Welcome Center Specialist

Oakton College; Des Plaines (IL); On-site; USD 71,635,000 - 74,390,000; Full time

Job summary

Oakton College in Des Plaines, IL, seeks a Welcome Center Specialist to serve as a frontline ambassador. You will connect prospective students with Admissions, provide program information, and coordinate visits and events to strengthen community relations.

Responsibilities include managing the Welcome Center, supporting external guests, and supervising student Ambassadors, with occasional evening/weekend hours. This is an on-site, welcoming role at Oakton's Des Plaines campus.

Qualifications

• Associate degree required; Bachelor's degree preferred.
• Minimum of three years of experience in admissions, advancement, community relations, hospitality, public affairs, or related field.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills, with comfort in engaging diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments, particularly with Advancement, Admissions, Marketing and Communications and the President's Office.
• Strong organizational skills with attention to detail and follow-through.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and/or Google Suite; experience with CRM or donor management systems is a plus.
• On-campus role with high visibility in the Welcome Center. This position is not eligible for remote work.
• Some evening and weekend hours required to support visits, events, and special programs.

Responsibilities

• Prospective Student Connection: Welcome visitors, connect to Admissions and other services, provide program info, guide to advisors.
• External Relations and Community Engagement: Hospitality for external guests, support donor visits and community engagements, share institutional impact stories.
• Operations and Administration: Manage reception, update displays and resources, track visitor interactions, support events and tours, supervise student Ambassadors.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Customer service

Organizational skills

CRM experience

Microsoft Office / Google Suite

Education

Associate degree

Bachelor's degree

Tools

CRM software

Donor management systems

Microsoft Office

Google Suite

Job description

About Oakton College

Educate. Empower. Transform

At Oakton College, we know education changes lives - and thatstarts with the people who make it happen. For more than 50 years,we've built a welcoming and inclusive community where students fromall backgrounds and experiences thrive.

We're looking for passionate educators, professionals and leaders to join our team. Whether in the classroom, student support, or behind the scenes, your talents and expertise will make a difference and shape the future.

We provide dynamic learning environments that empower students and employees alike with campuses in Des Plaines and Skokie and a Health Careers Education Center in Evanston.

As a proud institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, Oakton is more than a college - it's a place where innovation, equity and lifelong learning drive everything we do. We value diverse perspectives and embrace new ideas and are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and student-centered culture.

Job Description

Basic Function and Responsibility

The Welcome Center Specialist serves as a frontline ambassador for the College, ensuring that every visitor - prospective students and their influencers, donors, legislative leaders, prospective employees, and community partners - experiences the institution as welcoming, accessible, and mission-driven. The Welcome Center is the College's central gateway on the Des Plaines campus and will serve as the first point of contact for visitors. This role is central to helping constituents to take their first steps toward achieving their academic and career goals while strengthening the College's relationships with external stakeholders. The Specialist creates a seamless, positive experience that demonstrates the College's impact on individuals and the broader community.

Characteristic Duties and Responsibilities

Prospective Student Connection

• Warmly welcome prospective students and families who arrive at the Welcome Center, serving as a bridge to Admissions, Adult and Continuing Education, Enrollment Services and other departments.
• Provide introductory information about academic programs, campus life, and student resources.
• Direct students and visitors to appropriate advisors, success coaches, or enrollment specialists, ensuring they feel supported throughout the process.
• Promote a welcoming environment that encourages students to envision themselves as part of the College community.

External Relations and Community Engagement

• Provide professional hospitality, ensuring appropriate recognition, care, and follow-up for all external guests.
• Coordinate and support logistics for donor visits, legislative briefings, community tours, and other high-profile engagements.
• Collaborate with Advancement, the President's Office, and other departments to align visitor experiences with institutional priorities.
• Share institutional priorities, general talking points, and impact stories that highlight the College's role in advancing student success, workforce development, and community well-being.

Operations and Administration

• Manage Welcome Center reception, phone, and digital inquiries with professionalism and care.
• Maintain Welcome Center spaces to ensure that branded displays, publications, and digital resources are accurate, engaging, and reflective of the College's identity.
• Track and report on visitor interactions (current and prospective students, donors, legislators, community leaders) to inform Advancement and Enrollment strategies.
• Support special events hosted in the Welcome Center or launched from it, ensuring smooth coordination and alignment with college messaging.
• Support on-campus events, tours, visits, and community events coordinated by Admission and Community Relations.
• Train and supervise student Ambassadors, including how to provide campus tours, practice strong customer service and hospitality, and facilitate warm handoffs to the appropriate departments and staff.

Culture and Brand Representation

• Act as a visible, positive representative of the College's mission, values, and strategic priorities.
• Model a culture of hospitality, inclusion, and accessibility for all visitors.
• Support storytelling efforts by gathering student and visitor feedback and success stories to share with Advancement, Admissions, and Marketing and Communications teams.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Supervision Received

Administrative supervision is received from the Director of Admission and Equity Outreach. May receive functional supervision as needed pertaining to communications and marketing from the Director of Communication and External Relations.

Supervision Exercised

Functional supervision is exercised over student workers who serve as Admission Ambassadors.

Requirements

Qualifications and Working Conditions

• Associate degree required; Bachelor's degree preferred.
• A minimum of three years of experience in admissions, advancement, community relations, hospitality, public affairs, or related field required.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills, with comfort in engaging diverse stakeholders from students to civic leaders.
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments, particularly with Advancement, Admissions, Marketing and Communications and the President's Office.
• Strong organizational skills with attention to detail and follow-through.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and/or Google Suite; experience with CRM or donor management systems is a plus. Proficiency in utilizing the college's website is required, specifically the ability to guide visitors to and through resources such as the interactive map.
• On-campus role with high visibility in the Welcome Center. This position is not eligible for remote work.
• Some evening and weekend hours required to support visits, events, and special programs.

Physical Demands

Ability to perform moderate physical activity including the ability to lift 20 pounds. Ability to reach above shoulder. Periods of time spent sitting, standing, and walking. Mobility to move from building to building on campus. Little or no exposure to adverse working conditions.

Additional Information

HOURS: Monday - Friday 8:15 am - 5:00 pm

SALARY: The hourly salary of this position is $26.25 which equates to $52,892 annualized based on Oakton's summer hours schedule.

Based on the needs of the college and with Administrator approval, some positions at the college may have a hybrid schedule option available after 30 working days.

For information regarding employment eligibility, please visit our employment at Oakton web page.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Oakton College conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer of employment. Convictions are not a bar to employment. Background checks will be performed in compliance with state and federal law and in accordance with the Illinois Department of Human Rights Conviction Record Protection Act of March 2021.

Posted positions may be removed from the Oakton website without notice when it is determined that no additional applicants are required.

Oakton College does not utilize E-Verify for employment eligibility verification.