Special Populations Liaison

Jackson College; Jackson (MI); On-site; USD 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Jackson College in Michigan seeks a Perkins Special Populations Liaison to identify eligible students and provide holistic supports toward high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand career pathways. You will coordinate wrap-around services, conduct intake interviews, and monitor progress with precise data tracking.

Collaborating across CSS, academic divisions, and community partners, you will assist with the CLNA and oversee Perkins grant funds allocated directly to students, contributing to retention

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree required; effective communication with diverse backgrounds.
• Preferred: Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.
• Ability to maintain confidential information and work with sensitive data.

Responsibilities

• Review admissions data to identify Perkins V eligible students.
• Conduct intake interviews and needs assessments to identify barriers.
• Provide academic and career advising toward high-skill occupations.
• Coordinate referrals to tutoring, financial aid, accessibility services, and external agencies.
• Maintain secure data tracking to monitor services and interventions.
• Monitor progress with follow-ups to ensure momentum and success.
• Develop targeted outreach to promote persistence and credential completion.
• Collaborate with CSS, academic divisions, and community partners.
• Assist with CLNA and oversee Perkins funds allocated to students.
• Participate in committees and campus-wide meetings as assigned.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Teamwork

Confidential records

Problem solving

Time management

Education

Associate’s degree

Bachelor’s degree

Job description

Summary

This position is funded by the Perkins Grant. The Perkins Special Populations Liaison identifies, assesses, and provides holistic supports to eligible students, guiding them toward high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand career pathways. Through collaborative outreach and precise data tracking, this role coordinates wrap-around support services, assists with the Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment (CLNA), and promotes student retention and successful workforce transition. For highest consideration, apply by 10/22/26. Expected 27 hours, Monday-Friday between 8a-5p.

Essential Functions

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Review college admissions applications and enrollment data to identify students who meet the Perkins V criteria for special populations.
• Conduct intake interviews and needs assessments to identify academic, personal, financial, and institutional barriers to student success.
• Provide intentional academic and career advising to guide special population students toward high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand occupations.
• Facilitate direct student connections and referrals to appropriate internal resources (e.g., tutoring, financial aid, accessibility services) and external community agencies to address specific needs.
• Maintain a secure data tracking system to monitor services, interventions, and resource allocations for each student identified within a special population category.
• Monitor student progress through ongoing follow-up and case management to ensure successful connection with referred services and sustained academic momentum.
• Develop and execute targeted outreach strategies, workshops, and interventions designed to promote student persistence, credential completion, and a seamless transition into the workforce.
• Collaborates with the Center for Student Success (CSS), academic divisions, and local community organizations to build, expand, and sustain a robust network of wrap-around support services.
• Assist with the Perkins Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment (CLNA) and oversees the distribution of Perkins grant funds allocated directly to students..
• Participate on other committees and campus wide meetings as assigned.
• Responsible for understanding, supporting and actively demonstrating the College’s beliefs, values, mission, and vision and being in agreement to be evaluated by same.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This job has no direct supervisory responsibilities. May guide and coordinate work of other college department employees while functioning as project manager.

Contacts & Purpose of Contacts

Internal: Regular contact and collaborative work with staff, faculty, and administration members. External: Frequent contact with students, prospective students, and general public. Regular contact with JC off campus staff and community partners.

Education and Experience

Minimum

• Associate’s degree in relevant field
• Effective communication with individuals from a variety of culturally diverse backgrounds.

Preferred

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Knowledge of (preferred)

• Understanding of and ability to conduct own research independently
• Developing creative solutions to current issues.

Skills and Abilities to

• Customer service oriented, self-starter, and work under tight timelines with minimal supervision
• Work independently and in teams while supporting a diverse population of users
• Work with confidential records and electronic files related to the position
• Work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community
• Provide excellent written, listening, questioning, and oral communication
• Provide creative problem-solving skills and translate business needs

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

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.

The noise level in the environment is usually moderate.

“This description is intended to indicate the kinds of tasks and levels of work difficulty that will be required and shall not be construed as declaring the specific duties and responsibilities. It is not intended to limit or in any way modify the right of any supervisor to assign, direct, and control the work of employees under his or her supervision. The use of a particular expression or illustration describing duties shall not be held to exclude other duties not mentioned that are of a similar kind of level of difficulty.”

Supplemental Information

The Jackson College Nepotism policy prohibits the hiring of a relative or someone with a familial relationship to work in the same instructional department, office, or administrative unit of the College including spouse, child, stepchild, parent, stepparent or sibling of the employee or spouse, aunt, uncle, niece/nephew, grandparent, grandchild and members of the same household including domestic partner.

Final candidates will be subject to a criminal background as part of the employment process.

If selected you will be required to complete the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, Employment Eligibility Verification form I-9 and provide documentation verifying identity and eligibility to work in the United States. Jackson College is NOT able to support Visa applications for employment at the college. Applicants must already be eligible to work in the United States to be considered.

Applicants with disabilities may request accommodation to complete the application and interview process. Please notify Human Resources at least three (3) working days prior to the date of need.

A copy of Jackson College's Annual Security Report and Annual Fire Safety Report is available on the JC Campus Safety & Security website. The security report contains crime statistics for the previous three years for all of our campus locations and the annual fire safety report, which contains statistics for any reported fires in campus housing units and fire safety systems in these buildings. Additionally, the report contains policies, available resources and information concerning personal safety, fire safety and reporting procedures for both crimes and fires.

Applicants have rights under Federal employment laws. Jackson College is an Equal Opportunity Employer that actively supports workforce diversity.