Student Support Specialist

Required Qualifications

• High School Diploma/GED and four years operations and/or Student Support experience. Training/education may be substituted for some of the years of experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated commitment to educational equity
• Ability to communicate effectively, professionally, and compassionately with a variety of constituents
• Strong organizational skills and attention to accuracy and detail
• Bachelor's degree in a related field
• Two or more years of student service experience
• Experience working with diverse populations
• Demonstrated experience in the area of customer service including good listening, informed decision making, the ability to handle a wide range of personalities and situations and the ability to interact effectively with professionalism
• Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities
  Experience with PeopleSoft, Slate, Perceptive Content, Microsoft Office, Google Apps and other technical abilities
• Experience creating and managing content for social media
• Personal and/or professional commitment to social justice and human rights and familiarity with the social work profession, including overcoming barriers similar to those experienced by social work clients.ong organizational skills and attention to accuracy and detail

Bargaining unit consideration begins on March 25, 2024 and ends on April 1, 2024.

The Student Services Specialist position is a 10-month, 100% time continuous appointment. The schedule is 8:00am-4:30pm M-F with some room for flexibility.

The pay rate for this position starts at $22.26/hr.

The Executive Operations/Student Services Specialist supports the Bachelor’s and Master’s programs in the Department of Social Work. The responsibilities of this position include planning and independently completing administrative projects and providing administrative coordination under the direction of the Directors for the Department programs; student recruitment, program promotion, and admissions support; support of current students with registration and progress through our programs; and managing communication with a wide range of stakeholders. This position also serves as the Graduate Program Coordinator. This position is directly supervised by the Director of the Bachelor’s program and the Director of the Master’s program/Director of Graduate Studies.
Terms and conditions of employment for AFSCME Clerical employees, including salary rate information, can be found in the collective bargaining agreement: https://humanresources.umn.edu/unit-6-afscme-clerical
Job Duties
Student Support (50%)

• Provide support to prospective and current students
• Manage Department communication platforms including updating website and social media, and managing Google groups and listservs for prospective and current students
• Utilize the Reporting Center to provide the department with data as needed (i.e. program enrollment and demographics)
• Inform students about scholarships, campus events, awards and deadlines
• Coordinate and lead a variety of events including orientations, information sessions, meetings for current and prospective students, and other events
• Assign students to faculty advisors
• Assist incoming and current students with registration
• Maintain student files
• Assist alumni with licensure verifications

Recruitment and Admissions (30%)

• Communicate directly with student applicants explaining degree outcomes, pre-requisite requirements, and the application process
• Track and continually follow-up with all prospective students
• Update and maintain recruitment and informational materials
• Track program enrollment
• Coordinate program planning for recruitment
• Actively participate in recruitment events including off campus events that may require some travel
• Coordinate and facilitate the admissions process for both programs by tracking applications as the progress through the system, assigning applications for faculty review, tracking completion of applications, and following up with applicants on missing materials

Department Support (20%)

• Serve as a liaison with other departments and other units
• Participate in department meetings
• Train and supervise student workers
• Assist with updating and maintaining student handbooks
• Produce and distribute student and department newsletters
• Support student organizations
• Assist with annual department surveys
• Assist with annual Council of Social Work Education report
• Assist with registration holds and other tracking flags, overrides, grade changes, incompletes and add/drops

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will have the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

Full applications should include a cover letter and resume. References will be requested of finalists.
For inquiries please contact Dr. Ashley Thomspon at thompsoa@d.umn.edu

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail employ@umn.edu or call (612) 624-8647.

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

University of Minnesota, Duluth (UMD)

The University of Minnesota, Duluth (UMD) consistently ranks among the top Midwestern, regional universities in U.S. News and World Report's "America's Best Colleges" issue.

Overlooking Lake Superior, UMD provides an alternative to both large research and small liberal arts environments and attracts students looking for a personalized learning experience on a medium-sized campus of a major university. A firm liberal arts foundation anchors a variety of traditional degree programs, as well as professional and graduate students that draw on UMD's many research institutes and labs.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by the Star Tribune as a Top Workplace for 2021, as well as by Forbes as Best Employers for Women and one of America’s Best Employers (2015, 2018, 2019, 2023), Best Employer for Diversity (2019, 2020), Best Employer for New Grads (2018, 2019), and Best Employer by State (2019, 2022).