Job Details

Open Option & Student Transition Specialist

Position Number: 6883313
Location: Boulder, CO
Position Type: Academic Advising

Open Option & Student Transition Specialist

Requisition Number: 69725
Location: Boulder Colorado
Employment Type: University Staff
Schedule: Full Time
Posting Close Date: 08-Feb-2026
Date Posted:

Job Summary

The Open Option (OPNO) & Transition Specialist position in the Academic Advising Program in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) is a foundational and strategic support position. Under the strategic guidance of the Director of Advising Quality and the Associate Director for Student Transitions & Exploration, this position is responsible for providing direct advising support to A&S Open Option (deciding) students and holding a temporary at-large caseload (as assigned). This position also serves as a contributing leadership member in support of a cross-college coordinated new student orientation academic advising experience for incoming first-year and transfer students. This position will partner with the A&S Academic Advising & Coaching (A&S AAC) unit's leadership team to ensure robust exploration and student transitions programming across all A&S advising "neighborhood" teams.

The successful candidate will demonstrate a student-centered orientation and a commitment to collaborative and constructive leadership. The successful candidate will have an enthusiastic demeanor and passion for guiding students' academic exploration process within the College of Arts & Sciences, along with a willingness and ability to provide outstanding academic advising service to students across breadth of the college's majors and academic disciplines. The successful candidate will demonstrate a developmental academic advising approach that focuses on exploration and discovery; be comfortable engaging with large numbers of people via diverse and active outreach methods including facilitating staff trainings and student presentations; and will exhibit outstanding customer service along with excellent communication skills.
CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

The College of Arts and Sciences at CU Boulder is the intellectual core of the university, conducting research, scholarship, creative work and education in more than 60 fields. Our research generates new knowledge, solving some of the world's most critical problems.

The college leads nationally in undergraduate and graduate education in the natural sciences, social sciences and arts and humanities, bringing world-class research and scholarship to our students, both in and out of the classroom.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Student-Facing Interactions

Provide proactive and comprehensive academic advising support to Open Option (deciding) students with focused guidance in the service of self-reflection, exploration, and the articulation of academic and career goals.
Given the variable year-to-year Open Option caseload sizes, Open Option & Transition Specialists may be assigned a temporary at-large student roster to support staff transitions to maintain a full caseload.
Develop trusting, supportive relationships with individual students.
Serve as the primary point of contact for academic questions and/or concerns.
Work with students through individual appointments, group meetings and presentations, registration labs, and drop-in hours via multiple modalities including in-person, video conferencing, telephone, and email.
A&S developmental advising supports students to:
Personalize their academic path at CU Boulder; set intentional goals appropriate to their developmental stage;
Assess their interests, values, and academic skills to plan for and make informed decisions about a choice of major, intended college outcomes, and potential career and/or graduate school direction;
Engage in intentional exploration of personal goals and interests and their alignment with CU Boulder majors and minors.
Navigate the systems, academic processes, and policies at CU-Boulder;
Learn about co-curricular opportunities that complement their academic path, goals, and support needs;
Reflect on their sense of belonging at CU and receive resources as needed;
Develop self-efficacy in college.
Ensure prepared and appropriately researched support and guidance customized to the student's context and developmental stage.
Proactively outreach and track students (i.e., early alert students, students who have not been in for an appointment, unregistered students, students in academic difficulty, students approaching graduation certification, etc.).
Lead group advising workshops and presentations including topics related to new student orientation, academic exploration, academic enrichment, developing academic success strategies, registration support, etc.
Engage occasional evening/weekend hours to support A&S AAC, college, and campus programming as assigned.
Maintain detailed, accurate, and prompt records of all advising contacts in the advising portal.
Offer focused academic advising for currently declared students who need in-depth exploration advising as assigned.

Unit-Level Exploration & Student Transition Leadership

Responsible for supporting one or more focused leadership service area as delegated by Associate Director of Student Transitions & Exploration, which may include the following possible duties as relevant.
Serve on the A&S Student Success Welcome Center student employees support team, including supporting the recruitment, training, mentorship, and development of the student employees in partnership with their supervisor.
Support the facilitation and planning of the unit's cross-neighborhood Student Transition Task Force.
Project management support to ensure a coordinated New Student Orientation (NSO) for first-year and transfer students, College Day, and transfer student programming and events across all advising "neighborhood" teams.
Project management support to ensure coordinated incoming transfer student events, first-year and transfer student registration labs, major exploration, and "ANDing" programming.
Support the design and facilitation of staff training and guidance in service of incoming and exploring students.
Provide data analysis in support of positive student outcomes, retention, and graduation implications for first-year and transfer students.
Support an expanded advisee caseload beyond a typical OPNO & Transition Specialist caseload.
Serve on unit, departmental, college and/or campus-wide committees, task forces, and working groups as relevant.
Participate in unit, departmental, college, and/or campus events and programming initiatives as assigned.
Support relevant administrative tasks in service of the A&S Academic Advising Program as assigned.

What You Should Know

This position is required to adhere to the College of Arts & Sciences to work modality expectations for student-facing roles. Currently, this includes the option of a hybrid work schedule that includes a minimum of two days per week on campus. OPNO & Transition Specialists are expected to attend all required in-person events and commitments.

What We Can Offer

The starting salary for this position is $72,900 - $74,400.

Benefits

At the University of Colorado Boulder, we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County's largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.

Be Statements

Be ambitious. Be pioneering. Be Boulder.

What We Require

Completed bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
5+ years prior professional advising/coaching or related experience.
Experience with student success initiatives.
Experience working with students who are exploring their academic interests.

What You Will Need

Outstanding customer service skills.
Demonstrated passion for working with first-year and exploring students.
An agile approach and ability to be adaptable.
Exceptional attention to detail.
Excellent interpersonal skills including active listening, empathy, collaboration, and conflict resolution.
Ability to communicate constructively and effectively in all mediums to diverse audiences.

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:

A current resume.
A cover letter that specifically tells us how your background and experience align with the requirements, qualifications, and responsibilities of the position.

We may request references at a later time.
Please apply by February 8th, 2026 for consideration.
Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, please apply through CU Boulder Jobs.
In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

To apply, visit https://jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDetail/Open-Option-Student-Transition-Specialist/69725