Student Success Coach

Gardner-Webb University's Online Undergraduate Program is seeking a full-time on-campus, Student Success Coach to serve as a liaison, advisor, and mentor to prospective applicants and accepted students. The Student Success Coach supports and assists students in successfully clarifying and attaining their personal, professional, and academic goals. This position will also serve as a bridge between the student, Academic Advisors, The Registrar's Office, The Student Accounts Office, Financial Planning, student support services, and other university resources to help students apply successfully and persist to graduation. This position is also responsible for serving on various committees supporting Online Undergraduate students' admissions process.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide all accepted students with a personalized advising session using a degree audit tool that facilitates monitoring students' academic progress toward degree completion.
• Collaborate with the Enrollment Development Officer to maintain a friendly, service-oriented relationship with students through effective phone, email, video conference, and face-to-face communication.
• Guide and assist prospective applicants and applicants through the admissions process, including answering questions related to academic program requirements, transfer credits, transcript submission, online and seated learning options, and other application-related tasks.
• Manage applicant documents and assist applicants in completing their file.
• Develop and maintain individualized curriculum plans consistent with personal, professional, and academic goals.
• Lead retention and graduation rate efforts through consistent communication with students and reaching out to students each semester (and throughout the academic semester) to assist them with registration for the next semester, addressing holds on their account, or with any other steps necessary to persist to graduation.
• Document all student interactions and engage in reliable data entry and information management to ensure data integrity for reporting, analysis, marketing, recruiting, and budget projections.
• Utilize critical thinking, professional expertise, and problem-solving skills to address and resolve student issues and concerns and to ensure a positive student experience.
• Collaborate and coordinate with colleagues in a team approach to ensure student success and effective enrollment management.
• Monitor and use analytics in (Qwickly- AttendancePro) to maintain advising student retention and utilize the Slate CRM/ Banner 9 system to track contact hours, issues, and outcomes of advising sessions and student portfolios with appropriate documentation.
• Assist students with setting goals and identifying, planning for, and overcoming potential obstacles and defining steps in education and career planning; build rapport and trust with students to support successful goal completion; monitor student progress toward goals; conduct follow-up with program participants; offer advisement as needed; supports instructors and program efforts to infuse instruction with persistence and success strategies.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Required Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university; at least two years of related experience and/or training.
• Commitment to providing high-quality service to a diverse group of clients.
• Energetic, service-oriented, motivated, and able to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment while managing multiple tasks with competing priorities and deadlines.
• Ability to work in a data- and goal-driven environment.
• Ability to handle confidential information in a professional manner.
• Detail-oriented and committed to following up with clients in a timely fashion.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and experience in using or quickly learning Banner and Slate CRM or similar platforms (Slate, TargetX/Salesforce).
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including confident, professional, and client-friendly, phone etiquette, email, video-conferencing, and interpersonal skills.
• Willing to work on a shift schedule that accommodates clients' schedules (i.e., evening work when students are home) and on some weekends.
• Some limited travel may be required.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

• Submit a letter of interest, résumé, and names and contact information with your application.
• Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete a criminal background check and drug screening, as are all University employees.