Retention/Guidance/Teacher Support (RGT) Specialist

Eastern Oregon University; La Grande (OR); On-site; USD 41,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid holidays (10 days/year)

Paid sick time-off (12 days/year)

Paid vacation (22 days/year)

Health Insurance (employee 95%+)

Oregon Paid Leave benefits (12 paid)

Job summary

Eastern Oregon University seeks a Retention/Guidance/Teacher Support Specialist to strengthen the path from high school dual credit to EOU degree completion. You will provide proactive advising, academic planning, and high‑touch support for students in rural districts within the assigned service region.

You will coordinate with the ECI office, enroll students in EOU courses, monitor progress, and guide pathways from high school credits to degree requirements, ensuring alignment with college

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Communications, Social Work, or a related field.
• Minimum of two (2) years of experience within student recruitment, admissions, or academic advising at either the K-12 or postsecondary level.
• One (1) year of expertise in event planning, public speaking, program outreach development, and academic curriculum mapping.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate dual credit registration and provide ongoing academic support for students participating in dual credit courses within schools in Wallowa, Union, and Umatilla counties.
• Help students understand their EOU academic records and how dual credit coursework contributes to their future educational goals.
• Provide consistent advising and support to Early College Initiatives students, including students taking EOU courses directly from university faculty through online or on-campus coursework.
• Monitor student enrollment and academic progress and provide milestone-based interventions and early support when students experience academic challenges.
• Support students in making informed academic decisions that promote successful academic progress, financial aid eligibility, and transition to postsecondary education.
• Assist school districts, students, counselors, and educators in understanding and utilizing ECI academic maps that connect high school coursework with EOU degree requirements.
• Help students identify purposeful academic pathways through both high school CTE programming and traditional academic routes.
• Collaborate with the EOI Early College Initiatives office to plan, implement, and provide logistical and programmatic support for non-health-related Summer Institutes, with emphasis on opportunities connected to the College of Business, College of Education, and College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
• Independently serve geographically dispersed and rural school districts within the assigned service region, adapting outreach, advising, and student-support strategies to individual high schools and communities.
• Collaborate with ECI, Enrollment Management, and other appropriate university offices to provide coordinated and consistent student support.
• Determine school district-specific needs related to dual credit, academic supports, Mountaineer Academic Plans, event development, and other supports.
• Determine when and how to connect with the EOU Early College Initiatives department to establish regional needs and program outreach development goals.
• Determine K-12 classroom support, college advising support, and administrative guidance needs at the K-12 level.
• Provide admissions support throughout the year.

Skills

Public speaking

Event planning

Program outreach

Academic advising

Curriculum mapping

Education

Bachelor's degree in Education, Communications, Social Work, or related field

Master’s degree in Education, Business, or related field

Job description

Retention/Guidance/Teacher Support (RGT) Specialist

The Retention/Guidance/Teacher Support (RGT) Specialist plays a key role in strengthening the pathway from high school dual credit participation to successful matriculation and degree completion at Eastern Oregon University. This position provides proactive advising, academic planning, and retention support to help students make purposeful use of their college credits and connect their early college experiences to future educational goals.

Working closely with the Early College Initiatives (ECI) office, Enrollment Management, school districts, academic advisors, and other university offices, the RGT Specialist supports students throughout their Early College experience. The position provides high-touch guidance at critical milestones, helping students understand their EOU academic records, navigate registration, identify potential barriers to academic progress, and make informed decisions about coursework and degree pathways.

The RGT Specialist serves geographically dispersed and rural school districts within the assigned service region and adapts outreach, advising, and student-support strategies to the unique needs and resources of individual schools and communities. Through intentional advising, student tracking, early intervention, and pathway alignment, this position helps students turn early college credits into meaningful progress toward an EOU degree.

This is a full-time, limited-duration position that is contingent upon continued grant funding.

Contract Type: Full Time

FTE: 1.0

Position Type: Limited Duration

Responsibilities

• Facilitate dual credit registration and provide ongoing academic support for students participating in dual credit courses within schools in Wallowa, Union, and Umatilla counties.
• Help students understand their EOU academic records and how dual credit coursework contributes to their future educational goals.
• Provide consistent advising and support to Early College Initiatives students, including students taking EOU courses directly from university faculty through online or on-campus coursework.
• Monitor student enrollment and academic progress and provide milestone-based interventions and early support when students experience academic challenges.
• Support students in making informed academic decisions that promote successful academic progress, financial aid eligibility, and transition to postsecondary education.
• Assist school districts, students, counselors, and educators in understanding and utilizing ECI academic maps that connect high school coursework with EOU degree requirements.
• Help students identify purposeful academic pathways through both high school CTE programming and traditional academic routes.
• Collaborate with the EOU Early College Initiatives office to plan, implement, and provide logistical and programmatic support for non-health-related Summer Institutes, with particular emphasis on opportunities connected to the College of Business, College of Education, and College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
• Independently serve geographically dispersed and rural school districts within the assigned service region, adapting outreach, advising, and student-support strategies to individual high schools and communities.
• Collaborate with ECI, Enrollment Management, and other appropriate university offices to provide coordinated and consistent student support.
• Determine school district-specific needs related to dual credit, academic supports, Mountaineer Academic Plans, event development, and other supports.
• Determine when and how to connect with the EOU Early College Initiatives department to establish regional needs and program outreach development goals.
• Determine K-12 classroom support, college advising support, and administrative guidance needs at the K-12 level.
• Provide admissions support throughout the year.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Communications, Social Work, or a related field.
• Minimum of two (2) years of experience within student recruitment, admissions, or academic advising at either the K-12 or postsecondary level.
• One (1) year of expertise in event planning, public speaking, program outreach development, and academic curriculum mapping.
• Must satisfactorily complete EOU criminal and credential background check. Having a criminal history is not an automatic bar to employment.
• In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. Eastern Oregon University will not sponsor applicants for employment visas.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Education, Business, or a related field.
• Two (2) years of experience coordinating dual-enrollment/dual-credit processing or organizing pipeline camps/summer institutes in a higher education setting.

Salary

$45,000 annually

Benefits

• Paid holidays (10 days/year)
• Paid sick time-off (12 days/year)
• Paid vacation (22 days/year)
• Individual and Family Healthcare Insurance (95%+ employer-paid medical, dental, vision)
• Oregon Paid Leave benefits (up to 12 paid weeks)
• Federal FMLA and State of Oregon Family Leave (OFLA) benefits (up to 12 weeks paid/unpaid)
• Employer-paid life insurance
• Relocation assistance
• Discounted tuition benefits for employees and eligible dependents
• For more details, see EOU Prospective Employees.

EEO Statement

Eastern Oregon University is an EEO Employer and welcomes applications from women, members of historically underrepresented minority groups, US Veterans, and persons with disabilities. EOU is committed to providing equal opportunity in its recruitment, admissions, educational programs, activities, and employment without illegal discrimination on the basis of age, color, disability, national origin, race, marital status, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or any status as protected by state or federal law.

Required Documents

1. Resume/Curriculum Vitae
2. Cover Letter

Optional Documents

1. Veteran Preference Document