Tennessee Reconnect Community Triage Advisor
Southeast Tennessee
Job Description
Background
Tennessee Reconnect Communities (TRCs) are locally-based collaboratives focused on empowering adults to complete a postsecondary degree or credential. Each TRC is comprised of local leaders from the community, employers, and higher education institutions, each focused on a localized plan to engage adults in the area. Through a cadre of Advisors, the TRCs provide adults with free advising, career counseling, support, and a personalized path to and through college. The first TRCs in Tennessee began in 2015 through grants from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. The Tennessee Reconnect Community Network now consists of a total of eight TRCs, serving 70 counties and over 11,000 adult learners throughout the state.
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) is currently seeking partnerships to launch two new Tennessee Reconnect Communities in east Tennessee. Specifically, these two TRCs will cover the areas of Southeast Tennessee and Knox and surrounding counties. These TRCs are anticipated to launch no later than April 1, 2018. Until these TRCs are launched, the Tennessee Reconnect Triage Advisor will provide advising services to the Reconnectors in one of these two TRC regions. The TRC Triage Advisor will report directly to the TRC Director of a partner Tennessee Reconnect Community. The TRC Triage Advisor will also work closely with the Tennessee Reconnect Network Community Director at the Tennessee Higher Education Commission who will coordinate the launch of the new TRCs.
General Description
The Tennessee Reconnect Community Advisor position provides advisement and guidance to adults, from the decision to return to college, through consideration of college choices, assistance with the financial aid process, understanding and solving issues that stand in the way of successful re-enrollment and degree completion. The Advisor must have a proven record of commitment to promoting student success as a means to improve the economic and civic well-being of individuals and communities.
The Triage Advisor position will be filled November 1, 2017 to March 31, 2018. Tennessee Reconnect Advising Triage Service Counties:
- Southeast Tennessee: Marion, Hamilton, Bradley, Polk, Sequatchie, Bledsoe, Rhea, Meigs, McMinn, Monroe. (Partner TRC is Upper Cumberland TRC)
- Knox and surrounding counties: Roane, Loudon, Blount, Morgan, Anderson, Knox, Scott, Campbell. (Partner TRC is Smoky Mountain TRC)
Responsibilities
- Motivate adults to return to college to complete their education with the support of Tennessee Reconnect.
- Provide advising, support, assistance, follow-up, and referrals to adult learners.
- Host advising appointments on the phone, virtual conferencing or public meeting places, such as local library.
- Provide financial aid application assistance to clients and make referrals, when necessary.
- Utilize client relationship management system in capturing data, advising, monitoring client progress, as well as managing and monitoring self-workflow.
- Provide timely reports on services rendered to clients of Tennessee Reconnect to Partner TRC Director and TRCN Director.
- Provide assistance, as necessary, to college partner advisors.
- Attend and facilitate coordinated activities with partner organizations, community-based organizations, and partner colleges and universities.
- Participate in community events.
- All other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor (BA, BS, etc.) or related experience required in related field (higher education administration, education, counseling, social work, etc.)
- Minimum two years of advising experience. Case management experience is a plus.
- Live and able to work from home in Southeast TRC Region (See counties listed, above.)
- Self-motivated starter, able to work independently while functioning well as part of a team.
- Proven performance based on results and metrics, and close adherence to schedules and commitments.
- Detail oriented.
- Proven ability to work collaboratively and build relationships with various diverse stakeholders.
- Understanding of college admissions, academic advising, transcript analysis, and financial aid as they pertain to adult students.
- Ability to provide developmental advising to adult students and encourage outcomes-directed solutions.
- Understanding of academic and non-academic issues surrounding adult learners and specifically adult college students.
- Understanding and ability to work with individuals with various values, lifestyles, socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds.
- Demonstrated excellence in written and verbal communications.
- Experience using Microsoft Office, Google and web platforms.
- Excellent organizational skills.
- Promotion of student success as a means to improve the economic and civic well-being of individuals and communities.
- Knowledge of community-based organizations, and organizations in the region related to educational attainment and student success preferred.
- Independent, self-starter who is able to work with minimal direction and self-manage working remotely from office.
- Some local travel required. Work hours will include some evenings and occasional weekends.
Other Information:
The Southeast Tennessee Reconnect Triage Advisor Position is an hourly position with a compensation rate of $20.00 per hour. Advisor will be required to work approximately 30 hours per week. Advisor will be required to work from home with some travel to public meeting places for meetings with Reconnectors. Compensated travel for on-boarding/training is required.
This position is contingent on funding from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.
Interviewing will start immediately and continue until the position is filled. Please email your cover letter, one appropriate writing sample, and resume, noting the position title in the subject line, to:
No phone inquiries, please.