Workforce Specialist

Job Overview The Workforce Specialist serves as the initial point of contact for the School of Workforce for all prospective and current students. This in‑person, student‑facing role focuses primarily on apprenticeships, trades programs, and CDL training, with a secondary focus on connecting the community to Professional Skills training, Certified Retail Analytics, micro‑credentials, and other programs. The position is critical to outreach and recruiting efforts, collaborating with secondary education institutions and industry partners across Bentonville and Washington County campuses. Essential Duties Coordinate prior learning credit and appropriate documents, providing referrals to specific departments, schools, or employers. Review academic records, proactively suggest completion criteria for eligible workforce credentials. Use Workday and other college‑provided platforms to manage data efficiently and transparently. Act as point of contact for all prior learning credit requests, emails, documentation, conversion, and matriculation for students and the division. Provide developmental advising for new and continuing students. Retention focus: identify and contact students not on a degree plan and students enrolled in previous/current semester but not in upcoming semester. Advise students on programs and course selection by setting up and maintaining appointments; travel to Washington County at least twice monthly. Conduct advising visits in person and by alternative methods. Assist with student orientation in coordination with Student Services, Distance Learning, and Enrollment Support. Develop and maintain degree audits in coordination with division deans, department chairs, coordinators, and Distance Learning. Resolve Workday/registration issues: remove holds, prerequisites overrides, onboarding, course substitutions, and minimal financial advising. Coordinate with program or academic advisors for student notifications for class cancellations and re‑registration. Work with Division Deans and Program Directors to perform and evaluate quarterly degree audits contributing to scorecard metrics for recruitment, persistence, retention, and completion. Lead and attend community outreach events, recruitment fairs, advisor board meetings, and internship communications with career services and industry liaisons. Collaborate with Transfer Services on 2+2 Agreements and meet monthly with leadership and team members in Accelerated Skills Training, Construction & Trades, Bikes, and Trails. Archive reports, files, and notes using institutional systems. Manage confidential information with tact, discretion, and compliance with FERPA regulations. Develop and update online resources, communication, and overall web presence for program areas supported. Maintain relationships with other colleges and universities; maintain a good working relationship with NWACC Referral Offices and counselors at high schools in the NWA region and beyond. Collaborate with the Director of Trades, Apprenticeship, and CDL to market programs and enroll students; represent all programs at career fairs and community events as needed. Maintain regular, reliable, and non‑disruptive attendance and create collegial working relationships. Pay Rate of pay: $46,150 annualized. Higher compensation may be considered based on qualifications directly related to the position. Minimum Qualifications Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in counseling, workforce development education, education or related field. Two years of experience in student advising, counseling, admissions, or a related field. Preferred Qualifications Master’s degree from an accredited institution in counseling, workforce development education, or related field. Three years demonstrated experience in student advising, counseling, admissions, transcript analysis, records management, financial aid assistance, or related field. Experience working with Workday, Modern Campus, or other college‑related enterprise software systems. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Working knowledge of student advising, counseling, admissions, and financial aid processes. Ability to organize and prioritize work; excellent organizational, analytical, and planning skills. Ability to positively participate as a team member and work well under pressure to meet deadlines. Broad knowledge of postsecondary education and NWACC School of Workforce credit, non‑credit, and Accelerated Skills programs; knowledge of college policies, procedures, and practices (FERPA, Title VII, Title IX, ADA, etc.) and other applicable laws related to education and employment. Ability to understand and interpret rules and regulations and adjust to change. Ability to handle confidential material judiciously. Self‑motivated and self‑directed with the ability to prioritize work independently and meet deadlines. Strong analytical and computing skills; well‑developed oral and written communication skills. Experience with facilitation of group planning efforts and facilitation strategies. Computer literacy and a working knowledge of Microsoft products; ability to learn new software products and stay current with enterprise systems. Work Environment & Physical Demands Primary work location will be at the NWACC Bentonville campus with occasional representation at the Washington County campus. Work hours are commensurate with ongoing work projects that may occasionally require hours outside the typical workday. The physical activities described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and expectations.Occasionally: Feeling, grasping, reaching, standing, stooping, walking. Frequently: Driving, repetitive motion, constantly talking, hearing, sitting, manipulate items with fingers, including keyboarding. Environmental conditions: The work environment typically consists of a professional office setting with a moderate noise level. Lighting is standard for office spaces, and the temperature is controlled to remain within a comfortable range. Employees may occasionally need to visit other areas, such as storage rooms, conference spaces, or outdoor locations, where environmental conditions may vary. EEO Statement NWACC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. NWACC is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution, and welcomes applications without regard to age, race, gender (including pregnancy), national origin, disability, religion, marital or parental status, protected veteran status, military service, genetic information, sexual orientation or gender identity. #J-18808-Ljbffr