21269Fortis Columbia SC

Position Summary:

The Director of Student Services is the primary point of first contact for students with problems or issues that may affect their ability to successfully complete their training program. This individual also plans and organizes student events such as graduation ceremonies, orientations, holiday parties and student award ceremonies. In addition, the Director of Student Services assists the Director of Education to ensure that acceptable retention rates are maintained.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Is an empathetic and caring advocate for students. Gets to know the students and interact with them in positive ways. Realizes, however, that counseling for serious physical, emotional, and psychological issues may be beyond the scope of the student services position.
• Monitors student retention rates and assist the DOE to meet retention rate requirements. Monitors student attendance and call students who have been absent for more than 2 days to determine if they can be assisted to return to school.
• Is readily available by phone, Internet, and in person to meet with students who may need additional attention or assistance in order to successfully complete the training program.
• Plans, organizes, conducts and attends regular student services activities including: new student orientation, graduation ceremonies, holiday parties, and student education achievement award ceremonies. Informs all other staff and faculty of the date and time of these student services events and remind them that they are also expected to attend.
• Maintains an up to date listing of social services agencies that may assist students in areas such as child care, housing, and transportation.
• Maintains an up to date listing of medical, psychological, and professional counseling services for referring students who need help outside the scope of the school.
• Interacts with other staff and faculty members to assist students with issues that can be solved within the school.
• Attends and significantly contributes to staff/faculty meetings within the school and student services director meetings at the corporate level.
• Monitors and maintains the institution's computerized data system to ensure that student services information contained therein is accurate, entered in a timely fashion, and backed up to prevent the loss of crucial information.
• Ensures that student services activity is clearly documented in the student's paper file and in the computer data base.
• Provides computerized student services reports to corporate and school management on a regular basis.
• Follows all procedures and standards as defined by Education Affiliates Inc.
• Is knowledgeable of and follow all state, accrediting commission, and federal compliance standards in a timely and complete manner.
• Maintains and secures institutional procedural manuals and other documentation required by state, accrediting, and federal agencies.
• Meets or exceeds the student services bottom line requirements of the approved school budget.
• Maintains student services displays such as framed photographs of successful graduates on the job, framed photographs of previous graduation ceremonies, etc.
• Assists with the arrangement of open houses and job fairs and other events with the purpose of enhancing the schools exposure to local employers and to prospective new students.
• If students share very personal and confidential information, is very conscious of the responsibility to guard this information properly and with discretion.
• Promotes a positive and motivational working and learning environment.
• Ensures that discrimination of any kind is not supported or nurtured and shall take action to support acceptance and tolerance.
• Is readily accessible for meetings requested by students, staff, and faculty.
• Assists the admission's team by meeting prospective new students.
• Is willing to support the institution's purpose, goals, objectives, and agreements as a condition of employment.
• Creates an atmosphere of trust and respect with personnel from other departments and shall understand the necessary interdependence with other departments in order to create the best overall school environment.
• Speaks supportively of corporate staff, school staff, faculty, and students, refraining from any gossip, or negative or derogatory statements of any nature.
• Is interested in and knowledgeable of departmental details in all areas of student services.
• Networks effectively with other Education Affiliates directors of student services and Education Affiliates corporate personnel in order to utilize materials and techniques that already exist within the EA corporation.
• Obeys all laws and regulations of the surrounding community and will conduct himself/herself in such a way, within the community, as to reflect positively upon the school.
• Asks for assistance from the director of education if he/she is uncertain of the appropriate action to handle any issue within the school.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Regular and reliable attendance.

Skills/Competencies/Qualifications:

• At least three years of significant human resources or counseling work experience, preferably within the private school industry.
• An appropriate college degree may be substituted for work experience.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills