What are the responsibilities and job description for the Success Coach, Student Success and Strategic Innovation position at Forsyth Technical Community College?
In line with Forsyth Tech’s Imagine 2025, the Success Coach position re-invents the role of academic advising, shifting from a transactional to transformational role, empowering students to design their academic and career goals. The Success Coach serves an integral element within the Division of Student Success and Strategic Innovation by providing holistic and intrusive student support through academic advising, navigating academic and EWD programs and process requirements, career exploration activities, financial readiness, and student development. The purpose of the Success Coach role is to increase the retention and academic success of students requiring additional support at the College by strategic outreach and technology-based engagement, increasing student capacity for making informed decisions concerning their educational, career, and life goals.
Minimum Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform such essential duties 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. Note: Degrees and hours must be from a college accredited by a United States Department of Education accepted accrediting agency such as SACSCOC.
- Bachelor’s degree. Note: Degrees and hours must be from a college accredited by a US Department of Education accepted accrediting agency such as SACSCOC.
- Three years of professional experience counseling/advising/teaching students in an educational environment.
- Three years or more of experience providing support services to adult, high-need postsecondary students to include outreach, academic and/or career coaching and case management.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build rapport and effectively communicate with individuals from diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences.
- Experience using technology including Microsoft Office suite and a relational student information system, e.g. Datatel Colleague, Banner, etc.
- Experience with collaborative and experiential methodologies to improve student learning.
- Experience collecting, analyzing and acting upon student data.
- Spanish language skills preferred, bi-lingual a plus.
- Master’s Degree or higher from a regionally accredited college or university.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:At Forsyth Tech we cultivate a culture of belonging where every member – students, staff, and faculty – are valued, respected, accepted and encouraged to use our true and authentic self and the voice of our unique characteristics and experiences.
Academic Advising
- Review, interpret, and evaluate student applicant test scores and other information to determine eligibility status.
- Maintain current knowledge of academic and CE/EWD programs and review/analyze student retention and success data.
- Inform assigned students about alternatives, limitations and possible consequences of academic decisions (e.g. adding, dropping and withdrawing from courses; change of program, major and/or transfer institution).
- Monitor course enrollment and convey recommendations to appropriate staff regarding reserves, restrictions, availability, wait-listing, or closure based on program demand and course availability.
- Provide recommendations for continuous improvement to all services for academic advising purposes and integrate practices and technology aimed at improving adult student service.
- Work closely with assigned students’ academic advisor to provide an extra layer of support for students.
- Develop and implement student follow-up procedures from one academic term to another, including program goals and objectives.
- Meet divisional benchmarks for student engagement through semester lifecycle, early semester engagement, midterm and advising, and finish-strong campaigns.
Financial Literacy Support & Intentional Career Exploration
- Advise students regarding eligibility for all federal, state and local financial aid programs within the requirements of federal and state regulations by telephone, email and in person, using the College’s computer software program (Datatel Colleague).
- Assist students in creating a financial plan based on each student’s academic and career aspirations.
- Provide guidance to assigned students individually and within group settings regarding career decisions, degree plans, and transfer opportunities.
- Identify skill gaps and advise students on relevant workforce programs to meet their needs. Assist students with identifying prior learning assessment opportunities by evaluating industry earned credentials or job experience and referring students for assessment as appropriate.
Student Monitoring & Technology Engagement
- Use student success platform software to maintain records, facilitate correspondence, and develop tools to be used in advising activities.
- Communicate with students in response to early alerts issued by instructor, identify appropriate intervention strategies and guide students towards solutions to address challenges.
- Provide initial assessment, appropriate referral, case management and interventions for at-risk students.
- Respond to faculty and staff requests for student interventions.
- Identify key risk factors and student groups within caseload and provide appropriate intervention that is prioritized.
- Participate in individual and team professional development, remains current with technology used to provide advising services.
- Utilize student platforms including Colleague to register students for classes.
Collaboration & Problem Solving
- Act as liaison between the Student Success and Strategic Innovation Division and the faculty/students in the instructional programs.
- Work in a team environment and collaborate with departments throughout the college to reduce retention challenges and to improve successes of students.
- Develop and promote internal communication and resource sharing in order to benefit students’ success.
Assigned College Operations
- Ability to work flexible hours including evening and weekend hours consistent with student needs at one or more campus centers.
- Perform other duties and assume other responsibilities in support of identified learner support initiatives and accelerated pathway programs.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS: 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 accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- The employee will need to regularly operate and use computers, phones and other electronic equipment.
- The employee will frequently communicate with other employees and students and must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations.
- The employee may need to move around their office and / or campus to attend meetings / classes and to access files, machinery or other job-related tools.
- The employee may need to lift and/or move equipment, tools or paperwork up to 25 pounds.
- The employee may need to position themselves by reaching, stooping, kneeling or crouching in order to adjust or collect equipment and/or supplies
- Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus
WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described are representative of those an employee encounters. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individual with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee occasionally works near moving mechanical parts and is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions.
- The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.
Posting Detail Information
Open Date
02/06/2025
Close Date
02/20/2025
Open Until Filled
No
Special Instructions to Applicants
For assistance, please contact Human Resources at 336-757-3615. EOE/AA
