(Onsite) Student Support Specialist - WVU Online

WVU Online at West Virginia University is currently accepting applications for a Student Support Specialist.

About the Opportunity

The Student Support Specialist for WVU Online plays a student-centered and outcomes-focused role in ensuring online learners have the support, resources, and guidance they need to succeed throughout their academic journey. The position designs, implements, and evaluates onboarding and orientation initiatives, manages high-impact communication channels, and develops data-informed retention and re-engagement strategies to promote sustained student engagement. Acting as an advocate for the online student experience, the Student Support Specialist owns outcomes for student readiness, satisfaction, and persistence by building tools, events, and outreach campaigns that foster a sense of connection and academic momentum. This role emphasizes strategic planning, continuous improvement, and cross-functional collaboration, making it well-suited for someone who understands the needs of adult and online learners, values proactive communication, and is committed to improving student outcomes through evidence-based initiatives.

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 37.5-hour work week
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
• 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year or more based on years of service (employee leave)
• 18 sick days per year (for when you're ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family's, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ's.
• Wellness programs

What You'll Do

• Leads the design and governance of student-support communications, setting service standards for the WVU Online inbox, maintaining a dynamic FAQ/knowledge base, and using analytics to optimize response quality and speed.
• Plans, coordinates, and manages special academic sessions (e.g., Maymester, Winter Intersession) including student registration, readiness checklists, and outcome tracking; recommends and oversees improvements to drive growth and efficiency.
• Develops proactive support strategies that reduce friction with registration, platform access, and policy navigation; triages/escalates complex issues and recommends systemic fixes to leadership.
• Owns the lifecycle of new student orientation and onboarding, setting measurable goals, piloting iterations, and publishing annual results aligned to institutional retention targets.
• Authors and governs policy-aligned student handbooks (undergraduate and graduate), ensuring version control and cross-unit consistency.
• Plans, executes, and evaluates student-success events and workshops, leveraging feedback and data to refine programming for maximum impact.
• Leads the registered-not-paid campaign with direct outcome ownership, coordinating with finance and registrar to remove barriers, tracking payment conversion rates, and driving continuous improvements in process and success rates.
• Designs and assesses re-engagement campaigns for stopped-out and other retention-sensitive populations; presents recommendations to leadership for scaling successful strategies.
• Builds documentation, communications calendars, and KPI dashboards for support workflows; analyzes insights and reports findings to inform strategic planning.
• Collaborates with Enrollment Specialists to ensure seamless handoffs and a coordinated inquiry-to-success continuum; participates in cross-functional planning forums and contributes recommendations to broader student success strategies.
• Directs and supports outbound calling initiatives during peak inquiry periods or for academic units with special needs, ensuring campaigns are strategically aligned with enrollment and retention goals.
• Maintains governance of documentation, communications calendars, and student success metrics, using data to inform continuous improvement and institutional decision-making.
• Serves as a knowledgeable, approachable, and solutions-focused point of contact for enrolled online students, setting a high standard for empathetic, policy-informed support and ensuring consistent resolution pathways.
• Contributes actively to institutional student success planning, representing WVU Online in cross-functional meetings, retrospectives, and working groups, and recommending actionable improvements to the online learner experience.
  

• Master's degree in business, communications, education, or related field.
• A minimum of 6 months of experience in the following:
  • student support, enrollment management, program administration, or academic services in a higher education setting.
  • demonstrated experience with data analysis, enrollment reporting, and project management, preferably in a university or online education environment.
  • experience with student lifecycle and enrollment management processes.
• Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience will be considered.
• All qualifications must be met by the time of employment.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Strong background in project management, enrollment strategy, or student services in a higher education setting.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills, with a collaborative and proactive approach to problem-solving.
• Proven ability to work cross-functionally and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience with data analysis, CRM systems, and developing process improvements.
• Comfortable working both independently and as part of a larger team to support institutional goals.
  

West Virginia University is a place of purpose and community. We take pride in our profound impact on the state of West Virginia and are committed to the personal and professional growth of our employees.

From the groundbreaking R1 research at our flagship campus in Morgantown to the career-oriented programs at WVU Potomac State in Keyser, and the technology-intensive programs at WVU Tech in Beckley, the contributions of WVU employees resonate across the state, touching lives and shaping futures.

At WVU, you will discover a supportive community that champions work-life balance and fosters a collaborative atmosphere. Our core values - service, curiosity, respect, accountability and appreciation - unite us as Mountaineers.

Join us at West Virginia University, where your work will make a lasting impact. To learn more about WVU, visit wvu.edu.

West Virginia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We invite all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or Veteran status.