Student Success Coach (Somerset)

Job Scope

The Student Success Coach provides personalized, holistic support and goal-setting guidance to newly enrolled and continuing degree-seeking students. Serving as a primary point of contact, the Student Success Coach supports student onboarding, academic planning, persistence, and progression through program completion.

The Student Success Coach collaborates with faculty advisors for program-specific academic guidance and works in coordination with the Career and Transfer Services Manager & Title IX Coordinator to ensure consistency in advising practices, caseload management, and student support strategies across locations.

Student Success Coaches support student success by providing proactive outreach, monitoring progress, addressing barriers, and connecting students with appropriate campus and community resources.

Essential Job Responsibilities

1. Serves as the primary point of contact for assigned students, managing the advising process while facilitating faculty engagement for program-specific academic guidance.
2. Establish and manage a caseload of students, providing ongoing support throughout the student lifecycle.
3. Develop and maintain comprehensive academic plans in JenzabarOne based on program requirements and student goals; ensure plans are accessible and understood by students.
4. Monitor student progress using early alert systems (PAWS), attendance data, and academic performance indicators to identify and address risk factors.
5. Conduct proactive outreach to students at key points in the term (beginning, mid-term, end-of-term) to support persistence and timely registration.
6. Provide intrusive advising focused on student navigation, goal setting, and removal of barriers to success.
7. Coordinates with faculty program advisors to ensure academic plans align with program requirements, with faculty retaining final authority over course selection, substitutions, and academic decisions.
8. Refer students to appropriate campus services, including Career and Transfer Services, Tutoring, KEYS, Financial Aid, Counseling, and other support areas.
9. Document all student interactions and interventions using designated college technologies such as PAWS, JenzabarOne, and Jenzabar Notepad.
10. Support students across all campus locations through in‑person meetings, virtual appointments, email/phone communication, and other outreach methods.
11. Collaborates closely with the Career and Transfer Services Manager & Title IX Coordinator to implement consistent advising practices, outreach strategies, and caseload models.
12. Create and implement engagement activities for students at campus locations for the purpose of establishing a supportive, engaging, student friendly environment.
13. Demonstrate strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to manage sensitive, confidential, or complex student situations with professionalism and discretion.
14. Attend all required meetings, training sessions, and professional development sessions.
15. Perform other duties as assigned to support student persistence, completion, and institutional goals.

Direct Reports

• None

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education:

• Associate degree required.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred.

Experience & Knowledge:

• Previous experience in higher education, academic advising, student mentoring, case management, or related fields preferred.

Computer Skills:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:

• Criminal Background Clearance.
• Valid driver’s license required.

Physical Demands:

• Frequent sitting.
• Must be able to talk, hear, operate a computer, and drive a vehicle.
• Occasional lifting to 10lbs.
• 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 accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work Environment:

• Typical office environment with a quiet to moderate noise level.

Additional Notes

1. Please note that employment applications referencing ‘see resume’ or similar phrases are considered incomplete and may not be considered.
2. Please do not call to inquire about the status of your application. Only those candidates chosen for an interview will be contacted.
3. Employment is contingent upon submission and satisfactory review of any background check clearances as may be required by Pennsylvania Act 153. Please refer to our Pre-Employment Background Check Information page for more detailed information.
4. Successful candidate must be authorized to work in the United States and not require work authorization sponsorship by Pennsylvania Highlands Community College for any position now or in the future.

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity in the workplace. Pennsylvania Highlands Community College promotes a drug-free workplace.

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors.