Assistant Director / Honors Advisor, Academic Affairs University Honors Scholars Program
University of CincinnatiJobsCloseBy Editorial Insights
The University of Cincinnati is seeking an Assistant Director / Honors Advisor for the University Honors Scholars Program to mentor 300 to 350 students, align advising with the Bearcat Promise, and help students translate experiences into compelling learning portfolios and stories. This role leads honors experiences, manages programs and projects, and builds campus partnerships to expand opportunities for students. Requirements include a Master’s degree and at least three years of direct student engagement, with occasional evenings or weekends. The compensation is $58,000 to $62,000, plus robust benefits, tuition remission, and a strong work-life balance. Apply through the UC applicant portal; internal UC employees must apply via SuccessFactors; tailor your resume to the essential functions.
Current UC employees must apply internally via SuccessFactors
Next Lives at the University of Cincinnati
Founded in 1819, the University of Cincinnati ranks among the nation’s best urban public research universities. Home to more than 53,600 students, 12,000 faculty and staff, and over 360,000 living alumni, UC, a Carnegie 1 institution, combines research prowess with a physical setting The New York Times has called “the most ambitious campus design program in the country." UC's momentum has never been stronger as the anchor of the Cincinnati Innovation District, the oldest cooperative education (co-op) program in the country with students earning $94 million annually through paid experiences, an academic health system, and as a member of the Big 12 Conference. The university contributes $10.6 billion in economic impact to the city and $22.7 billion to the state of Ohio. At UC, next is all of us. Learn more at uc.edu.
UC is a mission-driven organization where we are committed to student success and positively transforming the community through scholarship and service. We thrive on innovation, making an impact, and fostering an environment where staff and faculty are key contributors to UC’s success.
Job Overview
Mentor and coach current University Honors Program (UHP) students through their experience, guiding students in identifying interests and opportunities, setting goals, reflecting on experiences, and telling their stories. Assist in developing global citizen scholars who lead innovative efforts toward solving the world’s complex problems.
Essential Functions
- Serve as advisor/mentor/coach for 300-350 UHP students in specific disciplines. Integrate UHP vision, student learning outcomes, and Bearcat Promise into all engagement with students. Advise students and help them feel welcome in the UHP. Facilitate mandatory first-year, mid-point, and final-year advising.
- Coach students in exploring the meaning of global citizen scholar and complex problems they want to contribute to solving. Guide students in critical reflection to identify and articulate their goals and coach students in identifying honors experiences to achieve them. Mentor students in updating their goals as they move through their UC and UHP experience. Coach students in developing resiliency and reflective capacity to make sense of their growth and apply their learning. Integrate the Bearcat Promise by coaching students to critically reflect on and make meaning out of their experiences, articulate their learning, inform their next steps, and share their story (written, verbally, and through their honors learning portfolio).
- Mentor students through completing UHP requirements, including individualized planning for honors experiences, development and completion of self-designed honors experience proposals, review and feedback on required reflections on honors experiences, review of honors experience showcases in learning portfolios, ongoing holistic development of each student’s learning portfolio, and review and feedback on each student’s annual Year-In-Review. Complete a formal progress review for every student each summer. Keep detailed records of communication with students in UHP database.
- Develop collaborative relationships with stakeholders from colleges and units across campus to increase opportunities for students and success of students in UHP. Focus on increasing honors opportunities and UHP retention and graduation rates for students in assigned colleges. Notify students of specific honors opportunities related to their colleges/majors. Facilitate connections and networking for students across campus and in the community.
- Manage short-term and long-term projects, as assigned. Projects include: managing the Biomedical Research and Mentoring Program, managing UHP Discover research program, managing the UHP Welcome Experience, managing UHP signature programs, managing UHP engagement in Bearcats Bound Orientation, managing pre-approved honors experiences, and overseeing the Gateway to University Honors class.
- Teach sections of HNRS1010: Gateway to University Honors course
- Support UHP programs and events. Lead presentations at Admissions events and Bearcats Bound Orientation. Assist with other admissions events. Review applications in the UHP transition admissions process. Meet with prospective students/families. Participate in experiences alongside students.
- Perform related duties based on departmental need. This job description can be changed at any time.
Required Education
Master's Degree
Required Experience
- Three (3) years of experience. At least one (1) year of experience working directly with students in a student learning capacity (experiential learning, academic advising, teaching, academic support, or other student affairs or student learning capacity or similar).
- Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends.
Additional Qualifications Considered
- Graduate Assistantship experience in experiential learning, academic advising, teaching, academic support, or other student affairs or student learning capacity or similar areas may be considered.
Physical Requirements/Work Environment
- Office environment/no specific unusual physical or environmental demands.
Compensation and Benefits
UC offers an exceptional benefits package designed to support your well-being, financial security, and work-life balance. (UC Benefits) Eligibility may vary by position and FTE status. Highlights include:
Salary/Hourly Pay Rate Information: $58,000-$62,000
Comprehensive Tuition Remission
UC provides tuition remission for you and your eligible dependents, covering tuition costs for nearly all undergraduate and graduate programs offered by the university.
Robust Retirement Plans
As a UC employee, you won’t contribute to Social Security (except Medicare). Instead, you’ll choose between state pension plans (OPERS, STRS) or an Alternative Retirement Plan (ARP), with UC contributing 14–18% of your salary based on position.
Real Work-Life Balance
UC prioritizes work-life balance with a generous time-off policy, including:
Vacation and sick time
11 paid holidays and additional end-of-year paid time off (Winter Season Days)
6 weeks of paid parental leave for new parents
Additional Benefits Include:
- Competitive salary range of $58,000-$62,000 based on candidates qualifications and experience
- Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision, prescription)
- Flexible spending accounts & wellness programs
- Professional development & mentorship opportunities
To learn more about why UC is a great place to work, please visit our Careers Page.
UC is an E-Verify employer. If hired into this position, you will be required to provide satisfactory proof of employment eligibility by providing acceptable, original forms of identification for employment verification via the Federal I-9 employment verification process. Click here for a list of acceptable documents.
Important: To apply you must create a profile and submit a complete job application through the UC applicant portal. We are unable to consider “easy apply” applications submitted via other websites. For questions about the UC recruiting process or to request accommodations with the application, please contact UC HR at [email protected].
Equal Opportunity Employer. Building a workplace where all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment, including Individuals with Disabilities and Protected Veterans.
REQ: 102978