Academic Success Navigator

27341BR

Success Initiatives

Position Overview

Academic Success Navigators work as a team to deliver timely services and support for all Jayhawks.  Navigators serve transfer, degree completion, graduate, and online students as well as continuing education students served by Jayhawk Global programs.  This position provides accurate, friendly, and consistent service to students and target audiences with the goal to increase enrollment and engagement through strategic enrollment management and customer service practices.  This position is responsible for a large breadth and depth of knowledge across program offerings and student support services.  Academic Success Navigators play a critical role in student success by assisting students with inbound question answering, direct referrals to resources and services; appointment scheduling; outbound campaigns that promote enrollment or other calls-to-action; and proactive communications.

Academic Success Navigators are part of Academic Success within the division of Academic Affairs at KU.  Navigators report to the Assistant Director of Academic Success Initiatives and are joined in the department by the Academic Success Operations & Technology team, the Military-Affiliated Student Center, KU at Leavenworth Student Support Services, and Equity and Success Initiatives.

Academic Success  advocates for and strategically advances education at the University of Kansas. We work with students from orientation to graduation and beyond.

In a continuing effort to enrich the university and provide equal educational and employment opportunities, the university actively encourages applications from members of underrepresented groups. 

The University of Kansas offers competitive benefits to employees with up to 176 hours of paid vacation per year, 96 hours of sick leave earned per year, 10 paid holidays plus one discretionary day, retirement program, and many other supportive services and benefits including tuition assistance.

Job Description

45%   Outbound Calling / Question Support:

• Engages with inquiring students by:
  • Matching career goals or aspirations with academic programming.
  • Setting up appointments with advisors/coaches to include appointment reminders.
  • Calling student lists (campaigns) to increase movement within enrollment funnel.
• Engages with current KU students by:
  • Connecting with newly admitted transfer, online and graduate students to connect them to their appropriate next steps for enrollment and orientation.
  • Providing personalized student support to new transfer, online and graduate students through 1:1 zoom sessions for technology and system set up steps.
• Documents conversations / recording conversations within approved unit systems to ensure quality assurance & unification of student messaging.
• Communicates information about KU’s academic programs including application criteria, deadlines, and key facts to ensure students awareness.
• Determines the correct department for routing or scheduling that meets the students’ needs: financial aid, account services, academic accommodations, etc.
• Projects a positive, friendly, welcoming experience, particularly when the issue is not easily resolved or requires lengthy explanation.
• Demonstrates effective communication using spoken word.

45%    Inbound Response and Support:

• Answers and resolves service inquiries with regards to Admissions, Financial Aid and Scholarships, Office of the University Registrar, Student Information Systems, and other University-wide programs.  Answers and resolves inquiries related to all Jayhawk Global offerings.  These inquiries may come from multiple modalities including but not limited to phone, email, and chat.  Appropriate resolutions will include:
  • Correctly answering questions regarding policies and procedures for these offices, particularly when these policies or procedures require anticipatory questioning to determine the fundamental issue and/or related issues.
  • Researching question or concerns when necessary.
  • Escalation of the concerns to the appropriate person or office as needed, including transfers when appropriate.
  • Thinking creatively and working with customers to solve problems and provide ideal solutions to their needs.
• Uses critical, independent judgment in resolving diverse customer needs.
• Uses a web-based registration system to process non-credit program registrations received via mail, web, phone, email, and in-person; applies payments and creates receipts or invoices.
  • Understands and adheres to all Payment Card Industry Compliance protocol, tracks, and maintains security of all received payments.
  • Correctly follows and applies purchasing/payments policies as well as unit-based policies regarding payments, cancellations, and refunds.
• Provides needed customer service support via multiple modalities including but not limited to phone, email, and chat such as system navigation for both credit and non-credit student information systems, and technical troubleshooting/escalation.
• Communicates effectively with other University personnel, including following up with faculty, staff, and other stakeholders as applicable.

5%      Academic Success Responsibilities

• Understands and adheres to FERPA guidelines, KU policies and other institutional compliance expectations.
• Attends relevant unit meetings.
• Participates in department and campus meetings and trainings.
• Participates in relevant professional development annually.

5% – Other Duties           

• Assumes other responsibilities as designated by Academic Success.

Position Requirements

This position is hybrid in which incumbent works a combination of telework and onsite as deemed by supervisor.

Travel is less than 25% for occasional required on-campus meetings with advance notice.  First day of work must be conducted on-site at either Lawrence, KS or Overland Park, KS. Applicants are encouraged to consider drive/travel radius when applying.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree PLUS one (1) year of related professional experience OR an Associate’s Degree PLUS one (1) year of related experience OR high school diploma PLUS five (5) years of related experience.

Two (2) years of customer service experience.

Experience working with the Microsoft Office Office Suite.

Excellent written communication skills as demonstrated by application materials.

Excellent telephone skills as demonstrated by prior experience and demonstrated during the interview process.

Preferred Qualifications

One (1) year of customer service experience in either inbound or outbound phone service.

One (1) year of office experience in a higher education setting.

Experience with Customer Relationship Management systems in higher education or related setting i.e. – Slate.

Bi-Lingual – Spanish language expertise.

Previous work experience and/or familiarity with the University of Kansas.

Experience with higher education student information systems – i.e. PeopleSoft.

Experience with non-credit programs in higher education.

Experience with chat functionality or videoconferencing.

Remote work experience.

Contact Information to Applicants

Jaime Appelwick
[email protected]

Additional Candidate Instruction

A complete application includes:

A cover letter addressing how required qualifications are met.

Resume.

Three (3) Professional References.

Completion of the online application.

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Application review begins Thursday, March 14, 2024 and continues until a qualified pool of applicants is identified. 

Advertised Salary Range

$41,000

Application Review Begins

14-Mar-2024

Anticipated Start Date

29-Apr-2024

Primary Campus

Univ of Kansas Edwards Campus

Employee Class

U-Unclassified Professional Staff

Work Schedule

Monday – Friday, 9 am – 6 pm with some travel. Fully remote is available. Travel is less than 25% for occasional required on-campus meetings with advance notice.

Job Family

Administrative/Management-KUL

Work Location Assignment

Hybrid

Disclaimer

The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, and genetic information in the university’s programs and activities. Retaliation is also prohibited by university policy. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies and are the Title IX coordinators for their respective campuses: Director of the Office of Civil Rights & Title IX, [email protected], Room 1082, Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045, 785-864-6414, 711 TTY (for the Lawrence, Edwards, Parsons, Yoder, and Topeka campuses); Director, Equal Opportunity Office, Mail Stop 7004, 4330 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Fairway, KS 66205, 913-588-8011, 711 TTY (for the Wichita, Salina, and Kansas City, Kansas medical center campuses).