Position Summary

POSITION SUMMARY:

Big Bend Community College seeks candidates for the position of Program Assistant for Student Administrative Support Services. The successful candidate will provide high quality services and support to prospective and enrolled students in a friendly, fast-paced, high-volume, customer-focused environment. The Program Assistant will interpret and apply knowledge of applicable policies and procedures in providing courteous and professional customer service and in the resolution of inquiries, issues, and complaints. This position will serve as a first point-of-contact handling inquiries, transactions, cross-departmental student issues, and customer service questions related to: admissions, registration, advising, counseling, disability support services, testing, and basic financial aid, student employment, and veteran benefits – primarily face-to-face, but also via email and telephone, when necessary. This position provides students and potential students with the college information they need to enroll and persist to graduation.

This position will provide general assistance to the Student Administrative Support Services area and serve as a secondary point-of-contact on department phones. The successful candidate will work in a teamwork environment in an effort to facilitate resolution for students and college departments, considering circumstances involved.

This position reports to the Director of Enrollment Services & Registrar.

BBCC is a small rural community college located in the sunny, central part of Washington State, and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Big Bend Community College serves approximately 4,000 students, with an annualized FTE of approximately 2,000, in a 4,600-square-mile service district including 15 communities in Grant and Adams counties and the Odessa School District in Lincoln County with on-site, online instruction, and interactive classrooms.

Big Bend Community College strives for excellence in teaching and learning. We are a student-centered and innovative college that is committed to fostering a community that supports and recognizes the value of diversity; 42% of our student-body is Hispanic. Recognized as a Leader College by Achieving the Dream, Big Bend is a designated Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Our student body consists of 75% first-generation college students and 71% of our students receive some form of financial assistance.

Our college seeks candidates who have a deep commitment to and understanding of the rewards and challenges of working with students. We particularly welcome those who will be active participants in our small but thriving college community.

Big Bend Community College provides equal opportunity in education and employment and does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, religion, age, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, physical, mental or sensory disability, use of a trained guide dog or service animal by a person with a disability, marital status, pregnancy status or families with children, a mother breastfeeding her child, AIDS/HIV or hepatitis C, genetic information, and/or status as a veteran or any other legally protected classification.

Big Bend provides reasonable accommodations for qualified students, employees, and applicants with disabilities in accordance with the American with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Please direct all inquiries regarding compliance with access, equal opportunity, and/or grievances to the Vice President of Human Resources & Labor/Equal Opportunity Officer/Title IX Coordinator/Section 504 Coordinator, BBCC 7662 Chanute Street NE, Moses Lake, WA 98837; 509-793-2010 or via email at kimg@bigbend.edu.

This position closes at 12:00 P.M. on June 4, 2019.

Essential Job Duties

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES:
Primary essential duties and responsibilities include but will not be limited to the following:

• Advise students, staff, and the public regarding information and interpretation of college policies and activities related to enrolling at the college; including, but not limited to: course offerings, tuition, fees, registration, admissions, financial aid policies and procedures, and general college questions.
• Provide excellent customer service via face-to-face, email, and outbound service calls, as able given the complexity of the issues.
• Provide professional, courteous, empathetic and problem-solving customer service in Student Administrative Support Services, while assisting students in navigating through, admissions and registration processes and procedures, understanding basic financial aid processes and/or eligibility requirements, and in explaining important related deadlines.
• Communicate admission policies and processes to prospective students, staff, and community members and assist with application processes.
• Assist with registration processes and basic financial aid inquiries and assist students in resolving problems, evaluating alternatives, and determining other options.
• Accurately process incoming student forms, documents, and other information necessary to complete admissions and registration transactions and procedures.
• Assist students in understanding tuition payment obligations, options, and deadlines, and inform students of collection policies and procedures in regards to Business Services.
• Assist students in using and understanding the online Student Kiosk, class schedule, and course catalog.
• Interpret and ensure confidentiality of customer information following the federal Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), financial aid guidelines, and college regulations.
• Handle complex, cross-departmental student issues and work to facilitate resolution for students and departments within established guidelines, with recognition of when an issue should be referred to outside the Program Assistant position and then make an appropriate referral to facilitate continued problem-solving.
• Properly review, document, and archive materials received for student educational and financial aid records.
• Process requests for BBCC transcripts, daily.
• Process registration forms for Basic Education for Adults (BEdA) students.
• Schedule student appointments with counselors, advisors, the Disability Support Services Coordinator, and the Dean of Student Services.
• Perform related duties and responsibilities as may be required.

OTHER WORK ACTIVITIES:

• Maintain professional growth and development through seminars, workshops and professional affiliations to keep abreast of latest trends in field of expertise.
• Ensure safe work practices and policies. This includes, but is not limited to: security and safety, understanding of SDS, equipment, infection control, fire, disaster, safe lifting and body mechanics.
• Ensure compliance with college policies and procedures and state and federal regulations.
• Conduct self in a professional manner and ensures the interaction with team members and other support groups is conducted in a courteous, efficient, and supportive of the college's values.
• Perform related duties and responsibilities as may be required.

DUTIES OF THE POSITION REQUIRE EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE IN:

• Knowledge of Federal and State laws and regulations as related to admissions/registration and maintain a high degree of accountability in the application of policies, rules, and regulations.
• Experience with the Washington State Community College's SMS system, PeopleSoft, and/or other automated or computerized student/client systems.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.

DUTIES OF THE POSITION REQUIRE THE ABILITY TO:

• Think critically and problem solve or respond to challenging situations.
• Learn new processes and applications.
• Communicate effectively and convey detailed information to students, staff, and the public using excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Organize daily work and prioritize tasks; keep track of information or work in progress, ensuring accuracy, multi-tasking, handling interruptions effectively, and meet competing deadlines.
• Work independently and reliably. Regular and consistent attendance is expected.
• Demonstrate competency in the ability to provide service in a multicultural environment.
• Maintain a high level of confidentiality.

REQUIRED WORK SCHEDULE AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Work is sedentary in nature with frequent repetitive hand and wrist motions. Frequent use of computer, 10-key adding machine, and exposure to terminal screens in performing work assignments. Frequent need for oral and auditory communications. Occasionally kneel, stoop, crouch, crawl, reach, and lift up to 25 lbs. in an office environment.

Basic work schedule is 8:00am to 5:00pm, Monday through Thursday and 8:00am to 2:30pm on Friday. Hours may be adjusted to meet the needs of the departments and various events. Minimum & Desirable Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
At the time of application, all candidates must posses the following:

• High school graduate/equivalent and two years of full-time clerical experience OR an equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience.
• Direct experience providing quality customer service.
• Experience working with confidential information.
• Ability to use computers, spreadsheets, data entry and retrieval systems, and word processing software including Excel, Word, and Outlook.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with competing deadlines.
• Ability to work collaboratively and cooperatively in a team environment.
• Experience working with individuals from diverse academic, socioeconomic, age, cultural, disability, and ethnic backgrounds.

ADDITIONAL DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:

• Associate's degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution.
• Experience working in higher education, specifically working with student records.
• Knowledge of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
• Experience with software applications such as FMS, SMS, and other student information systems.
• Bilingual Spanish/English proficiency.
  

Application Instructions

To qualify for consideration, applicants must meet required, minimum qualifications and submit a complete packet by June 4, 2019 at 12:00pm. A complete application packet includes the following:

• BBCC Online application.
• Cover letter, addressing why you are interested in this position and how your qualifications make you the ideal candidate.*
• Comprehensive resume or CV.*
• Response(s) to the questions found in the Supplemental Questions Tab above.*
• Unofficial transcripts documenting undergraduate and graduate course work and degrees. Official transcripts required upon employment.*

NOTE: All of the above items are required to ensure your consideration for this position. The items marked with an asterisk are required to be included/uploaded with your online application prior to submission. The college reserves the right to remove documents, submitted but not requested, by BBCC as part of the application process. These documents include, but are not limited to statements of teaching philosophy, diversity statement, letters of recommendation, student evaluations, performance evaluations, etc.

BBCC reserves the right to not fill this position, reject all applicants, reopen the position, or make a direct appointment. Applications received during this recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies at the College's discretion.

Persons hired will need to provide documentation verifying identity and employment authorization to work in the United States.

Official transcripts will need to be provided to the college within the first thirty (30) days of employment.

In compliance with state and federal regulations, BBCC is committed to a safe and drug-free campus. Employees are expected to comply with BBCC's policy prohibiting illegal drug use or activity, including notifications of criminal drug convictions and the use of prescription drugs or over-the-counter medications that are likely to affect job safety. The complete policy and procedure are available to view on the policies page of the BBCC website. Printed copies of the policy and procedure are available by contacting the Human Resources Office at 509-793-2008.

BBCC strives to be a safe and secure campus for our students, employees, and community. Detailed information regarding campus security, crime statistics for the most recent-three year period, and other information is available on the Campus Safety and Security page of the BBCC website. If you have questions or would like a printed copy of the materials please contact Campus Safety and Security at 509-793-2286.

This posting does not reflect the entire job description and may be changed and/or modified, at any time, without notice.

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