Student Support Specialist

Job Overview: The Adult Education Student Support Specialist is responsible for providing mentoring and coaching support for enrolling and enrolled program participants. The specialist will develop Student Education Plans that include academic, career, and integration goals, and follow up with students as they progress towards targets. The specialist will engage in job readiness and career pathway coaching and provide information on pathway opportunities to students. The specialist will support student recruitment, registration, attendance tracking, retention, progress, and assessment. This is a full-time non-exempt 37.5 hour per week position, reporting to the Adult Education Instructional Supervisor.

Major Responsibilities:

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Orient and conference with current and incoming Adult Education students.
• Assist students in completing necessary intake and enrollment forms, both virtually, using phone and web-based platforms, and in-person.
• Develop Student Education Plans with each enrolling student that include English language learning, academic goals related to secondary and postsecondary education, career goals related to employment and career development, integration goals related to community orientations and referrals, and family literacy.
• Facilitate student referrals, internally to IRC Youth academic support services and to IRC career development services, and externally to services related to their Student Education Plans.
• Follow up with students as they progress towards their targets within the program and at program exit.
• Conduct adult education student job readiness and career pathway workshops.
• Provide pathway exploration and navigation information.
• Coordinate with program ESOL instructors to schedule in-class presentations.
• Develop flyers and schedules for workshops and make materials accessible and available to all students.
• Report on job readiness and career pathway outcomes to state coordinators following funder guidance.
• Collaborate with IRC Youth and Economic Empowerment teams to collect and track overall student goals, achievements, and outcomes.
• Administer English language assessments to measure and track student progress and gains.
• Assist with record-keeping and data entry to support program administration and compliance with programmatic requirements. Document student progress by keeping accurate and timely attendance records, case notes, assessment data, program participant surveys, and observations of student progress.
• Maintain a positive learning environment. Facilitate student learning activities that build cultural and community knowledge and encourage collaboration and positive peer support.
• Maintain open and effective communication with adult education team members. Report regularly on program goals, client attendance, learning activities, student progress and any problems or concerns with clients or program.
• Actively participate in regularly scheduled staff meetings and professional development opportunities.
• Other duties as assigned.

Job Requirements:

Education: Bachelor’s degree required. Completion of a certificate program in Adult Education, TEFL, TESL, and/or TESOL is preferred.

Work Experience:

• Relevant professional experience in education and/or human services strongly preferred.
• Experience working with immigrants or refugees preferred.

Demonstrated Skills & Competencies:

• Enthusiasm for adult education and language learning.
• Demonstrated success working and communicating effectively in a multi-cultural environment.
• Self-starter with excellent problem-solving skills combined with the proven ability to prioritize and manage time effectively.
• An interest in immigrant and refugee and asylee issues and the resettlement process.
• Strong communication abilities, including the ability to lead classes and oversee community volunteers and adult learners.
• Comfortable working in a cross-cultural environment, in-person, online, and over the phone, with adult learners, sometimes with little or no English proficiency.
• Ability to work in a collaborative environment, co-teaching and facilitating learning through others.
• Attention to detail and accuracy in work product.
• Fluent in English, both spoken and written; proficiency in language(s) spoken by client group is desired.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook); ability to use the internet and other digital tools for data entry, research, and problem-solving purposes.
• Valid driver’s license and access to a personal, insured vehicle.

Working Environment:

• Standard office work with in-person delivery of orientations, meetings, and class sessions.
• Work schedule to support daytime and evening classes.

Posted pay ranges apply to US-based candidates. Ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type, internal equity, and budget. Exact offers are calibrated by work location, individual candidate experience and skills relative to the defined job requirements.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.

Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

US Benefits: The IRC offers a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. All US employees are eligible for sick time, a 403b retirement savings plans: up to 4.5% immediately vested matching contribution, plus an 3-7% additional IRC contribution, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support in times of crisis and mental health struggles.

In addition, full-time employees are eligible for 10 US paid holidays, 20-25 paid time off days, disability & life insurance, medical, dental, and vision insurance (employee contribution starting at $135, $7, and $5 per month respectively) and FSA for healthcare, childcare, and commuter costs. Part-time employees are eligible for a proportionate amount of paid time off. These additional benefits apply to employees who work at least 6 months within a 12 month time period.