a more complex caseload of students, serve students with specific needs, utilize retention student coaching methods, or serve students who are exploring. Senior Academic Advisors have the expertise to advise across their assigned KU Student Pathway and may be called upon to help cover advising caseloads in times of transition. This role is central to the development and maintenance of faculty and staff relations. It serves as a crucial link enhancing the overall educational experience and supporting student success. This position reports to an Assistant Director or Lead Academic Advisor of Jayhawk Academic Advising.

All advising positions in JAA are assigned to a specific KU Student Pathway as a part of an embedded advising model. Student pathway assignments will be determined by what is mutually beneficial to the needs of JAA and the advisor.

Job Description

70% Academic Advising

Provide proactive and holistic academic advising to assigned new and currently enrolled undergraduate students.
- Guide students' progress through academic milestones, including enrollment, career exploration and graduation.
- Advise students on the development and selection of course schedules consistent with students' educational goals.
- Assist students in developing appropriate educational goals and work towards those goals.
- Assist students with completion of financial aid appeals, probation agreements, graduation plans, etc.
- Provide outreach to students as needed in addition to providing appropriate follow-up and referral to university offices and resources.
- Provide advisement to all students as necessary, including those that may not be assigned to the advisor.
- Facilitate student enrollment and approval processes such as petitions, enrollment changes, appeals, and applications for graduation in compliance with appropriate deadlines and approval channels; provide appropriate referrals to university offices.
- Maintain program information, student communication strategies, and transcript and progress review to provide one-on-one guidance to students to meet program admission goals.
- Use Jayhawk GPS, Enroll & Pay, Planner, and other relevant communication and advising tools for student application coaching, student enrollment, degree audit, course prerequisites, etc. Complies with FERPA. Manage caseload of students with provided academic advising software and tools in a manner that is consistent with office metrics and milestones.
- Support University efforts geared toward increasing recruitment and retention.
- Participate in University orientation efforts.
- Responsible for knowledge of and compliance with the Board of Regents and University policies regarding daily job-related activities applicable to the position.
- May be cross trained in responsibilities of other academic advisors and in other academic departments.

20% - Student and Programmatic Support

Provide leadership to the coordination of academic advisor Liaisons. Also serves as a Liaison to a specific department, college or school and share resources and knowledge with other JAA staff. Where appropriate, interact with faculty to provide an exchange of information and to enhance the advisement of students.
- Attend departmental, college or school meetings at the discretion of supervisor to facilitate embedded advising model goals and to enhance advisement of students.
- Provide content specific training to other advisors as a part of new and ongoing advisor training.
- Act as a key contributor within the advising team to ensure ongoing satisfaction for students.
- Collaborate with advising leadership to provide solutions associated with specific programs or projects.

10% - Other Duties as Assigned

Taking on special projects, serving on or leading committees, or fulfill a specific role of program responsibilities based upon the strengths and interests of the advisor and the needs of the office.
- Deliver programs that assist in recruitment, transition, or retention efforts.
- Attend related staff training related to Academic Success.
- Assume other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

- Bachelors with minimum of three years of experience OR Master’s and one year of experience.
- Three years of experience providing direct academic advising in a full-time setting at KU or two years of experience providing direct academic advising in a full-time setting at KU and one year of relevant student facing, higher education experience (admissions, career, student affairs, etc.) in a full-time setting.
- Experience establishing and maintaining rapport with students, as shown in application materials.
- Effective written communication skills, as evidenced by application materials.
- Evidence of superior teamwork/collaboration skills, as shown in application materials.

Preferred Qualifications

- Master's degree in higher education, counseling, advising or related field.
- Experience providing academic advising at the University of Kansas (KU) and with KU, as evidenced in application materials.
- Student Pathways model, as evidenced in application materials.
- A variety of professional and/or academic experience with institutions of higher learning as demonstrated by application materials, as evidenced by application materials.
- Experience with PeopleSoft or related student information systems, as evidenced in application materials.
- Demonstrated commitment and enthusiasm for cross-training, advising across KU Student Pathways, and supporting student needs beyond assigned advising caseload, as shown in application materials.
- Experience with the use of innovative and highly effective advising processes and practices, as shown in application materials.

Additional Candidate Instructions

Please make sure to submit a complete application. A complete application includes the following:
- Cover Letter describing how you meet required and preferred qualifications
- Resume
- List of three (3) professional references

Only complete applications will be considered.

Application review begins July 3rd, 2026, and will continue until a qualified pool of applicants are identified.

Contact Information to Applicants

Patrick Koerner
patrick.koerner@ku.edu

Advertised Salary Range

49,600-52,592

Application Review Begins

Friday July 3, 2026

Anticipated Start Date

Monday September 28, 2026

Posting Information

- Posting ID: 33094BR
- Department: Jayhawk Academic Advising
- Primary Campus: University of Kansas Lawrence Campus
- Assignment: Hybrid
- Reg/Temp: Regular
- Employee Class: U-Unclassified Professional Staff
- Review Begins: 03-Jul-2026