STUDENT DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley; Edinburg (TX); On-site; USD 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg, TX is seeking a Student Development Specialist to lead program outreach, recruit participants, and coordinate student support services across campus. The role involves counseling prospective students on admissions, financial aid, housing, and life skills, as well as organizing workshops and information sessions.

Candidates should have a Bachelor’s degree (Master’s preferred) and at least two years in education or service-related work.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university.
• Master’s degree from an accredited university.
• Two (2) years of experience working within an education or service-related agency performing closely related duties.

Responsibilities

• Organizes and conducts program outreach and recruitment activities on and off campus in support of program enrollment goals.
• Creates and delivers presentations and other print and online materials to support enrollment and program goals.
• Counsels prospective students regarding program requirements, admissions, scholarships, financial aid, housing, student life, and registration.
• Provides college readiness and success support, including advising, coaching, and goal setting with assigned students.
• Coordinates student services with other university departments to aid students with academic and personal development.
• Develops programs and initiatives to support student retention, success, and completion.
• Monitors student concerns and provides solution-oriented recommendations with referrals as needed.
• Uses career interests inventories and surveys to support advising processes.
• Plans seminars, workshops, and presentations on transition and success in higher education.
• Collects data, tracks progress, and recommends interventions to meet program objectives.
• Compiles reports for the program director and collaborates with stakeholders to promote goals.

Skills

Communication skills

Public speaking

Counseling

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

Job description

Office Location
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
1201 W. University Drive
Human Resources
MASS Building 2 nd Floor
Edinburg, TX 78539

Edinburg: [phone]
Brownsville: [phone]
Office hours:
Monday-Friday
8:00a.m. - 5:00p.m.

Faculty Recruitment:
College of Engineering & Computer Science: [e-mail]

Robert C. Vackar College of Business & Entrepreneurship: [e-mail]

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

Dear Applicant,
Human Resources will not be held responsible for redacting any confidential information from the documents you attach with your application. The confidential information includes the following:
*Date of Birth
*Gender
*Ethnicity/Race
Please make sure that you omit this information prior to submission. We are advising that Human Resources will be forwarding your application to the department as per your submission. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley reserves the right to discontinue accepting applications prior to the stated close date of this position, after meeting the posting requirement of three (3) calendar days.
If you have any questions, please visit our Careers site at https://careers.utrgv.edu for detailed contact information.

Position Information

Posting Number

Posting Number SRGV9218

Working Title

Working Title STUDENT DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST

Number of Vacancies

Number of Vacancies 1

Location

Location Edinburg, Texas

Department

Department College Access & K-12 Partners

FTE

FTE 1.0

FLSA

FLSA Exempt

Scope of Job

Responsible for providing program outreach, recruitment and coordinating student support services to assigned population.

Description of Duties

• Organizes and conducts program outreach and recruitment activities on and off campus in support of program enrollment goals.
• Creates and delivers presentations and other print and online materials to support enrollment and program goals.
• Responsible for counseling of prospective students, regarding program requirements, procedures, including but not limited to, programs of study, admissions, scholarships, financial aid, housing, student life, and registration.
• Responsible for meeting with assigned students to provide college readiness and success support, which may include problem-solving strategies, academic and career advising, coaching, and short- and long-term goal setting.
• Coordinates student services with other university departments to aid students with academic and personal development.
• Recommends and develops programs and/or initiatives to support student retention, success, and completion.
• Listens to student concerns and inquiries and provides solution-oriented recommendations and makes appropriate on-campus and community referrals as necessary.
• Utilizes various assessment tools such as career interests inventories, educational surveys, and institutional questionnaires in support of the advising process.
• Plans and organizes seminars, workshops, and presentations designed to engage student populations over topics relevant to transition and success in higher education (i.e., pre-college presentations, first-year sessions, financial literacy, financial aid, life skills etc.) as specified in the program’s objectives.
• Ensures programs objectives are met by collecting required data, tracking student progress and recommending timely interventions.
• Compiles reports throughout the year and submits to program director for evaluation.
• Collaborates with university stakeholders/partners to promote the goals and objectives of the assigned program.
• Coordinates program informational sessions for various audiences such as parents, school district personnel, community agencies, and other college access partners.
• Interprets and maintains knowledge of current federal, state, and institutional policies and procedures pertaining to assigned program, admissions, financial aid & scholarships.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Supervision Received

General supervision from assigned supervisor.

Supervision Given

May supervise other assigned staff.

Required Education

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university.

Preferred Education

Master’s degree from an accredited university.

Licenses/Certifications

N/A

Required Experience

Two (2) years of experience working within an education or service-related agency performing closely related duties.

Preferred Experience

Experience obtained in Higher Education

Equipment

Use of standard office equipment.

Working Conditions

Needs to be able to successfully perform all required duties. Office Environment; some periods of frequent travel and weekend work is required. General office conditions with the majority of time spent in contact with students. UTRGV is a distributed institution, which may require presence at multiple locations throughout the Rio Grande Valley.

As part of their essential duties, employees in these roles are expected to maintain a consistent, in-person presence on campus at their assigned locations. Limited exceptions may apply for positions that are approved as hybrid or fully remote in accordance with UTRGV policies.

Other

Exceptional planning and organizational skills.

Physical Capabilities

N/A

Employment Category

Employment Category Full-Time

Minimum Salary

Minimum Salary Commensurate with Experience

Posted Salary

Posted Salary Commensurate with Experience

Position Available Date

Position Available Date 10/27/2026

Grant Funded Position

Grant Funded Position Yes

If Yes, Provide Grant Expiration Date

09/24/2030

EEO Statement

It is the policy of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley to promote and ensure equal employment opportunities for all individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information or protected veteran status. In accordance with the requirements of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, our University is committed to comply with all government requirements and ensures non-discrimination in its education programs and activities, including employment. We encourage women, minorities and differently abled persons to apply for employment positions of interest.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Dear Applicant,
Human Resources will not be held responsible for redacting any confidential information from the documents you attach with your application. The confidential information includes the following:
Date of Birth
Gender
*Ethnicity/Race
Please make sure that you omit this information prior to submission. We are advising that Human Resources will be forwarding your application to the department as per your submission. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley reserves the right to discontinue accepting applications prior to the stated close date of this position, after meeting the posting requirement of three (3) calendar days.
If you have any questions, please visit our Careers site at https://careers.utrgv.edu for detailed contact information.

Additional Information

UTRGV is a distributed location institution and working location is subject to change based on need.
All UTRGV employees are required to have a criminal background check ( CBC ). Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Substitutions to the above requirements must have prior approval from the VP of HR & Talent Development .