Advising Outreach Specialist

East Texas A&M University • Commerce, TX

22h • Onsite

About The Position

As a member of the Undergraduate Academic Advising office within the broader Student Success Center, the Advising Outreach Specialist is a part-time (20–29 hours per week) position that supports student retention initiatives through proactive, targeted outreach that addresses barriers before they lead to stop-out. Based at the Commerce campus, but also having a presence at the Dallas site at regular times, this position will report directly to advising leadership and will interface directly with students via in-person and virtual meetings, as well as through email, phone call, and text messaging. By dedicating time to direct evening and off-hour communication—when many students are most available—the Advising Outreach Specialist strengthens connections with students and ensures timely access to support resources. Through relationship-based interventions and strategic outreach efforts, this position plays a key role in enhancing student persistence and fostering a more student-ready campus. This is a grant-funded position. The anticipated duration of funding is a minimum of two and a half (2.5) years, aligned with the grant timeline. Continued employment is contingent upon renewed grant funding or restricted funds.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• One year of related experience.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, particularly in one-on-one engagement.
• Ability to conduct sensitive and supportive conversations with students facing academic challenges.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and manage outreach efforts effectively.
• Comfort with evening and flexible scheduling to meet student availability, including transportation between Dallas and Commerce.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in academic advising, student services, enrollment management, retention initiatives, or a related field preferred.
• Experience working with students on academic probation or suspension.
• Familiarity with student information systems and CRM platforms.
• Bilingual skills are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Conduct proactive outreach to students identified as at risk of stop-out.
• Prioritize outreach to students experiencing academic difficulty, disengagement, or enrollment barriers.
• Utilize phone calls, text messaging, email, and virtual platforms, including evening and off-hour communication.
• Identify persistence barriers and connect students with appropriate campus resources.
• Document all outreach efforts and student interactions in EAB Navigate.
• Assist students on academic probation or suspension in initiating structured academic recovery plans.
• Clarify reinstatement requirements, academic expectations, and next steps.
• Collaborate with the Leadership Team to develop individualized strategies to strengthen academic performance.
• Monitor student progress and provide accountability-based follow-up communication.
• Conduct targeted outreach campaigns to encourage early course registration.
• Communicate the academic and financial benefits of timely enrollment.
• Support students in resolving registration holds or barriers.
• Track outreach results and contribute to improved registration timelines.
• Maintain a visible and accessible presence at the Dallas site at strategic times of the semester.
• Collaborate with advising staff to identify outreach priorities and student trends.
• Provide updates on engagement metrics and outcomes.
• Participate in departmental meetings, trainings, and retention initiatives.

Benefits

• Employee tuition assistance for master’s and doctoral programs.
• Comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability insurance.
• ETAMU contributes to employee health and basic life insurance premiums.
• 12-15 days of annual paid holidays, plus up to eight hours of paid sick leave and vacation each month.
• Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), with optional additional retirement plans (ORP).
• Physical wellness program and wellness release time for eligible employees.
• Access to cutting-edge research opportunities at a designated R2 Research Institution.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees