Location: Fort Collins, Colorado
URL: http://www.online.colostate.edu/about/positions.dot
Description:
This position will be responsible for providing excellent customer service in retention and building long-lasting, positive relationships with enrolled students in support of Colorado State University (CSU) OnlinePlus. The Student Retention Coordinator will utilize a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system to track and manage student follow-up, strategize ongoing communications to continuing students in the degrees, programs and courses offered by CSU OnlinePlus. This position is responsible for shaping the customer service experience for new and continuing students enrolled through CSU OnlinePlus, and helping them navigate through CSU’s programs and processes. Professional interaction with internal and external customers and partners is a key element of this position.
The successful candidate will ensure success and productivity by:
• Assessing every student’s needs and making recommendations that are individualized, appropriate for the student’s goals.
• Conveying with complete accuracy the policies and regulations of CSU, of OnlinePlus, and of each specific degree or certificate program.
• Assuming full responsibility for addressing every student’s questions (which requires significant interaction with CSU department staff, ability to troubleshoot and resolve specific issues, and tracking resolution of all issues) throughout their course of study and student lifecycle at OnlinePlus, from orientation-related through graduation-related activities.
CSU OnlinePlus, Division of Continuing Education, is a self-supporting unit that develops and delivers quality programs and educational opportunities in support of the University’s land grant mission. CSU OnlinePlus offers 34 degrees, online and at a distance, as well as credit and noncredit courses, certificate programs, and custom training for businesses and industry. CSU OnlinePlus served over 10,000 students last year and is growing at an average of 18% per year. CSU OnlinePlus offers educational programs throughout Northern Colorado, Denver, Loveland, and Brighton, at business sites, and worldwide via distance education using a variety of delivery methods. CSU OnlinePlus is made up of dynamic individuals working as a collegial team to deliver one of the best distance and online education values in the world.
The Colorado State University campus is located in the city of Fort Collins, the county seat of Larimer County. Fort Collins is a community of approximately 142,000 situated 65 miles north of Denver. Located at an elevation of 5,000 feet, Fort Collins has a clear, dry climate and generally pleasant temperature throughout the year and averages 300 days of sunshine. To learn more about Colorado State University OnlinePlus, visit www.online.colostate.edu. The position is located on the Colorado State University South Campus (Drake Rd.) in Fort Collins, Colorado.
RESPONSIBLITIES
• Independently conduct follow-up contact through outbound calls, emails, webinars, in person or through other communication vehicles to new and continuing students to assess their progress toward their educational goals, explain and connect students with appropriate university resources where applicable or required, provide them with insight and solutions related to success strategies that may help them persist through their coursework, guide their navigation through the student lifecycle at OnlinePlus, and facilitate communication with program staff and department advisors where necessary;
• Develop and deliver orientation-related presentations, student transition and persistence-themed workshops and tools geared toward online students, and other communications, strategies and tools designed to facilitate online student success;
• Actively work toward positively affecting student satisfaction and retaining every student who is enrolled throughOnlinePlus by managing student questions, making prompt and effective contact with students, determining their goals, questions, and concerns, and accurately explaining CSU and OnlinePlus available resources;
• Utilize the CRM system to collect and utilize student information and send follow up communication (which includes maintaining detailed contact information, interests, preferences and communication history), and oversee data entry by staff as necessary;
• Devise, implement, monitor, and dynamically reconfigure retention campaigns and outcome reports and assessment within the CRM and other information systems;
• Create strong working relationships in collaboration with Student Engagement Coordinators, other members of the Recruitment and Retention team, OnlinePlus colleagues and other CSU departments to create supportive structures for student success;
• Advocate for student success and student needs, keep informed of changes in policies and requirements for a range of degree and certificate programs, take an active role in coaching students toward success, and demonstrate sensitivity to a range of diverse student needs;
• Manage daily student-oriented communication strategies, including development, coordination, implementation and monitoring of new and continuing student documents, support tools and additional services utilized by OnlinePlus in support of student success;
• Assess student retention and attrition patterns through systematic communications and procedures, and work closely with academic advisors and faculty to promote engagement and retention of students who are considered at-risk, disengaged, or otherwise flagged for follow up;
• Actively pursue professional development and training opportunities to remain aware of trends in student success and advising theory and practice, and participate in team training and activities;
• Create and implement retention plans, including development of a detailed schedule and text for communications to current students regarding registration reminders, course updates, etc. to support increased student persistence rates; present communications to the Director of Recruitment & Retention as well as program operations staff; and ensure that retention plan is integrated into overall organizational recruitment & retention plans as well as marketing communications plans;
• Develop content for web site and create online and social media tools to build and maintain relationships with continuing students and cooperate with Marketing and Program Operations to strategically integrate these tools into OnlinePlus business processes to achieve retention and customer service goals and outcomes;
• Define retention goals based on program type, student needs, quality conversations and unique student support processes, monitor progress, and be accountable for goal achievement;
• Develop retention tools and strategies, make recommendations for new processes as possible improvements are observed, and provide support to program directors in their retention efforts;
• Conduct research and evaluate processes and available tools to identify new opportunities for retaining students and increasing persistence rates for student success, and present information on research findings or recommendations to Director of Recruitment and Retention;
• May be requested to travel on occasion to selected functions or events including information meetings, open houses, and other outreach events to speak with students, conduct presentations, and coordinate participation by program staff;
• Accept other responsibilities as assigned or apparent.
Salary: $44,000 – $47,000 range commensurate with experience.
QUALIFICATIONS
Required:
• Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution;
• Minimum two years professional work experience in an educational advising or recruiting environment that involved coaching, mentoring or taking an active leadership role, managing multiple students, motivating them to action, and maintaining a relationship with them throughout a process;
• Demonstrated strong technology skills including the ability to use email and online system applications to retrieve information and track progress;
• Demonstrated expertise applying software or using databases in a customer service or student advising/ recruitment setting to manage multiple student contacts or clients;
• Demonstrated ability to work ethically with confidential information;
• Demonstrated expertise communicating professionally with customers through regular phone, e-mail or other communication vehicles;
• Demonstrated previous experience in working with students individually or in groups to lead discussions, coach to success, encourage, develop student success skills, monitor activities, provide input and gather data for student outcomes assessments.
• Proven ability to work independently and as a member of a team.
Preferred:
• Master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution;
• Previous professional work experience in recruitment or retention for online education or adult education.
• Demonstrated solid understanding of current trends, tools and advising principles, customer service research and paradigms, higher education and online retention processes, models, and strategies;
• Demonstrated ability to thrive in a cross-functional environment.
• Demonstrated strong organizational and planning skills with experience managing multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
DEADLINE and APPLICATION MATERIALS: For full consideration, applications must be received by Thursday, September 6. Please submit to diane.obrien@colostate.edu
1. Resume
2. Cover letter (no longer than two pages) addressing each of the required and preferred qualifications in the job announcement.
References will be requested at the time of interviews.
Colorado State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. Colorado State University is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce and complies with all Federal and Colorado State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. The Office of Equal Opportunity is located in 101 Student Services.
Colorado State University is committed to providing a safe and productive learning and living community. To achieve that goal, we conduct background investigations for all final candidates being considered for employment. Background checks may include, but are not limited to, criminal history, national sex offender search and motor vehicle history.
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