Retention Specialist

Employment Terms: This job is a full time, benefited, FLSA non-exempt/administrative position in the Student Affairs Divisionthat reports to the Coordinator of Retention Services.

Salary: Targeted salary is commensurate with education and experience not to exceed the budgeted amount of $40,000 per year.

Schedule: This is a full-time position. Availability to work Monday through Thursday between 8 am and 6 pm and on Friday between 8 am and 4 pm. This position will require supporting events and services at both campus locations requiring occasional Saturdays and some evenings. Flexibility is a must.

Minimum Qualifications:

Associate’s degree required in a course of study related to the occupational field *and* Three (3)

years of related work experience

Note: Experience may substitute for the degree on a year-for-year basis.

Preferred Qualifications:

A Bachelor’s Degree in Education, Counseling, or an equivalent fieldpreferred. Previous work experience in at least one of the following student services areas in higher education: academic advising, counseling, and/or retention services. Knowledge of assessment and evaluation practices. Demonstrated ability to engageand build relationships with students, and to motivate students who are experiencing academic difficulty.Work experience using Banner student information system.

Desired Skills:

Strong interpersonal communication skills needed to effectively work with a broad and diverse student population. Candidate should exhibit strong organizational, planning, and record-keeping skills, and be able to effectively use technology to develop, test, and evaluate programs for tracking student progress. Accurate documentation procedures are also vital. Candidate will need cultural competence and strong relationship building skills. Highly developed written and oral communication skills, as well as problem solving abilities in both team and individual work environments are a must.

Job Description Summary:
The primary objective for this position will be continued support for students in a seamless process to drive students towards graduation and placement into employment or continued education. This position requires cross campus communication and engagement with faculty, staff, and current and prospective students to support a variety of college services to increase student success. The successful candidate will be able to develop and implement programming for students that is data driven, and to blend quantitative and qualitative data into an efficient gathering, reporting, and analysis process to determine impact of services provided. The successful candidate advises students and assists them in making informed college major and career choices, navigating the college environment, and resolving a wide range of administrative and academic issues. He/she will be able to integrate and apply knowledge of college program requirements, college policies and procedures, and best practices regarding student retention while reviewing student records to provide a holistic approach to resolving student issues and academic difficulties.

Job Responsibilities & Performance Standards:

  • Develop and implement special strategies to aid in retention.
  • Properly conduct exit interviews with withdrawing students to determine reasons for withdrawal and methods to aid in retention.
  • Coordinate academic progress and degree completion programs and interventions in a comprehensive planning format, including benchmark and communication strategies.
  • Work as part of a collaborative team to develop and execute specific events and services such as New Student Orientation, First Year Experience courses, workshops, seminars, and college and career fairs.
  • Participate on college teams or committees to identify barriers to success in retention and graduation rates.
  • Teach and provide instruction for First Year Experience course(s).
  • Develop specific programming and action plans for readmitted and non-traditional students.
  • Compile data into annual report for faculty and staff.
  • Participate in college’s early alert system by working with faculty to provide timely feedback to students about their academic progress, to identify students whose behaviors indicate a lack of academic success strategies, and to refer to students for academic skills assistance, including tutoring, counseling, and/or career guidance.
  • Stay current with trends and best practices regarding student retention, develop retention strategies for the college, and work closely with faculty, student/outreach services staff, and other GTC staff in implementing, evaluating, and improving retention strategies.
  • Maintain knowledge of TCSG guidelines, GTC program requirements, and act as liaison between students and faculty.
  • Review student records for retention issues; follow up on progress through personal contact and correspondence.
  • Coach students through administrative barriers that are preventing them from progressing toward graduation.
  • Evaluate services within department and various student and academic departments to determine impact on retention and assists with development of new and refined strategies for maximizing retention.
  • Gather and analyze data; prepare reports of operational activities, evaluation of services, etc.
  • Performs other duties as assigned in the fulfillment of the needs, philosophy, and purpose of Gwinnett Technical College.

To Apply:
Please complete your job application through the Gwinnett Technical College Online Job Center at located under Career Services/Jobs at GTC.

Gwinnett Technical College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.

Lisa Richardson, Title IX and Section 504 Coordinator, 5150 Sugarloaf Parkway, Building 100, Room 323B, Lawrenceville, GA 30043, 678-226-6691,