Student Success Coach

If you’re passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country—and you’re committed to working hard to play your part in building that future—consider WGU as the next step in your career.

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

Job Description 

Job Profile Summary: 

The Student Success Coach’s primary mission is to support the School of Business faculty with advancing student persistence, retention, and graduation by providing personalized student support services that enhance continuous engagement and academic success. As a Student Success Coach, you engage directly with faculty and students in the school by providing specialized coaching support that helps students develop the confidence, study habits, emotional well-being, and resiliency skills to be successful throughout their program of study and beyond. As a Student Success Coach, you will provide targeted outreach to students who may face struggles in college – and provide an additional layer of support alongside their assigned faculty member to promote continued engagement and persistence toward graduation. As part of the community of care, your coaching can be the "difference maker" through the support you provide guiding students in overcoming obstacles and eventually graduating. You will guide them one-on-one and in group settings as they progress in their degree, engaging in coaching sessions that increase their likelihood of success. You will earn their trust and set clear expectations as you work with each one to become a successful college student and future graduate. 

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:  

• Provides coaching and support for students within the school that have been identified as benefiting from additional outreach and coaching to enhance their engagement and success. 

• Leverages motivational interviewing techniques to influence positive behavior change in students. 

• Facilitates onboarding sessions designed to welcome students to the School of Business and inform them of key policies and strategies that will enhance their educational success. 

• Proactively provides outreach to students identified as lacking the confidence for getting started during onboarding, as well as those that lack consistent engagement in their studies that may be impacting progress and overall success. 

• Empathetically provides encouragement, reinforce positive behaviors and celebrate milestones of identified students for outreach. 

• Connects students with the appropriate WGU and School of Business department and resources to support ongoing academic engagement and educational success.  

• Collaborates within the team of Success Coaches, supporting teammates and providing input on opportunities for improvement. 

• Embraces WGU Leadership Principles with a high emphasis on learning, courage, and student obsession. 

• Responds with urgency to meet student needs and communicates professionally and respectfully with students and all other members of the WGU community. 

• Offers timely support and outreach to students, including meeting service level agreements as outlined by their department. 

• Analyze and interpret data to effectively improve student success and team productivity. 

• Assist students with various student process, policies and systems, and solve for any administrative problems or barriers that occur. 

• Performs other related duties as assigned. 

Knowledge, Skill and Abilities: 

• Establish empathy, active listening, optimism, and caring about others' success.  

• Demonstrate high-energy and enthusiasm to support virtual group sessions.  

• Create strong rapport and communications abilities, using a variety of modalities.  

• Promote a strong work ethic coupled with attention to detail.  

• An ability to work independently without close supervision, coupled with an understanding that regular reviews and feedback are part of a continuous improvement cycle.  

• Exemplify a courageous focus on what's best for students and the team.  

• Champion change and demonstrate flexibility in an ambiguous environment.  

• Intermediate ex