Retention Specialist, La Plaza

Western Washington University•Bellingham, WA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The La Plaza Retention Specialist is responsible for the daily operations, programming, and student engagement at the La Plaza Latine resource center. The Retention Specialist for La Plaza is a key retention agent at Western centering Latine students and that develops and creates bridges to academic and co-curricular resources, advises and supports students with culturally-appropriate and inclusive services, and supports the holistic wellbeing and thriving of Western Washington University (WWU) students through co-curricular programming, supportive advising and counseling, and referrals to other university and community resources. The Retention Specialist will be supervised by the Director of Multicultural Student Services and will collaborate with the staff and programs within The Office of Multicultural Student Services, LGBTQ+ Western, and Disability Access Center. Together, the three departments make up The Centers for Student Access, Community, and Intercultural Engagement Unit within Academic Affairs. The Retention Specialist will also collaborate with community partners and organizations to bridge relationships with prospective students, current students, alumni, and community members.

Requirements

Master’s degree and one year of relevant work experience in student affairs, student services, or higher education, or a bachelor's degree in a relevant field and two years of relevant work experience in student affairs, student services, or higher education, or an equivalent combination of education and professional work experience.
Knowledge of current and historical statewide and national Latine student movements and historical issues impacting Latine student success.
Experience effectively advising students and/or young adult leaders of programs, clubs, or organizations to support student leadership development, including demonstrated success providing culturally responsive advising services to BIPOC students.
Ability to orient Latine students to the culture of the university and provide support services to help Latine students achieve their personal, academic, and professional goals.
Experience designing and facilitating programming and trainings that advance positive identity development and build leadership skills for students who hold multiple marginalized identities, with a specific focus on Latine populations.
Demonstrated ability to engage students of diverse identities in intercultural learning and dialogue.
Experience supervising student employees.
Strong small and large group facilitation skills and written communication skills.
Ability to develop and manage budgets.
Knowledge of student leadership and student development theories and their applications in practice.
Excellent professional judgment and the ability to make decisions that align with organizational mission and goals.
Demonstrated ability to perform job responsibilities collaboratively with colleagues and students across departments and disciplines.
Demonstrated organizational and time management skills, with ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in a field related to job responsibilities, for example Student Affairs Administration, Education, Ethnic or Cultural Studies, or Psychology.
Demonstrated leadership experience in multicultural services or identity-based resource centers in higher education.
Demonstrated skills and experience in strategic assessment of programs, services, and/or student learning outcomes.
Fluency in Spanish.

Responsibilities

Manage the daily operations of the La Plaza, the Latine Student Resource Center.
Create, implement, and assess comprehensive co-curricular programming and events centering Latine identities and experiences such as the welcome event La Bienvenida, Dia De Los Muertos with Whatcom Community College, and the Si Se Pudo Celebration of Graduates. This program should provide resources, support, referrals, celebrations, and advocacy.
Provide intersectional programmatic support such as partnering with LGBTQ+ Western, Disability Access Center, and Tribal Liaison Office
Develop, implement, assess, and enhance programs and services for Latine students to support their enrollment, retention, satisfaction, and completion.
Chair the Latine Student Support Network
Chair the Latine Heritage Month committee
Support University Admissions, Compass to Campus, and other programs in hosting Latine student centered recruitment efforts
Create a welcoming and inclusive environment that supports all student success, centering Latine student success
Recruit, hire, train, and supervise student employees.
Supervise 8-10 student employees
Advise ESC clubs, centering clubs celebrating and honoring Latine identity. Includes liaising with Club Activities Office and faculty and staff club advisors.
Advise individual students to support their development, academic success, and holistic well-being.
Provide connections to additional university and community resources as appropriate.
Provide direct outreach to current and prospective students. Participate in speaking and tabling opportunities and at events including Fall Info Fair and events hosted by Admissions, University Residences, and the Counseling and Wellness Center.
Foster a supportive and student-centered environment to empower and equip students with skills and strategies to engage in self-advocacy and be academically successful.
Collaborate and consult with departments in and beyond The Centers to embed appropriate resources throughout our student services.
Meet regularly with fellow supervisors of student staff
Develop, implement, and assess student staff training with other staff members
Represent The Office of Multicultural Student Services and The Centers at university committees
Participate in strategic planning for MSS and The Centers and contribute to assessment, communication, and reporting about programming and services provided by La Plaza, including annual reporting.
Support the Director of the Office of Multicultural Student Services on policies, procedures, and issues relevant to La Plaza operations and programming.
Research and share best practices with faculty, staff, and administrators to support Latine communities in navigating and succeeding academically. Develop and implement a structure for sharing promising practices and resources with colleagues on an ongoing basis.
Ensure compliance with applicable university policies and procedures, including record retention requirements. Coordinate appropriate training with student staff to support compliance with requirements in ways that build student leadership.
Manage the Latine Center annual budget of approximately $200,000 in collaboration with the Director of Multicultural Student Services. Including professional staff salary and benefits, student staff salaries, and programmatic budget across multiple funding streams
Manage public platforms for communication and resource provision, including maintaining the La Plaza website and developing the La Plaza social media presence to support student engagement
Participate in strategic planning for MSS and The Centers and contribute to communication and reporting about programming and services provided by the Latine Center, including annual reporting.
Participate in division and university committees and initiatives as assigned by the Director of the Office of Multicultural Student Services
Participate in regular professional development regarding community, accessibility, and intercultural engagement
Support the management of the Ethnic Student Center programs and front-desk with other professional staff