Title: Promise Program Scholar Advisor

Position Type: Professional Tech Full time

College: Pikes Peak State College

Location: Colorado Springs

Salary Range: $50,891 annual gross

Who We Are:

Pikes Peak State College is the largest and most diverse college in the Pikes Peak region, serving students with a wide range of goals, experiences, and responsibilities. Our students include recent high school graduates, working adults, military-affiliated students, parents, first-generation students, career changers, transfer students, and lifelong learners.
Our mission is to provide high-quality educational opportunities to all, with a focus on student success and community needs. We fulfill that mission by creating affordable, flexible, and accessible pathways that help students transfer to four-year institutions, enter the workforce, advance their careers, and build better futures close to home.
As the needs of our students, employers, and communities continue to evolve, so do we. PPSC embraces innovation that is human-centered, ethical, and focused on student learning. Through strong workforce partnerships and the thoughtful integration of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, we prepare students not only for today's opportunities, but for what's next.
We're looking for people who are passionate about access, collaboration, innovation, and student success. Whether you work in the classroom or behind the scenes, your contributions help create opportunities that change lives.
At PPSC, our vision is simple: Students Succeed at PPSC.

Job Summary:

This is a NON-CLASSIFIED employment opportunity and is exempt from the State Classified Personnel System. Visit the State of Colorado for Classified employment opportunities.   

The Program Scholar Advisor exists to provide professional advising related to educational transfer, career, and employment decision-making, personal coaching and mentoring, group facilitation, and referrals to other on and off campus resources for Promise Program scholars. The Program Scholar Advisor will manage and coordinate an assigned student caseload and work collaboratively with leadership, faculty, and staff to ensure appropriate educational planning to meet the academic and career goals of Promise Program scholars. Under the direction of the Coordinator of Promise Programs, this position will also provide academic advising, recruiting, coaching, and program planning strategies for Promise Program scholars. The Program Scholar Advisor will also help to develop new institutional and community partnerships and coordinate with current institution and community partners to support new and current Promise Program scholars.

Reports to: Director of Promise Programs

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution.
• Two years of professional experience in academic advising, counseling, social services, secondary or post-secondary student success coaching, teaching or student services.

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:

• Master's Degree from a regionally accredited institution.
• Two years of professional experience working in a higher education setting with college students.
• Demonstrated experience working with financial aid, enrollment, or other student service processes at a college or university.
• Demonstrated experience using an enrollment and advising system (such as Banner or EAB), a learning management system (such as D2L), or similar student/client information system.
• Demonstrated experience in public speaking, teaching, facilitating workshops, or small group facilitation.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in program evaluation, analysis, and data collection.
• Ability to read, write, and speak fluent Spanish 

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Represent the college in the community by creating, hosting, and participating in small and large group information events, which may be conducted virtually or in person.
• Provide academic advising in person and/or virtually to new and continuing Promise Program scholars, to include reviewing degree plans that ensure students are properly enrolled and progressing; evaluating and interpreting placement options; recommending courses for credential and degree completion, and teaching students to register for recommended courses.
• Provide regular one-on-one and small group coaching for a cohort of Promise Program students to facilitate academic success in college.
• Mapping comprehensive academic and career plans for individual students, based upon understanding of program requirements, student’s life situation, and career/personal goals.
• Communicate with faculty concerning students’ academic progress.
• Help manage Early Alert initiatives for Promise Program scholars.
• Connect students to college and community resources.
• Ensuring that all relevant advising and career-related information is up to date; including but not limited to admissions requirements; new programs and course changes; important dates; college-wide initiatives; transfer requirements and options.
• Documenting student interactions in accordance with department and institution policies in support of accountability and program assessment.
• Attend all appropriate and required trainings through Promise Programs, Advising & Testing, Financial Aid, and other program partners.
• Making appropriate referrals to other college student services and community partners as appropriate, in support of students’ academic and personal needs.
• Develop and coordinate group-mentoring initiatives to provide academic, personal, and career enrichment activities, such as welcome events, team building, and service learning. • Ensure students understand and their responsibilities in complying with all Promise Program requirements.
• Assist with the overall evaluation of the program including disaggregated data collection and analysis of key measurements of the Program.
• Work collaboratively and efficiently along with Promise team members and other stakeholders.
• Teach students how to manage relevant Financial Aid information, appeals, early alerts, and suspension processes.
• Coordinating relevant communications and programming with secondary education partners.

Career planning and career related functions:
• Providing short-term individual and career advising to assist students with career, educational, and employment decision making. Coordinating referrals to other college and community resources as appropriate.
• Partner with advising and career support services as needed and participating in designated program outreach activities.

Marketing, outreach, and accountability projects:
• Represents department on college committees and task forces as assigned.
• Assists with special events, follow-up, and other service initiatives.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners to provide equity based, culturally competent, efficient, and fair services.

Competencies/KSAs:

• Demonstrated evidence and understanding of the concepts of diversity and multiculturalism and their application in the workplace and higher education.
• Experience utilizing technology to provide synchronous and asynchronous services to students.
• Experience with public speaking and group educational presentations.
• Experience developing traditional or web-based programming and materials for workshops, services, and special events.
• Excellent computer skills including, working knowledge of EAB Navigate, Banner (INB and SSB), DegreeWorks, and Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Access, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint).
• In-depth knowledge of academic advising procedures and policies, advising information resources, and college’s instructional programs.
• Ability to prepare effective written communications utilizing correct grammar and spelling.
• Skills in organization and accurate recordkeeping with strict attention to detail and student privacy issues.
• Ability to develop practical academic and career plans of action based upon student’s individual life situation and goals.
• 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 work independently and follow through on assignments with minimal direction.

• Demonstrated understanding of current labor market trends and career information resources.
• Position requires energetic, flexible team members willing to work occasional evenings and Saturdays to accommodate programming needs; travel between all campuses as needed.
• Ability to work evenings and Saturdays as needed, and travel to multiple campuses and off campus locations.
• Barring special circumstances (as evaluated by supervisor), this position will not be granted annual leave during semester breaks when the college is open, due to responsibilities in supporting students.
• Cultural competence and demonstrated evidence, understanding, and commitment to the concepts of diversity, multiculturalism, and their application in the workplace.
• Ability to manage program caseload with minimal supervision.
• Ability to prepare reports regarding work and impact.
• Utilize a case management model to assist students in the completion of their academic goals at PPSC.
• Knowledge of and ability to make proper referrals to students for college programming and support services.
• Guide students to become their own advocates in achieving educational goals by referring them to institutional Student Success resources.
• Coach students on academic success strategies.
• Ability to work collaboratively and professionally with internal and external stakeholders.

• Apply strong interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills with students, staff, faculty, and community members.
• Mentor student cohorts in a classroom environment to advance student retention.
• Assist students on financial literacy, FAFSA compliance, and scholarship opportunities. Assist students to develop and comply with their Promise Pledge agreement. Apply knowledge of financial aid and financial aid referral needs and scholarship searches.
• Understand and display the concepts of diversity and multiculturalism and their application in the workplace.
• Work collaboratively and efficiently with the Foundation office on student success.
• Employ efficient organizational skills and work under deadlines to achieve strategic goals.
• Aid in planning, development, coordination, facilitation, and evaluation of communication strategies regarding Promise Programs.
• Ability to navigate differences effectively and respectfully in the workplace.
• Adhere to college policies and procedures.

Selection Process:

For full consideration, all application materials must be received by 4:00 p.m. on July 23rd, 2026.

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.