This is a NON-CLASSIFIED employment opportunity. Visit the State of Colorado for Classified employment opportunities.
The Program Advisor plays a crucial role in guiding students through educational, career, and transfer decisions, focusing on both Career & Technical Education (CTE) and transfer degrees and certificates. This position supports college-wide student success initiatives and fosters an inclusive environment by providing tailored academic advising and career planning. Advisors will manage a diverse caseload,
extensively utilize technology, collaborate with various departments, and contribute to Pikes Peak State College’s Strategic Plan with an emphasis on equity and access for all students.
Minimum Qualifications
- Completed Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.
- Experience providing student advising, academic counseling, or other student support services in a secondary, post-secondary, workforce, or adult education setting.
Professional level experience is defined by the Colorado Division of Human Resources: A position that involves the exercise of discretion, analytical skill, judgment, personal accountability, and responsibility for creating, developing, integrating, applying, or sharing an organized body of knowledge. Colorado revised statute (C.R.S. 24-50-135(1) allows colleges to exempt positions from the State Personnel Classified System that are determined to be professional level work.
Preferred Qualifications
- Bilingual and bi-literate proficiency in English and Spanish, including working vocabulary of higher education terminology in both languages.
- Completed Master's degree in a related field.
- Two years of advising experience in higher education.
- Experience working directly with diverse student populations and an understanding of Pikes Peak State College’s mission.
For full consideration, all application materials must be received by 4:00 p.m. on May 6, 2026. Applications accepted until position is filled.
Pikes Peak State College reserves the right to close the job posting once a sufficient applicant pool has been obtained.
Must be a State of Colorado resident or able to relocate to Colorado prior to first date of employment.
Visa support is not available for this position.
Application Instructions: Application must be submitted online. Incomplete applications may not receive full consideration. A complete application will include:
- Cover letter - Address the minimum and preferred qualifications in the order listed on the job announcement.
- Resume - Reflect experience, education, knowledge, skills, and abilities.
- Unofficial Transcripts - Unofficial transcripts for all degrees conferred. Official transcripts are required if hired for the position.
- Professional References - Provide names and contact information for three recent professional references who can address your expertise and background for this position.
This position may be eligible for a variety of employee benefits. Pikes Peak State College participates in the Colorado Public Employees' Retirement Association (PERA) contribution rates.
Note: Prior submission of application materials will not be considered.
Essential Functions
Academic Advising Services
• Provide comprehensive, personalized academic advising in person and via synchronous and asynchronous technologies.
• Acquire an in-depth understanding of program requirements and curriculum progression for the assigned advising team and a broad-based knowledge of all other programs.
• Analyze and evaluate the needs of students, accurately assess each situation, determine appropriate information and referrals, exercise discretion to resolve issues, and tailor messaging to fit each unique situation.
• Manage assigned student caseload, including long-term planning and appropriate referrals.
• Stay current on changing curricula, department, program, and college rules and policies.
• Map comprehensive academic and career plans for individual students, based upon understanding of program requirements, student’s life situation, and career and personal goals.
• Employ a student-focused advising approach with an understanding of how career goals and opportunities impact academic decisions.
• Review academic records, academic history, degree progress, and student goals to offer appropriate course recommendations.
• Collaborate effectively with supervisor, staff, faculty, and community members to support assigned student populations and programs.
• Ensure the effectiveness of the advising process by maintaining electronic advising notes and using information systems to advise students appropriately.
• Document student interactions and update student records in accordance with department and institution policies in support of accountability and program assessment.
• Assist with developing advising communication, including printed and digital information, and coordinate updates to ensure relevant information is always up to date.
Career Planning and Career Related Services
• Provide short-term individual and career advising to assist students with career, educational, and employment decision-making.
• Ensure students are declared in an academic pathway that aligns with their career and transfer goals.
• Connect students to career resources and support services that align with their interests and goals.
Marketing, Outreach, and Accountability Projects:
• Collect, analyze, and use data to track student progress and generate insights about student success and barriers.
• Positively participate in professional development, serve on department or college committees and projects.
• Assist in the training of new team members when assigned.
• Assist with on and off campus special events, follow-up, and other service initiatives.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners to provide equity-based, culturally competent, efficient, and fair services.
General Duties, Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities
- Ability to navigate differences effectively and respectfully in the workplace.
- Accountability: Demonstrate adaptability, convey a positive and professional image of the College, put forth extra effort when the need arises, not abuse leave practices, demonstrate punctuality, maintain confidentiality, make good use of work time, pay attention to detail, demonstrate accuracy and follow-through, complete tasks on time, take initiative, show self-direction, and take responsibility for work product.
- Communication: Effectively apply communication skills both orally and in writing. Actively listens and engages in thoughtful and constructive dialogue. Respond effectively and courteously, produce written documents using proper grammar, format, and sentence structure, produce written documents which display an attractive appearance, produce written documents which clearly convey the subject and major points, and keep others informed.
- Problem Analysis and Decision Making: Take initiative to identify problems and develop creative, solution-oriented recommendations. Obtain facts to understand the problem. Make decisions that reflect sound judgment and assessment of facts and related issues. Produce clear recommendations with an understanding of department and college decision-making authority.
- Customer Service: Ability to provide high-level customer service to individuals and groups in person and virtually by applying excellent communication and organizational skills. Effectively determine the needs of internal and external customers, offer alternatives to internal and external customers if unable to handle request, offer prompt service, maintain smooth working relations with others, demonstrate tact and diplomacy in negotiations or confrontations with others, maintain accessibility to others.
- Higher Education Knowledge: Familiarity with student services in higher education, and knowledge of student development and learning theories.
- Teamwork and Independence: Ability to professionally and tactfully interact, communicate, establish rapport, and work collaboratively with a wide variety of constituents, including students, faculty, staff, and community members and organizations.
- Ability to workindependently and follow through on assignments with minimal direction.
- Technology Proficiency: Demonstrated experience with student information systems and customer relationship management systems. Daily proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including designing, creating, and maintaining forms, reference materials, databases, and training resources.
- Project Management: Aptitude for effectively prioritizing and managing multiple projects, ensuring deadlines are met without compromising quality. Ability to identify desired outcomes, create checkpoints and time frames to realistically achieve outcomes, develop alternatives and contingency plans, when necessary, evaluate and refine the plan
- Location and Hours Flexibility: Willing to work occasional evenings and Saturdays, and work at all PPSC campuses and other locations to accommodate programming needs.
As part of the State of Colorado, PPSC offers a competitive benefits package:
This job description reflects Pikes Peak State College’s best effort to describe the essential duties and qualifications of the job. It is not an exhaustive statement of all the duties, responsibilities or qualifications of the job. This document is not intended to exclude an opportunity for modifications consistent with providing reasonable accommodation.
EEO Statement: Pikes Peak State College is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Americans with Disabilities Act institution. We value diversity, strive for a more unified campus where all people are valued, treated fairly, and possess a sense of belonging. Pikes Peak State College encourages minorities, women, veterans and persons with disabilities to apply.
