"Outreach Specialist of Center of Excellence for Veteran Student Success"

Outreach Specialist of Center of Excellence for Veteran Student Success

Company:
Oklahoma City Community College

Job Location:
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Category:
Veteran and Military Services

Type:
Full-Time

Posting Number: Staff_0403451
Classification Title: Staff
Datatel Position ID: VEST3OUTSPEC1A
Annual Hours: 2080 hours
Placement Range: $43,000
Position Type: Regular
Job Category: Exempt

General Description

This position is responsible in providing targeted outreach services to the veteran community, fostering awareness and recruitment efforts to increase veteran enrollment at the institution.

This appointment is contingent upon availability of grant funding. Once the funds from the grant that provide funding for this appointment are no longer available, this appointment may be terminated without cause upon written notice to the employee.

Reports To: Director of Center of Excellence for Veteran Student Success (CEVSS)

What position(s) reports to this position?
NA

Minimum Education/Experience

Bachelor's Degree in Education, Behavioral Sciences, Communications, Public Relations, or a similar field.

Minimum (1) year experience in outreach, recruitment, or similar roles. Outreach experience should include experience working with local veteran organizations and experience developing database tracking systems and outreach metric reporting.

Equivalency/Substitution: Will accept an Associate's Degree in Education, Behavioral Sciences, Communications, Public Relations, or a similar field with minimum (3) years' experience in outreach, recruitment, or similar roles. Outreach experience should include experience working with local veteran organizations and experience developing database tracking systems and outreach metric reporting.

Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Knowledge:
Comprehensive understanding of VA benefits (e.g., GI Bill®, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment, healthcare)
Awareness of federal, state, and institutional policies affecting veterans and military-connected students
Familiarity with enrollment processes, academic advising, and student support services offered at community colleges
Knowledge of effective strategies for promoting programs and services to veterans, military service members, and their families
Knowledge of student information systems (SIS), customer relationship management (CRM) platforms, and tracking outreach efforts
Familiarity with FERPA and other regulations governing student data

Skills:
Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
Demonstrated positive human relations and communication skills
Basic computer skills, proficient in the use of Microsoft Office or similar software
Managing multiple projects, deadlines, and outreach events simultaneously
Strong organizational skills
Problem-solving and conflict resolution

Abilities:
Ability to work independently and coordinate work with colleagues and peers
Ability to work well as a team member in an instructional unit
Ability to communicate and articulate concepts in an organized manner verbally and in writing
Ability to read and understand content to assist students when they are having difficulty interpreting concepts verbally
Ability to interact effectively and encourage students individually and in groups
Ability to be punctual and reliable
Ability to manage private/sensitive information in a professional manner
Ability to use virtual meeting platforms, social media, and other tools to reach veterans remotely

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

PHYSICAL/MENTAL DEMANDS AND WORKING CONDITIONS:
The work is sedentary work which requires the person in this position to occasionally exert up to 10 pounds of force to grasp, lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.

Additionally, the following physical abilities are required:

• Manual Dexterity: Picking, pinching, typing or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand or arm as in handling.
• Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word. Those activities in which one must convey detailed or important spoken information or instructions to others.
• Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and make fine discrimination in sound.
• Repetitive Motions: Substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers.
• Visual Acuity: Requires close visual acuity to perform activities such as but not limited to: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; expansive reading; visual inspection involving small defects, small parts and/or operation of machines (including inspection); using measurement devices; and/or assembly of fabrication of parts at distances close to the eyes.

Work is performed in an office environment on the OCCC campuses, and off-site outreach locations* to perform the essential functions of the position

Work is performed during office hours; on-campus and site visits may require some evening and weekend hours as needed.

* Travel will enable the Outreach Specialist to visit key entities such as Veteran Affairs centers, veteran nonprofits like Warriors for Freedom Foundation, Honoring America's Warriors, Force 50, and Veteran Upward Bound programs. These visits will focus on providing information about financial aid opportunities, enrollment processes at OCCC, assistance with completing the FAFSA, guidance on navigating veteran educational benefits, and support for career and educational assessment and goal development. This outreach is critical to connecting with veterans, addressing their unique needs, and encouraging them to pursue higher education at OCCC.

Preferred Qualifications

Master's degree in Education, Behavioral Sciences, Communications, Public Relations, or similar field.

Military-affiliated background and experience and/or come from a low-income, first-generation college student background.

Minimum of (1) year experience in outreach, recruitment, or similar roles in an institution of higher education.

Required Training

Quarterly compliance training as assigned by institution

Work Hours: The hours of the Outreach Specialist may include daytime, evening, and some weekend hours. On-campus office hours and outreach site visits are included in weekly schedules.

Department: Veterans Services

Open Until Filled: No

HR Contact: Rose Sanchez

Special Instructions to Applicants

Applicants are to thoroughly complete the electronic application and attach the required documents: Cover letter, resume and transcript conferring highest degree.

Applicants who do not attach the required documents will not be considered for the position.

For application assistance, please contact Human Resources

Job Duties (Position Specific)

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were actually written out in this job description.

Job Duties (Duties Assignment Statement)

The Outreach Specialist will provide targeted outreach services to the veteran community in the Oklahoma City metro area, directly aligned with the grant's objective of increasing veteran enrollment at Oklahoma City Community College.

• Reports directly to the Director of Center for Excellence for Veteran Student Success (CEVSS)
• Assist with Outreach and other needed compliance efforts for the CEVSS Grant responsibilities for the College
• Promote OCCC Veterans Services through consumer information materials, Veterans Services Web page, student newspaper and other publications such as Catalog and Student Community Guidelines
• Organize and conduct outreach events, including informational sessions to inform Veteran students and Military-affiliated students about the benefits and resources available at OCCC
• Build relationships and collaborate with local Veteran Affairs offices, military bases, and local/state veteran organizations to raise awareness about OCCC's educational opportunities
• Through partnerships with OCCC Marketing, develop and distribute targeted promotional materials that highlight OCCC's veteran-friendly environment and support services
• Collaborate with Veteran Services Center staff, institutional representatives, and external partners to coordinate outreach efforts and ensure comprehensive support services for veteran students
• Assist/participate in a Veteran Student Support Team to monitor and make improvements to Veteran student enrollment, persistence, and completion rates
• Assist with planning and execution of campus-wide Veteran Services Center events and activities
• Serve as a School Certifying Official (SCO) in certification of Veteran Affairs benefits for eligible students each semester based on enrollment status, as needed
• Assist the Director of Veteran Services in representing the College in audits of Veteran's student records and benefit programs, as needed
• Assist the Director of Veteran Services in communication with and reporting to State Accrediting Agency for Veterans education programs and VA Regional Office, as needed
• As needed, assist with coordinating and promoting activities to celebrate veterans and their service to the country, such events may include Veterans Day Luncheon, a College Veterans Appreciation Day, Spring Graduation Veterans Celebration, Educational Seminars, and potential other guest speaker events
• Assist with the upkeep of the Veteran Services Center Office and Lounge
• Assist with the hiring and training of part-time workers to assist in the Veteran Services Center, as needed
• Stay current with Veterans Administration regulations about management of educational benefit programs, new programs, and services
• Attend state and regional veteran conferences and workshops on behalf of the College
• Serve on College committees as needed
• Assist with compiling outreach efforts and outcome reports and statistics for grant compliance, federal requirements, and general reporting to the Associate Vice President for Student Success and/or the Vice President for Student Affairs
• Assist with other services and duties for the betterment of Veteran students and Veteran-benefit receiving students as needed

Job Duties (Safety / Policy & Procedures)

• Abides by the policies and procedures published in the Board of Regents Policies and College Policies and Procedures
• Contributes to a safe educational and working environment
• Adheres to established safety and health procedures and practices for the purpose of providing injury and illness prevention for self and others
• Completes quarterly health and safety training pursuant to OCCC's established safety and health procedures and practices
• Participates in all applicable OCCC emergency, evacuation, shelter in place drills, and prepared to take action; and assists others in taking appropriate action should a health or safety emergency occur