Student Services Associate

Job Description

The Graduate School is seeking a service-oriented, people-centered associate to provide student services in the Hokie One Stop (HOS). The HOS student services associate is an integral, public-facing representative of customer services and University policies and procedures that govern student admission, enrollment, and student life. This position provides comprehensive student services and support for students, visitors, and the university community. The student services associate will support students’ recruitment, retention, and graduation through development of an in-depth understanding of academic records, registration, financial aid and scholarships, and student accounts/billing.

This role works primarily between 20 and 29 hours a week during the academic year (August through May), with sporadic work hours over the summer as needed.

Duties And Responsibilities

• Assist students and visitors, in person and on the phone; answer general questions; troubleshoot problems and address concerns and issues in the areas of financial aid, student accounts, academic records, and registration in a timely, accurate, courteous, and helpful manner; clarify situations and follow through on issues until resolved, providing the necessary correspondence and contacts with students and third parties.
• Serve as the secondary manager of the HOS email account, ensuring timely responses, organizing correspondence, forwarding to responsible stakeholders as needed, and following up on student inquiries.
• Advise students on a case-by-case basis by holistically approaching their concern/inquiry, providing further research to address inquiries, and, when applicable, discerning matters that require escalation to partner offices for resolution.
• Participate in regularly scheduled customer service and cross-departmental training.
• Exhibit a high degree of professional judgment, training, and problem-solving.
• Refer higher-level complex matters to the HOS director or Blacksburg-based office, as per protocol.
• Document interactions and enter and maintain accurate records in a confidential, thorough, and timely manner.
• Collaborate with the centralized and embedded functional offices to ensure compliance with all federal, state, and university regulations and policies.
• Manage the HOS physical space, including opening and closing the office, managing supplies, maintaining the space, monitoring, and responding to emerging needs.
• Ensure information across all media (including websites, print publications, and social media) is up-to-date, accurate, consistent, and follows Virginia Tech branding guidelines, as needed.
• Actively participate in programs and initiatives including, but not limited to, student orientation and commencement, as needed.
• Assist with special projects as assigned by the director.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
  
  

Required Qualifications

• Direct customer service experience.
• Knowledge and proficiency with current desktop computing platforms (Word, Excel, MS Teams, Outlook, etc.) and willingness/capability to learn specialized incident-management software.
• Possesses excellent communication skills and attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to work with diverse populations and a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
• Ability to work flexible hours, as needed.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent level of training and experience.
• Demonstrated ability to think critically and problem-solve.
• Ability to react to customers quickly, thoughtfully, and courteously.
• Significant experience responding to customer inquiries via phone, email, and in person.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret and apply policies and procedures, exercise judgment, apply problem-solving strategies, and maintain highly confidential and sensitive information.
• Experience working with diverse adult student populations, preferably in a higher education environment.
• Experience with Banner or other Student Information System(s).
• Understanding of a student’s rights and protections as outlined by university policies, practices, and FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act).
  
  

Wage Information

Commensurate with experience; range $20-25/hour

Review Date

February 24, 2025

Additional Information

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

About Virginia Tech

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges , a school of medicine , a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School , and Honors College . The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers . A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.

Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance . These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.

Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.

If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Amanda Pettigrew at apettigrew@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.