The Student Support Specialist is responsible for providing exceptional support to students and all internal/external stakeholders, ensuring their inquiries, concerns, and issues are resolved promptly and professionally. This role is critical in maintaining a positive user experience and supporting the overall success and needs of students. This is a full-time hybrid role with a minimum of two required days at Excelsior's home office of 7 Columbia Circle, Albany, NY, with the remainder of the days worked from home.

Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Review and promptly respond to student inquiries courteously and accurately via our communication channels while documenting and maintaining detailed records of interactions and resolutions.
• Provide online learning platform and academic course help. (i.e. materials, textbook and access code questions, accommodations for students with disabilities, academic appeals, course policy questions, course extensions).
• Support timely resolution of technical issues (i.e. access, course navigation, Turnitin, broken links).
• Collaborate across the university as needed to ensure and communicate efficient resolutions for students.
• Proactively identify and escalate complex or recurring issues for further investigation and resolution. (i.e. issues with an instructor, staff member or student peer)
• Monitor, review feedback, and continuously improve processes, policies, procedures, and content while maintaining accurate and comprehensive resources both internally and externally for students, Excelsior staff and faculty as part of quality standards and best practices.
• Stay updated on best practices, technology, and trends in student affairs as it relates to student support.
• Participation as members of NASPA and NACE. This includes direct involvement in being dedicated members of the NACE Serving Students with Disabilities Affinity Group.
• This role requires an understanding in detail of student academic policies and procedures to carry out decisions and appropriate outcomes on student inquiries, appeals and requests.
• Investigation into an interpretation of student requests for appeals, exceptions and other items that require careful decision making and communication that at times can be challenging based on a student wants but must adhere to Excelsior University policy and best practices for equity and fairness.
• It is key for this person to have strong communication and interpersonal skills that allow for patience, self-awareness and understanding in de-escalating stressful situations. At times this involves sharing decisions that students may not want to hear and delivering it in such a way that provides a professional and mindful understanding of how this student may react with calm.
• Compliance in record keeping and documentation as well as tracking data and engagement.

Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• An earned bachelors degree or currently enrolled and within 3-6 credits of finishing a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university program. Degrees related to education, communications, or customer service preferred.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to articulate complex information in a clear and concise manner.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to empathize and build rapport with students and customers.
• Patient and student-focused attitude, with the ability to remain calm and professional while handling challenging situations.
• Detail-oriented and highly organized, with the ability to multitask and prioritize effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Familiarity with online learning platforms and digital education tools is preferred.
• Proficient in using customer support software and systems, as well as common office productivity tools (e.g., Microsoft Office, Google Suite).

The hiring salary range for this position is $47,000.00 - 48,000.00. The hiring salary range above represents the University's good faith estimate at the time of posting.