Placement Coordinator/Advisor (SSP III)

Stanislaus State•Turlock, CA

About The Position

Position Summary ~OPEN TO CURRENT STANISLAUS STATE EMPLOYEES ONLY~ (Classified as: Student Support Professional III (SSP III)) Full-time position available on or after April 2, 2026 for Advanced Studies in Education. Under general direction, the Placement Coordinator plays a key role in overseeing clinical and field placements for students enrolled in the MA in Counseling, Professional Clinical Counseling (PCC), and Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) credential programs. This position acts as the primary liaison between the Counselor Education program and mental health agencies, K-12 schools, and other relevant organizations across a six-county area. The incumbent is responsible for coordinating student placements, ensuring that all placements align with program and accreditation requirements. Additionally, the role involves managing databases, conducting placement-related surveys, processing contracts with local education agencies, and maintaining documentation for accreditation purposes. This position is critical in facilitating successful partnerships and ensuring that students receive the necessary field experience to meet their academic and professional goals.

Requirements

Education: Equivalent to graduation from a four-year college or university in a related field, including or supplemented by upper division or graduate course work in counseling techniques, interviewing, and conflict resolution where such are job-related.
Experience: Equivalent of three years of progressively responsible professional student services work experience.
(A Master’s degree in Counseling, Clinical Psychology, Social Work, or a directly related field may be substituted for one year of experience.
A doctorate degree and the appropriate internship or clinical training in counseling or guidance may be substituted for the three years of experience for positions with a major responsibility for professional career or personal counseling.
General knowledge of the methods and problems of organizational and program management.
General knowledge of research and interview techniques
Ability to interpret and apply program rules and regulations.
Ability to use initiative and resourcefulness in planning work assignments and in implementing long-range program improvements.
Ability to obtain factual and interpretive information through interviews.
Ability to reason logically; ability to collect, compile, analyze and evaluate data and make verbal or written presentation based on these data.
Ability to recognize multicultural, multi-sexed and multi-aged value systems and work accordingly.
Demonstrated ability to make decisions and carry through actions having implications with regard to other program or service areas.
Thorough knowledge of the principles of individual and group behavior.
General knowledge of the principles, practices and trends of the Student Services field as well as general knowledge of the policies, procedures, activities and practices of the program area to which assigned.
General knowledge of individual counseling techniques.
General knowledge, or the ability to rapidly acquire such knowledge, of the overall operation, functions, programs, organizational procedures, and activities of the campus.
Working knowledge of student services programs outside the program to which immediately assigned.
Ability to analyze complex situations accurately and adopt effective courses of action.
Ability to advise students individually and in groups on complex student-related matters.
Ability to determine appropriate courses of action and proper techniques to utilize while engaged with individuals in personal interactions of an argumentative or sensitive nature.
Ability to interpret and evaluate descriptions and explanations of problems brought forward by individuals or student organizations, analyze and define the problem, draw valid conclusions and project consequences of various alternative courses of action.
Ability to carry out a variety of professionally complex assignments without detailed instructions.
Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with a variety of individuals to include faculty, CSU administrators, student organizations, and other private and public agencies and others in committee work, and student advising and community contacts.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Counseling, Education, or a related field.
Minimum of three years experience with academic and career counseling.
Familiarity with California Commission on Teacher Credentialing and Board of Behavioral Sciences licensure requirements.
Experience conducting workshops and facilitating events.
Prior experience in a higher education or university setting.
Proficiency in software programs including Microsoft Office, SharePoint, PeopleSoft, Canvas, CalState S4, and FileMaker Pro.

Responsibilities

Provide guidance and support to students in navigating field placement requirements, processes, and expectations.
Advocate for student needs by addressing placement-related challenges and facilitating effective communication between students and site supervisors.
Assist students in identifying their problems, evaluating them realistically, dealing with their aptitudes and abilities as related to their particular needs and circumstances, and selecting suitable educational or vocational goals.
Utilize advanced human relations skills and abilities to interact with highly visible student groups to help them identify problems, evaluate past occurrences, and reach appropriate conclusions and decisions.
Provide support and assistance to students facing a variety of personal as well as institutional problems, questions, and challenges.
Utilize human relations skills to interact with persons exhibiting hostile reactions and bring such situations under control.
Analyze individual student or group problems of considerable complexity and formulate integrative solutions comprising appropriate elements of all appropriate Student Services instructional programs.
Coordinate the placement of students in field experience opportunities across a six-county service area each semester, ensuring alignment with program goals and site requirements.
Serve as a primary liaison between the Counselor Education program, K-12 schools, and mental health agencies to cultivate and maintain placement partnerships.
Manage the processing of contracts with school districts and mental health agencies, ensuring compliance with institutional policies and procedures.
Maintain and update databases, such as CalState S4, to track student placements, partner agencies, and relevant program data.
Develop and implement evaluation methods to assess the effectiveness of programs and services.
Engage in ongoing supervision, including case reviews, discussion of unique cases, and examination of alternate approaches and techniques.
Oversee the preparation and organization of accreditation documentation related to field experience placements, adhering to program and institutional standards.
May be required to obtain additional training and/or certification as part of professional development, based on department and/or campus needs, to stay current with industry standards.
The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to this classification.
At the direction of appropriate administrator, may provide support to other departments/areas withing functional area/department as needed.
Other duties as assigned.