TRIO-Student Support Services Counselor

State of Colorado; Westminster (CO); Hybrid; USD 56,000 - 59,000; Full time

Job summary

FRCC’s TRIO Student Support Services Counselor helps first-generation and underrepresented students achieve higher education goals with wraparound coaching and individualized planning. You will assess needs, guide course selection, and connect students to campus and community resources to stay on track.

You will work closely with the Director and TRIO team to promote retention, campus belonging, and equity. Some remote work and campus travel may be required part of the role.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in an education- or student services-related field.
• Experience working with diverse student populations and promotes equity.
• Strong written and verbal communication with ability to present to groups.

Responsibilities

• Meet with students regularly to provide academic, career, transfer and financial aid guidance.
• Develop individualized action plans and connect students to campus resources.
• Provide outreach to connect students with college and community supports.
• Monitor progress and intervene to support retention and completion.

Skills

Public presentations

Written communication

Oral communication

Data usage

Equity mindedness

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in education, social work, social sciences, or related field

Job description

Who We Are

With three campuses along Colorado’s Front Range, FRCC is the state’s largest community college. We enroll close to 28,000 students annually from our diverse service area, which offers a variety of cultural and recreational activities.

Department Information

With three campuses along Colorado’s Front Range, FRCC is the state’s largest community college. We enroll close to 28,000 students annually from our diverse service area, which offers a variety of cultural and recreational activities. Each year approximately 5,000 FRCC students transfer to four-year universities and FRCC offers more than 36 career training programs that prepare students for immediate employment and rewarding careers. Last year, more than 5,000 high school students took concurrent enrollment classes with us, earning college credit without having to pay college tuition. And we were recently ranked as one of the "Top Online Colleges" in the country by Newsweek. One of FRCC’s main goals is to offer educational excellence for everyone. The college’s strong commitment to student success means we start by creating an inclusive and equitable environment—one where both students and employees feel they belong and are supported. FRCC’s focus on diversity, equity and inclusion is woven into the fabric of our college conversations and decision‑making processes. We are actively seeking to hire a workforce that reflects the diversity of our student body. The college is also an emerging Hispanic Serving Institution. For us, becoming an HSI is an intentional commitment to being a college where our Latinx (and other historically marginalized) students thrive. FRCC employees and leaders work hard to create a culture of collaboration, innovation and pride. We’re looking to hire people who share these values—along with our commitment to student success, equity and excellence.

Description of Job

Title: TRIO - Student Support Services CounselorPosition Type: Professional Tech Full timeCollege: Front Range Community CollegeDivision: Student AffairsDepartment: FRCC Student DevelopmentCampus: Westminster CampusLocation: WestminsterSalary Range: $55,872-$58,666 annually

Job Summary

As the TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) Counselor, you will support the vision of Front Range Community College (FRCC) by creating a superior student experience. This will be done by removing barriers to success and promoting innovative retention strategies focusing on student success. You will also foster an environment of strong campus and community relationships and support the College’s strategic priorities around Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity.

In this position, you will provide proactive wraparound support for students from first‑generation, limited‑income, and disability backgrounds to help them achieve their higher education goals. You will assess student needs and develop a customized plan to ensure the appropriate interventions are identified to meet the participant’s needs. You will provide one‑on‑one academic success coaching and advising to assist students in developing an educational and career plan that includes selecting courses, connecting to campus and community resources, and staying on their path to completion. You will also perform other responsibilities that support the TRIO SSS program objectives and initiatives. This holistic approach will serve students throughout their FRCC journey to promote retention and completion. This position reports to the Director of TRIO Student Support Services.

This position does have the opportunity to work remotely occasionally but does require a strong campus presence and may occasionally travel to all three FRCC campuses. The TRIO team works on campus Monday – Thursday and remote on Fridays. There are some occasional Fridays when in‑person presence is required.

Please note: You need to be a Colorado resident on your first day of employment. Also, Front Range Community College is an E‑Verify employer.

Duties & Responsibilities

Provide academic support services to and serve as a professional mentor to TRIO SSS participants

• Meet with students regularly to provide personal, academic, career, transfer, and financial aid guidance that allows program participants to experience minimal disruption while pursuing their associate’s degree.
• Assess the needs of students through intake interviews to develop, update, and complete individualized action plans for program participants.
• Provide proactive and strategic outreach to students to connect them to college and community resources for additional career and personal supports.
• Monitor student academic progress and provide proactive interventions as appropriate to support retention and completion.

Wolf Success Workshops, Programming, and Community Building

• Collaborate with TRIO staff, as well as other FRCC staff & faculty and external partners, to develop Wolf Success Workshops focusing on academic success, financial aid, financial literacy, personal wellness, etc.
• Provide guidance for career planning and exploration through individual assessment and advising and through developing and offering group workshops.
• Provide guidance for financial literacy and financial aid/scholarship opportunities through individual advising and through developing and offering group workshops.
• Coordinate programming and activities to cultivate program participants' sense of belonging and to provide experiences that will connect them to campus and community opportunities.
• Cultivate strong and positive relationships with staff and faculty at FRCC, as well as with external community partners, to maintain an expanded network of resources to support students.

Maintain accurate and confidential student records

• Maintain accurate documentation of students’ need for service, case notes, student performance outcomes, and data related to the Student Support Services program objectives.
• Ensure guidelines regarding Student Support Services student eligibility are met.
• Assist the Director with completing the Annual Performance Report.

Program Recruitment & Outreach

• Assist the TRIO SSS Director in developing and implementing an effective process for the identification, recruitment, and retention of program participants.
• Provide presentations to prospective participants and their families and guests.
• Organize on‑campus and virtual events for school and community partner groups to learn about the benefits of the SSS program.

Collaboration and Professional Development

• Provide ongoing training and information to FRCC faculty and staff regarding program services.
• Collaborate with WC internal and external partners to advance retention efforts, focusing on students from diverse communities.
• Stay informed about promising mentoring, retention, and persistence practices.

Competencies/KSAs

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

• Mission, Vision & Values- Embraces the mission, vision and values of FRCC. Understands the importance of the work that you do to support institutional goals.
• Student Centeredness- Places the student at the center of your work. Adopts a philosophy that makes the ability to serve the student the cornerstone of the work that you do.
• Data Usage- Looks at the data within the department, paying particular attention to what the data shows about the department's performance and student impact. Works with the next level supervisor to brainstorm changes that can be implemented to improve a program or service that the department provides.
• Cultural Self‑Awareness- Willing to examine own beliefs and acknowledge own biases and how they have impacted or may impact the ability to serve students.
• Cultural Competence- Recognize the need to become knowledgeable about the ways to communicate and support students of other backgrounds. Change approach to reflect the new learning.
• Equity Mindedness- Learn to view department operations through an equity lens. Be willing to call attention to processes that lead to inequity in serving students. Understand the College's equity goals and how your role supports FRCC's ability to achieve those goals.
• Operational Planning- Have an understanding and knowledge of the college's various strategic plans and understand how your work supports each of them. Understand the department's expectations to find proactive ways to support the goals of the department.
• Leading from the Middle- Lead from your position by not only closely examine your responsibilities for the department, but in bringing forward ideas to your supervisor the college should consider to be more student centered.
• Team Building- Participate in team‑building exercises and strive to build positive and collaborative relationships with colleagues both within the department and in other departments within the college.
• Collaboration- Willingness to work with colleagues across departments to further student engagement.
• Compliance Framework- Understand the structures in place to ensure compliance with the rules, regulations and policies of the college and federal government.
• Event Planning- Develop and execute workshops to support student needs in partnership with FRCC staff, faculty, and community partners, as well as virtual and in‑person events for program recruitment & outreach.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in education, social work, social sciences, or related field.
• Two years experience working with students in an educational setting, preferably in higher education and student affairs in areas such as admissions, advising, financial aid, career development.
• Experience working with students from underrepresented student populations (first‑generation, limited‑income, students with disabilities).
• Ability to support and advance FRCC’s commitment to equity and inclusion.
• Demonstrated strong written and oral communication skills, including experience making public presentations to a variety of audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to relate effectively with a variety of constituents, including students, faculty, staff, and the larger community.

Supplemental Information

Selection Process: The selection process for this position will be conducted through a competitive, merit‑based evaluation of all qualified applicants. Preliminary screening will be based on the completed application package submitted by the candidate.

Position will remain open until filled with a priority deadline of August 18th.

This posting may be used to fill multiple or similar positions.

Additional Information/Benefits

Salary Information: The salary range reflects the minimum and maximum starting salary for the position. When determining the starting salary for a new employee, FRCC takes into consideration a combination of the selected candidate’s education, training and experience as it relates to the requirements of the position, as well as the position’s scope and complexity, internal pay equity and external market value.

Benefits Information: For information about benefits for Administrative, Professional and Technical Employees and Faculty, please see the Front Range Community College Benefits page.

Welcoming. Respectful. Inclusive. Together, we are FRCC.

CCCS is an Equal Opportunity Employer

The Colorado Community College System believes when all human qualities are regarded with dignity and respect and when everyone has access to the individualized support they need, all will have the opportunity to thrive. In all aspects of the employment process, decisions are made based on merit, competence, performance and business need without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, military status, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.

Reasonable Accommodation/Additional Details

For full policies and contact information, please view Front Range Community College's Disclosures. This page includes regarding our Non‑Discrimination Notice, Clery Act, Background Check policies, ADAAA Accommodations, and Pregnancy Related Accommodations.