Position Title:

Student Services Specialist

Position Type:

Regular

Hiring Range:

$25.24 - 29.01 per hour

Pay Frequency:

Hourly

A. POSITION PURPOSE

The Student Services Specialist serves the educational and extracurricular experience of our student body. Reporting to the Assistant Director of Student Life, they are responsible for responsibilities coordinating and ensuring efficiency of office administration as well as the accuracy of sophisticated data analytics in collaboration with the Office of the Registrar. As a key link between the students, faculty, staff, and external stakeholders, the specialist ensures that the needs of the student body are not only met but exceeded, contributing to the institution's overarching goal of academic and professional excellence.

This specialist works diligently on day-to-day administrative duties, addressing individual student queries, guiding student employees, and ensuring the smooth functioning of the office. On a broader scale, the role dives deep into data analysis, generating insights that help shape academic policies, course scheduling, student services strategies, and long-term planning.

Furthermore, the Student Services Specialist acts as a bridge connecting various internal departments and external parties, fostering a sense of unity and collaboration. This position is not merely administrative; it's instrumental in sculpting the student experience, ensuring that our law students are well-supported, well-guided, and fully engaged throughout their academic journey at our institution.

B. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Student Life (40%)

• Act as the primary point of contact for various internal and external parties, representing the Office of Student Services with professionalism and responsiveness.
  
• Plan and execute week-long Orientation activities, coordinating with numerous departments and staying within budget.
  
• Plan, budget, staff and execute numerous Law School events.
  
• Work closely with student organizations at the discretion of the Assistant Director of Student Life, facilitating their events, initiatives, and needs to foster a dynamic student community.
  
• Collaborate with other Law School departments on various events.
  
• Support various Law School functions as needed, fostering strong relationships across departments to ensure the best student experience.
  
• Review and approve internal email communications.
  
• Support the Assistant Director of Student Life with LSO (Law Student Organizations) responsibilities.
  
• Draft weekly updates for student newsletters and LSS communications.
  
• Moderate, audit and process the Student Services inboxes for and respond in a timely manner.
  
• Manage front desk support. Greet and serve as first point of contact beyond student employees for students, faculty, visitors.
  
• Day to day office management; ensure coverage for the Law Student Services communications (phone, email and walk-ins)
  
• Work with vendors, place orders, and monitor deadlines
  
• Assist with exam proctor duties with the Office of Assessment; monitoring active exams, assist and resolve any issues.
  
• Maintain adequate inventory of office supplies, remaining within budget.
  
• Manage Law Student Services shared calendars and communication boards
  

Data Analysis (40%)

• Collaborative data input and analysis in partnership with the Office of the Registrar to scrutinize student data, producing actionable insights that guide academic planning and amplify institutional effectiveness.
  
• Student Academic Letters and Certifications. Field, oversee, and execute student academic letter requests, conducting thorough audits to guarantee compliance and accuracy with institutional policies.
  
• WorkDay Course Management. Update and maintain course and class details, ensuring all information is current and accurate.
  
• WorkDay Exam Management. Enter exam specifics, keep faculty data updated, and make necessary alterations to the course schedule.
  
• Summer Abroad Collaboration. In collaboration with the the Global Law Program and the Office of the registrar, play an active role in the registration for summer abroad programs, overseeing the entry and management of grades for participants.
  
• Student Academic Levels Management. Oversee and update student academic levels within the WorkDay platform to reflect their current status.
  
• Grading Request Oversight. Review, manage and execute student grading requests. Audit and process grade option forms to ensure the integrity and accuracy of grading data.
  
• Course Enrollment Management. Engage and amplify registration efforts, addressing and supporting challenges such as waitlist management and WorkDay tokens to facilitate smooth course enrollment processes.
  
• Transcript Certifications. Input Dean's Lists and other transcript certifications within the law school certificate programs.
  
• Quick Admit Assistance. Support the Registrar through quick admit processes, ensuring swift and error-free student admissions.
  
• GPA Verifications-Conduct GPA verifications for law school journals, ensuring accuracy and credibility.
  
• Honors and External Activities. Oversee the registration processes for Honors External Moot Court.
  
• Handle registrations and administrative requirements for Individual Research projects.
  
• PTLS Requests Management: Efficiently process Practical Training of Law Students (PTLS) requests, ensuring students receive the required support and documentation.
  

Student Employee Supervisor (10%)

• Oversee student employment within the department, from recruitment to training, ensuring alignment with the school's standards and values.
  
• Hire, train, supervise and schedule 3-5 part time student workers.
  
• Make decisions regarding continued employment and salary.
  
• Approve student work hours, adjusting during peak on-campus events.
  
• Provide training, instruction and approval for LSS marketing
  
• Assign tasks and review work products as required.
  

Financial planning and processing (10%)

• Review monthly financial data and reports for accuracy. Reconcile and track that expenditures remain within expected amounts.
  
• Budget development in the collaboration with the Assistant Director of Student Life and other key stakeholders to formulate and review annual budgets for the Office of Student Services.
  
• Financial analysis in the review monthly financial statements to track spending, ensuring alignment with budgetary guidelines and identifying areas for potential cost savings.
  
• Oversee the processing of expenses, ensuring all financial transactions are recorded accurately and promptly, and in compliance with the school's financial policies.
  
• Financial Reporting in the preparation and presentation periodic financial reports to the Sr. Assistant Dean of Students highlighting budgetary performance, variances, and projections.
  
• Vendor management with external vendors and service providers, ensure the support of General Counsel in negotiating contracts and ensuring that services are delivered within the agreed financial parameters.
  
• Financial Forecasting using historical data and current trends to forecast future financial needs and make recommendations for budgetary adjustments as necessary.
  
• Ensure departmental compliance, that all financial activities adhere to institutional guidelines, state and federal regulations, and that documentation is ready for any internal or external audits.
  
• Attend training sessions on financial processes, tools, and best practices to ensure consistent and compliant financial operations.
  
• Continuous financial growth, stay updated with best practices in financial management in higher ed student service and introduce process improvements to enhance efficiency and accuracy in financial planning and processing.
  
• Review reports and ensure that financial transactions for Law Student Services have been recorded properly in the accounting system.
  
• Code and input vendor invoices in accordance with established SCU accounting practices.
  
• Act as delegate and prepare expense reports for Sr. Assistant Dean of Student Services.
  

Other Responsibilities

• As assigned

C. PROVIDES WORK DIRECTION

• Supervise student employees

D. GENERAL GUIDELINES

• Recommends initiatives and implements changes to improve quality and services.
  
• Identifies and determines cause of problems; develops and presents recommendations for improvement of established processes and practices.
  
• Maintains contact with customers and solicits feedback for improved services.
  
• Maximizes productivity through use of appropriate tools; planned training and performance initiatives.
  
• Researches and develops resources that create timely and efficient workflow.
  
• Prepares progress reports; informs supervisor of project status; and deviation from goals. Ensures completeness, accuracy and timeliness of all operational functions.
  
• Prepares and submits reports as requested and required.
  
• Develops and implements guidelines to support the functions of the unit.
  

E. QUALIFICATION

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The items below are representative of knowledge, skills, abilities, education, and experience required or preferred.

Knowledge

• Demonstrated proficiency with standard office software, including Excel and Access; experience with WorkDay, Google platforms, and web-publishing strongly preferred.
  
• Demonstrated experience working in a team-based, collaborative environment.
  
• Appreciation for the vision, mission and values of Santa Clara University and the School of Law.
  

Skills

• Strong customer service orientation with excellent interpersonal and verbal/written communication skills.
  
• Strong organizational skills.
  

Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
  
• Demonstrated ability to handle multiple projects with frequent interruptions, to prioritize among multiple tasks and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
  
• Demonstrated initiative in resolving issues and solving problems.
  
• Ability to handle detailed information with a high degree of accuracy.
  

Education

• Bachelor's degree preferred

Experience

• Minimum 3-5 year's of relevant experience in administrative support roles with increasing responsibilities required, preferably in a higher education setting.

F. PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended, the California Fair Employment & Housing Act, and all other applicable laws, SCU provides reasonable accommodations for qualified persons with qualified individual is a person who meets skill, experience, education, or other requirements of the position, and who can perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Considerable time is spent at a desk using a computer terminal.
  
• May be required to travel to other buildings on the campus.
  
• May be required to assist with moving furniture, decorating, setting up events.
  
• May be required to occasionally travel to outside customers, vendors or suppliers.
  

G. WORK ENVIRONMENT

• The work environment characteristics described below are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.
  
• Typical office environment.
  
• Mostly an indoor office environment with windows.
  
• Offices with equipment noise.
  
• Offices with frequent interruptions.
  

COVID-19 Statement

The health and safety of the university community is a top priority. All Santa Clara University students, and employees are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or request a medical or religious exemption. Please visit our COVID-19 webpage for additional information.

EEO Statement

Equal Opportunity/Notice of Nondiscrimination

Santa Clara University is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce and complies with all Federal and California State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. Applications from members of historically underrepresented groups are especially encouraged. For a complete copy of Santa Clara University's equal opportunity and nondiscrimination policies, see https://www.scu.edu/title-ix/policies-reports/

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972

Santa Clara University does not discriminate in its employment practices or in its educational programs or activities on the basis of sex/gender, and prohibits retaliation against any person opposing discrimination or participating in any discrimination investigation or complaint process internally or externally. Information about Title IX can be found at www.scu.edu/title-ix. Information about Section 504 and the ADA Coordinator can be found at https://www.scu.edu/oae/, (408) 554-4109, oae@scu.edu. Inquiries can also be made to the Assistant Secretary of Education within the Office for Civil Rights (OCR).

Clery Notice of Availability

Santa Clara University annually collects information about campus crimes and other reportable incidents in accordance with the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. To view the Santa Clara University report, please go to the Campus Safety Services website. To request a paper copy please call Campus Safety at (408) 554-4441. The report includes the type of crime, venue, and number of occurrences.

Americans with Disabilities Act

Santa Clara University affirms its commitment to employ qualified individuals with disabilities within the workplace and to comply with the Americans with Disability Act. All applicants desiring an accommodation should contact the Department of Human Resources, and 408-554-5750 and request to speak to Indu Ahluwalia by phone at 408-554-5750 or by email at iahluwalia@scu.edu.