Course Mentor, Accounting

Tracking Code

786-417

Job Description

The Course Mentor is responsible for serving as the Subject Matter Expert in the field of accounting. S/he works with students through Learning Communities, proactive outreach, and other resources to help students develop competency.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Provide subject matter expertise and experience with accounting
Mentor students with content associated with topics of accounting
Actively engage students in learning content and respond to student issues in their area of expertise
Provide academic help to students as requested by using both synchronous and asynchronous technology to communicate with students. This will include, at a minimum, audio chat, instant messaging, threaded discussions, group discussions, and message boards
Be available to students during posted office hours as determined by the department. This will generally include some evening and weekend hours
Mentor students in effective study practices relevant to the discipline(s) covered in the COS and assist students in the use of the related Learning Resources
Mentor students in the topics needed to successfully complete the assessments in the COS(s) and provide feedback on assignments as appropriate
Work with students assigned to their COS(s) to achieve high success rates as measured by pass rates on assessments and successful completion of the Course of Study
Proactively lead sessions to improve student understanding of the key topics and objectives in the COS(s) assigned
Work with various departments and more specifically with a team of Course Mentors, Student Mentors, Program Managers, and Program Development for program success and student success
Work with others as a team to develop best practice strategies that result in student success with competency development and assessments, and implement these strategies with integrity
Provide personalized outreach to at-risk students in a way that fosters development of competencies
Work in a primarily phone based approach supported by online meeting rooms and computer-based service, with about 10 non-standard hours of contact per week
Other duties as assigned

PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENTS

Effective mentoring of students with a professional approach and knowledge of the competency-based model.
Positive working relationship with student mentors, course mentors and students.
Response time to students and university employees is appropriate and aligned with the university goal.
Maintain reports of student progress ensuring that reports and documents are neat, accurate, and completed timely.
Calls and inquiries are courteously and professionally resolved or referred.
The university’s professional reputation is maintained.
Management is appropriately informed of area activities and of any significant problems.

Required Skills

Success in working on complex projects using a collaborative work model.
Superior writing and technology skills.
Mastery of relevant competencies and topics associated with the assigned COS(s).
Well organized.
Attentive to detail.
Ability to assist and support others.
Subject matter expertise in accounting and finance.
Ability to respond quickly and thoroughly to student questions and concerns.

Candidates should possess graduate accounting subject matter expertise in topics including: financial analysis; financial statements; corporate systems and internal controls; risks: internal and external, mitigation strategies and techniques; legal and regulatory requirements; cost-volume-profit concepts and other analytical tools; budgets and pro-forma statements, including cash flows; capital budgeting; equity financing, debt alternatives; working capital management, working capital acquisition; and economic cost concepts and activity-based costing.

Candidates should possess undergraduate accounting subject matter expertise in topics including: accounting fundamentals; financial accounting concepts, recording concepts, adjusting; cost allocation; long-term liabilities; balance sheet; income statement; cash flows; financial statement analysis; advanced accounting, partnerships; individual and corporate taxes; inventory; deprecation; managerial accounting; cost-volume profit; job order costing; process costing; variable and absorption costing; activity-based costing; budgeting, including capital budgeting; variances; cost centers; balanced scorecard; concepts in auditing and information systems; accounting information systems; nature and purpose of large-scale information systems; internal control for information systems; information system auditing; auditor roles, responsibilities and professional standards; code of professional conduct; planning the audit and assessing risk; internal control structure; auditing financial statements; audit documentation; assurance services; problems in budgeting and financial statements; budgeting; capital budgeting - NPV, IRR, profitability index; capital budgeting - cost of capital; financial statement analysis; concepts in accounting and tax; federal income tax; income tax and the law; accounting standards; receivables and inventory; long-term assets; short and long-term liabilities; corporate equity; investments and income; accounting and income tax rule differences; and accounting for pensions and leases.

Required Experience

Doctorate degree with two years experience or more in the area of accounting or finance
Understanding and appreciation of competency-based education
Demonstrated ability to work with struggling students
Experience working in distance/adult learning environment preferred
Experienced in the use of technology-based delivery systems preferred
Success in working on complex projects using a collaborative work model
Superior writing, communication, and technology skills
Mastery of relevant competencies and topics associated with the assigned COS(s)
Well organized
Attentive to detail
Ability to assist and support others
Subject matter expertise in the field of academic essay writing and research as a process (academic paper writing)
Ability to respond quickly and thoroughly to student questions and concern