Educational Opportunity Center Advisor

Neosho; Neosho (MO); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Crowder College is seeking an Advisor to assist residents across multiple counties with admissions, financial aid, HiSet/GED guidance, career counseling, and financial literacy. The role includes coordinating services, facilitating workshops, and providing direct support through the education process to expand workforce options.

The Advisor will build relationships with community agencies, schools, and postsecondary staff while maintaining confidential client files and documenting progress with

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in higher education or related field is required.
• Experience designing or administering programs to support workforce training for disadvantaged populations.
• Experience with students, adults, or disadvantaged groups with strong facilitation skills.
• Excellent workshop facilitation and interpersonal communication abilities.

Responsibilities

• Disseminate information to residents, agencies, schools, and local businesses.
• Identify and recruit eligible participants and coordinate with partner colleges and community centers.
• Establish strong relationships with high school staff, community agencies, and postsecondary personnel.
• Maintain confidential participant files and document progress with EOC staff.
• Lead workshops on academics, financial aid, and career pathways aligned to regional labor needs.
• Advise participants individually or in groups on academic and financial aid issues.
• Provide information on majors, short-term credentials, and career guidance.
• Support use of digital tools and career exploration platforms to boost readiness.
• Encourage participation in educational activities to expand opportunities.
• Assist with FAFSA and scholarship searches and connect participants with resources.
• Work with the Project Director to document progress and maintain contact with participants.
• Fulfill additional duties as assigned by the EOC Director.

Skills

Workshop facilitation

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Independent work

Organization

Driving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in higher education, career/technical education, guidance or related field

Tools

Windows OS

Microsoft Office 365

Learning Management System

Job description

Position Summary

Crowder College is looking for a people-centered person who will advise and advocate for residents in Barry, Barton, Jasper, Lawrence, McDonald, Newton and Vernon counties who seek to improve the lives through education. The Advisor is responsible for delivering services at the college and within the community, including advising, workshops, and career development activities that expand education and workforce choices. The Advisor provides direct support with postsecondary admission applications, financial aid forms, HiSet/GED guidance, career counseling, financial literacy assistance, transfer advisement, scholarship help, and general information relating to the financial and academic processes in education. When the Advisor is winning, residents who seek services from EOC have an exceptional experience receiving all the support and guidance needed to meet their education and career goals.

Essential Job Duties

• Disseminate information to residents, agencies, schools, career and technical education programs, and businesses
• Assist with identification, recruitment, and selection of eligible participants
• Coordinate activities with colleges, career/technical education centers, and community agencies
• Establish and maintain close working relationships with community agency staff, high school staff and administration, career/technical education staff, social service agencies, businesses, and postsecondary education personnel
• Obtain EOC referrals and make referrals via community agency staff, high school staff and administration, career/technical education, social service agencies, businesses, and college personnel
• Maintain complete and accurate confidential participant files (including the EOC application, income documents, completed assessments, high school and/or college records, and all key services rendered)
• Facilitate workshops on academic issues, financial aid options, college selection and career pathways aligned with regional labor market needs
• Advise participants in a group or one-to-one concerning academic and/or financial aid issues
• Provide information and workshops on college majors, short-term credential programs, and career guidance
• Support participants in navigating digital tools, including career exploration platforms and emerging LER and talent marketplace tools, to strengthen career readiness
• Encourage participation in academic and career development activities to expand education and workforce choices
• Assist participants in searching to meet their full financial needs, including aid in filing the FAFSA, scholarship searches, and location of community resources
• Work with Project Director to document participant progress and maintain consistent contact between participants and EOC staff
• Fulfill any other duties requested by the EOC Director which job-related circumstances may demand.

Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Bachelor’s degree required in higher education, career and technical education, guidance, counseling or other closely related field.
• Experience developing/administering programs or those that support workforce training/employment for disadvantaged persons.
• Experience working with and sensitivity to students, adults, and/or disadvantaged populations.
• Excellent workshop facilitation, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently with no direct on-site supervision.
• Ability to plan, organize, and execute job duties effectively.
• Ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships with students, professionals, staff, and the public.
• Ability to drive an automobile and a clean driving record required.

Equipment/Software

• Information Technology abilities required:
  • Ability to operate a computer using Windows environment.
  • Ability to operate a computer within the Crowder College network environment.
  • Ability to perform basic Microsoft Office 365 components.
  • Ability to perform basic Learning Management System functions.

Positions Supervised

None

Working Environment

• Generally indoors in a normal office/classroom/clinical environment with minimal exposure to temperature changes, noise, dust or chemicals.
• Normal college working hours but adjustment of hours involving evening and/or weekend work may be required.
• Travel to other office sites required as well as an occasional overnight trip.
• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• A neat appearance and appropriate businesslike apparel are required.

Physical

• Input, access and distribute information using computers.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, or crouch; and talk or hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.
• May be required to walk long distances. May also be required to lift, carry, push or pull objects up to 50 lbs.

Creative and Analytical Skills

• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to devise or modify methods or processes to solve specific problems.

Language/Communication Skills

• Ability to communicate effectively with a variety of people, including staff, students and the general public, in both written and oral mediums.
• Ability to interact with a broad range of people both on and off campus in a positive manner.
• Bilingual capability preferred.

CROWDER COLLEGE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY, INTERPRET, OR APPLY THIS POSITION DESCRIPTION IN ANY WAY THE INSTITUTION DESIRES. THIS POSITION DESCRIPTION IN NO WAY IMPLIES THAT THESE ARE THE ONLY DUTIES, INCLUDING ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES, TO BE PERFORMED BY THE EMPLOYEE OCCUPYING THIS POSITION. THIS POSITION DESCRIPTION IS NOT AN EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT, IMPLIED OR OTHERWISE. THE EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP REMAINS “AT-WILL.” THE AFOREMENTIONED POSITION REQUIREMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE TO REASONABLY ACCOMMODATE QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS WITH A DISABILITY.

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