McNair Sr. Retention Specialist

csusystem; Fort Collins (CO); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Colorado State University in Fort Collins seeks a McNair Senior Retention Specialist to mentor and support Scholars, manage program operations, and supervise graduate staff. The role engages with CSU faculty and external partners to expand opportunities and ensure sustained student success within TRIO McNair initiatives.

The position emphasizes advising, data management, grant compliance, and collaboration across departments to deliver internships, seminars, research opportunities, and graduate

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in student personnel, higher education, counseling or related field.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in a federal TRIO program or similar program.
• Minimum of one year of experience with MS Excel, Access, or other database programs.
• Experience advising and assisting students with graduate school admissions, research, and the financial aid process.
• Demonstrated communication skills with public presentations, trainings, or teaching.
• Commitment to working with college students from TRIO backgrounds, including first-generation or low-income students.

Responsibilities

• Advise and mentor McNair Scholars with individualized planning and progress monitoring.
• Lead program administration, data collection, grant compliance, and annual reporting.
• Supervise and develop graduate student staff through training and evaluation.
• Coordinate scholar recruitment, outreach, and marketing efforts.
• Cultivate campus and faculty partnerships to advance scholar success.
• Support orientation, graduate school exploration, research experiences, and professional development.

Skills

Mentoring

Advising

Communication

Public speaking

Team leadership

Cultural competency

Education

Bachelor's degree in student personnel or related field

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Excel

Access

Student Access tracking software

Asana

Canva

Adobe Acrobat

Job description

Job Description

Position Summary:

The McNair Senior Retention Specialist is a full-time professional staff member in the AAC with a specialized skill set in programming and student support. The Senior Retention Specialist is responsible for providing individual and group services designed to enhance a student's successful entry into post-baccalaureate education and leading academic success initiatives (such as internships, seminars, and research opportunities) designed to prepare undergraduate students for doctoral study. In addition, the Senior Retention Specialist will provide academic support for students, including coaching, mentoring, and advising. This position is also responsible for the recruitment, hiring, training, and supervision of two McNair Graduate Support Assistants. Additionally, the Senior Retention Specialist will be responsible for communicating within the AAC unit as well as with internal CSU and external McNair partners relating to the recruitment and support of McNair Scholars. This includes communication and engagement with CSU faculty to secure McNair Scholar mentors.

This is a grant-funded appointment that ends September 30, 2027, with the possibility of renewal depending upon satisfactory performance and ongoing funding for the position.

For more information on the AAC, visit: aac.colostate.edu

Full Consideration Date: please apply by Monday, September 28, 2026, 11:59pm (MT).

Essential Job Duties:

• Advise and mentor 25 McNair Scholars by providing individualized academic, career, and graduate school planning; monitoring student progress; conducting proactive outreach; connecting students with resources; and delivering the Summer Research Internship curriculum.
• Lead program administration and assessment by maintaining accurate student records, ensuring grant compliance, collecting and analyzing program data, administering assessments, contributing to annual reporting, and supporting strategic planning and continuous program improvement.
• Supervise and develop graduate student staff by recruiting, training, mentoring, evaluating performance, assigning responsibilities, monitoring workflow, and fostering a collaborative and productive team environment.
• Coordinate scholar recruitment, outreach, and marketing efforts by implementing recruitment strategies, conducting eligibility reviews and information sessions, developing promotional materials, managing digital communications, and analyzing recruitment outcomes to enhance program visibility and participation.
• Cultivate campus and faculty partnerships by engaging faculty mentors, collaborating with campus departments and student support programs, representing the program on committees and initiatives, and advancing opportunities that support scholar success.
• Facilitate scholar engagement and professional development opportunities by planning and supporting orientation programs, academic success initiatives, research and conference experiences, graduate school exploration, lead group travel, and other activities that promote persistence and post-baccalaureate attainment.

Conditions of Employment:

• Pre-employment criminal background check (required for new hires).

Supervision:

• 2 Graduate Support Assistants (1.0 FTE total).

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in student personnel, higher education, counseling or related field.
• Minimum of (3) years of appropriate and relevant professional experience working in a federal TRIO program or similar program/project (two years of graduate-level work experience through assistantships or internships will be considered equivalent to 1 year of professional experience).
• Minimum of one (1) year of experience with computer application skills (MS Excel, Access, or other database programs), computer-assisted learning, and prior experience with database entry.
• Experience advising and assisting students with graduate school admissions, research, and the financial aid process.
• Demonstrated communication skills as evidenced by experience making public presentations to a variety of audiences, training, workshops, facilitations, or teaching.
• Demonstrated commitment to and experience working with college students from TRIO backgrounds, including those who are first-generation, limited income, and/or with disabilities.

Preferred Job Qualifications:

• Master's degree in student personnel, higher education, counseling, or related field.
• One (1) year of professional experience in a TRIO McNair Scholars Program or other TRIO program.
• Experience with Student Access tracking software or similar.
• Experience hiring, training, supervising, and evaluating graduate student staff.
• Experience using software such as project management platforms like Asana and visual suites like Canva or Adobe Acrobat.
• Demonstrated experience relating effectively with a variety of constituents, including students, faculty, staff, and community.
• Demonstrated experience working effectively independently and as a team player.