Student Support Professional

Henry Ford College (MI); Dearborn (MI); On-site; USD 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Henry Ford College (MI) is seeking a Student Support Professional to serve as a frontline helper in the Enrollment Services One Stop. The SSP will assist prospective and current students with admissions, orientation, registration, and financial aid, while teaching them to use self-service tools.

Cross-trained across multiple enrollment offices, the SSP will handle inquiries in person, by phone, or electronically, and will escalate complex cases to specialists as needed.

Qualifications

• Associate degree from a regionally accredited institution or an equivalent combination of college-level education and experience.
• At least two years of related work experience in a post-secondary enrollment services or student affairs office.
• Experience interpreting and explaining school policies and procedures.
• Experience working with an integrated administrative software system.
• Minimum of two years of customer service experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide front-line enrollment services face-to-face, by phone, or via chat/Zoom/comparable tools.
• Assist and counsel students with enrollment transactions (admissions, orientation, assessment, registration, records, financial aid, accounts).
• Input data accurately and maintain professionalism and confidentiality.
• Explain and guide students on using self-service tools to complete transactions.
• Collaborate with colleagues across offices to resolve complex enrollment issues.
• Provide timely follow-up to close unresolved student matters.

Skills

Customer service

Oral communication

Written communication

Data entry

Education

Associate degree

Tools

Ellucian Colleague

Administrative software

Job description

HFC presents an opportunity for a Student Support Professional.

The Student Support Professional (SSP) is an essential part of the Enrollment Services One Stop team that serves all prospective and current students and graduates of HFC, offering personalized help on various personalized help on a variety of topics in one convenient location.

The Enrollment Services One Stop, housed in the Welcome Center, is an innovative enrollment services operation, one of the first one-stop service centers among community colleges. Our cross‑trained staff offers a comprehensive one-stop enrollment service to students. The Student Support Professionals are cross‑trained to represent multiple enrollment‑related offices and can answer and problem‑solve all enrollment‑related topics. The environment incorporates self‑service options, as well as teaching and learning opportunities for students.

Student Support Professionals answer student questions while teaching students how to use self‑service tools and assisting students with all enrollment services needs in one place, allowing students to avoid visiting multiple offices. For more complex issues, staff has direct access to other staff members with specialized expertise who can help. Student Support Professionals are cross‑trained experts in the following areas at a minimum:

• Admissions
• Course Placement
• Student Records
• Billing
• Financial Aid
• Registration

The Student Support Professional is responsible for providing the front‑line enrollment service either face‑to‑face, on the phone, or electronically via chat or other electronic means such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams. It is expected that the Student Support Professional can answer 90% of the enrollment services questions presented to them. The remaining 10% are expected to be handled by the Enrollment Services support team members. It is expected that the Student Support Professional answers questions, interacts with students and colleagues, inputs data, and handles all documents and information with professionalism and accuracy.

Individuals in this role will communicate all necessary information and assist and counsel students with enrollment transactions, including but not limited to admissions, orientation, assessment, registration, records, financial aid, and student account‑related matters. This individual will be a key individual that faculty, staff, and students will seek guidance on enrollment service matters. Student Support Professionals are expected to provide on the‑spot services in real‑time and follow up as needed to bring closure to any unresolved student matters.

This position requires substantial face‑to‑face student service and dynamic interactions with students and colleagues. To do so effectively, the Student Support Professional will be moving or standing for a major portion of the workday. Because this is a high visibility student‑facing position involving multi‑faceted cross‑training, it requires a high level of competence, accuracy, and exceptional customer service, and the Student Support Professional will be continually assessed with respect to their performance, contributions to the team environment, accuracy, and professionalism.

Schedule:

Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday: 8:00 am – 4:30 pm and Monday and Thursday 10:00 am – 6:30 pm. Schedule changes will be determined and finalized with the supervisor at the time of hire and may change based on departmental needs and the College’s operations.

Candidates must demonstrate proficiency in:

• An associate degree from a regionally accredited institution or a combination of college‑level education plus experience may be considered.
• At least two years of related work experience in a post‑secondary enrollment services or student affairs office is required.
• Experience interpreting and explaining school/office policies and procedures.
• Experience working with an integrated administrative computer software system.
• Minimum of two years of customer service experience.
• Live writing sample may be required.

The most successful candidate will have a career that reflects the following competencies:

• Oral Communication – Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
  • Strong communications skills (active listening, speaking, and writing)
• Written Communication - Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.
• Decision Making – Makes sound, well‑informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.
• Dependability and Reliability – Behaves consistently and predictably; is reliable, responsible and dependable in fulfilling obligations; diligently follows through on commitments and consistently meets deadlines. Demonstrates regular and punctual attendance; rarely is late for meetings or appointments.
• Reasoning – Identifies rules, principles, or relationships that explain facts, data, or other information; analyzes information and makes correct inferences or draws accurate conclusions.
• Technology Awareness – Knowledge of developments and new applications of information technology (hardware, software, telecommunications), emerging technologies and their applications to business processes, and applications and implementation of information systems to meet organizational requirements.
  • Strong computer/technology skills with proficiency in current word‑processing software.
  • Ellucian Colleague experience is a plus.
• Interpersonal Skills – Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences.
  • An engaging personality in meeting the public both in‑person and by telephone and over Zoom/video.
  • An elevated level of interpersonal skills including conflict resolution.
• Customer Experience – Anticipates and meets the needs of both internal and external customers including students, staff, and the community. Delivers high‑quality services; is committed to continuous improvement.
  • A student‑centered philosophy to his or her daily work.
  • An ability and desire to provide high‑quality customer service to community college students in an effective and responsible manner.
  • Ability to perform in a fast‑paced, high‑value customer environment.
  • Community college experience is a plus.
• Flexibility – Is open to change and new information; adapts behavior or work methods in response to new information, changing conditions, or unexpected obstacles; effectively deals with ambiguity.
  • An ability to manage multiple tasks, meet deadlines and be both flexible and adaptable in a rapidly changing environment.
• Instructing – Provides instruction on how to accomplish an assignment; explains correct and incorrect ways to accomplish tasks; provides timely and effective feedback about whether task is being performed correctly.
• Monitoring – Monitors accomplishment of delegated tasks, provides constructive, timely feedback; provides support and assistance for goal accomplishment, and makes mistakes a learning experience.
• Teamwork – Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals.
• Problem Solving – Identifies and analyzes problems; weighs relevance and accuracy of information; generates and evaluates alternative solutions; makes recommendations.

The successful candidate will :

• Monitor and personally help students complete enrollment‑related tasks online when students are physically present for in‑person service, or via telephone or electronically (Ex. Assisting with the financial aid process, navigating the admissions process, etc.).
• Explain (Instruct/teach) the use of the student portal and all its functions to students to enable them to conduct their future transactions online independently.
• Attend regularly scheduled meetings, workshops, and other training.
• Have the ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships with college personnel and students in a multicultural environment.
• Stay current with financial aid regulations and other changing policies and procedures.
• Follow the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), as well as all other confidentiality‑related issues.
• Develop and maintain knowledge of all relevant College forms, procedures, and processes that relate to student interactions and transactions.
• Have a willingness and ability to be cross‑trained in a variety of skills and functions and take part in the overall mission of enrollment services.
• Have the ability and willingness to collaborate with others.
• Provide support for Orientation and other special programs.
• An ability to work effectively with cross‑functional teams.
• Answer inbound telephone calls, answer telephone inquiries, make outbound telephone calls, direct telephone calls and answer emails for enrollment services, participate in a chat with students, and conduct mailings as needed.
• Assist with presentations at events/gatherings which promote and explain the College’s enrollment processes, and services programs to current and prospective students and their parents.
• Interact with other College departments and personnel, as appropriate.
• Perform other related duties as assigned, and function in the office during peak enrollment periods.
• Provide conflict resolution.
• Have strong analytical and organizational skills.
• Exhibit strong critical thinking and problem‑solving skills with the ability to make independent decisions and judgments consistent with the level of the position.
• Address student enrollment services in person, electronically (chat, e‑mail, etc.), and by phone and over Zoom/Microsoft Teams/video.
• Serve as the front‑line staff member working in the Welcome Center Enrollment Services One Stop, Contact Center or Virtual Services and representing financial aid and scholarship, financial services/student accounts, admissions, registration & records, graduation, and assessment.
• Be cross‑trained to provide a one‑stop‑shop service to students for the tasks listed above. Answer 90% of all enrollment‑related questions, and work with back‑office support team members to research the other 10%.
• Problem‑solve and resolve errors and ensure accurate data related to enrollment services.
• Interact with students to research and investigate enrollment service‑related issues.
• Distribute and explain documents related to enrollment services.
• Provide students with other support services information from other student affairs departments (i.e., academic advising resources, counseling and support services, career services, student ID, and current campus events) via multiple communication vehicles.
• Perform other duties as assigned within the scope of qualifications and/or training.

While we have attempted to capture the core functional responsibilities in the role, the statements contained in this job announcement reflect general details as necessary to describe the principal functions of this job, the level of knowledge and skill typically required, and the scope of responsibility. It should not be considered an all‑inclusive listing of work requirements. Therefore, performing additional job‑related duties not listed above may be required as assigned.