Community Outreach Specialist

COMMUNITY OUTREACH ADVISOR

Educational Opportunity Centers TRIO Program

Southern University at New Orleans

POSITION DETAILS

Employment Category: Full-time, grant-funded, unclassified staff

FLSA Classification: Exempt

Salary Range: $40,000-$50,000 annually

Reports To: Director of UBMS and EOC TRIO Programs

Supervisory Responsibility: None

Travel: Extensive travel throughout the assigned service area, with occasional overnight travel

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Community Outreach Advisor strengthens engagement between the Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC) TRIO Program and low-income, first-generation, and other eligible individuals seeking access to postsecondary education. The position builds community partnerships, coordinates outreach activities, represents the program at community events, and connects participants with educational and support services.

The Advisor provides individualized assistance with college admissions, financial aid, academic preparation, financial literacy, educational planning, and career exploration. The successful candidate will combine strong relationship-building and public-speaking skills with accurate documentation, responsive participant service, and a commitment to expanding educational opportunity.

GRANT FUNDED POSITION STATEMENT

This position is fully funded by the federally funded Educational Opportunity Centers TRIO Program grant administered by the U.S. Department of Education. Continued employment is contingent upon continued grant funding, program continuation, programmatic need, satisfactory performance, and achievement of grant objectives.

The employee must comply with federal TRIO regulations, grant terms and conditions, University policies, and all documentation and reporting requirements, including the collection and maintenance of participant and performance data used for the Annual Performance Report.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

Participant Advising and Educational Support

- Provide individualized guidance concerning academic preparation, financial aid, financial literacy, educational planning, career exploration, and postsecondary enrollment.

- Assist participants with admissions applications, financial-aid applications, enrollment documents, and related requirements.

- Assess participant needs, barriers, goals, and available resources, then provide appropriate information, referrals, and follow-up support.

- Plan and conduct workshops on academic success, professional development, financial literacy, career readiness, test preparation, and related college-access topics.

- Maintain accurate records of participant contacts, services, referrals, follow-up activities, and outcomes.

Community Outreach and Partnerships

- Establish and maintain partnerships with schools, nonprofit organizations, workforce providers, community groups, faith-based organizations, and local agencies.

- Plan and lead outreach activities, community events, information sessions, presentations, and participant-recruitment efforts.

- Represent SUNO and the EOC TRIO Program at meetings, fairs, community events, and other gatherings.

- Connect participants with workforce, postsecondary, educational, career, financial, and social-service resources.

- Solicit partner and community feedback and communicate identified needs, service gaps, and collaboration opportunities to program leadership.

Program Communication and Administration

- Collaborate with program and University staff to coordinate services and support participant success.

- Assist with outreach materials, presentations, newsletters, digital communications, and social-media content.

- Track community contacts, events, attendance, referrals, services, engagement, and outcomes in approved systems.

- Support program assessment, data collection, reporting, and continuous-improvement activities.

- Coordinate schedules, logistics, travel, materials, supplies, and partner communications for assigned activities.

- Maintain organized, professional, safe, and welcoming environments at University and community locations.

- Perform other related duties consistent with the position and grant as assigned.

SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITY AND INDEPENDENT JUDGMENT

The Community Outreach Advisor independently manages assigned community relationships, participant appointments, events, and follow-up activities within grant and University requirements. The Advisor selects appropriate resources and referrals, adapts outreach approaches to participant and partner needs, and escalates eligibility, compliance, safety, or other significant concerns to program leadership.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

- Bachelor's degree in education, counseling, social work, human development, student services, or a related field. An associate degree with at least three years of directly related experience may be considered.

- At least two years of experience in education, counseling, social work, student services, human services, TRIO, outreach, case management, or a similar field.

- Experience working with diverse populations and community organizations.

- Demonstrated ability to plan and execute events, manage multiple priorities, and meet deadlines.

- Reliable transportation and ability to work a flexible schedule, including occasional evenings and weekends.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

- Master's degree in a related field.

- Experience with federal TRIO programs, postsecondary access, admissions, financial aid, or workforce development.

- Knowledge of local education, workforce, nonprofit, and social-service resources.

- Bilingual or multilingual communication skills.

- Experience with content analytics, participant databases, performance measures, or grant reporting.

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES

- Strong interpersonal, customer-service, public-speaking, presentation, and relationship-building skills.

- Ability to communicate effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and with community partners.

- Ability to build partnerships, assess community needs, coordinate events and logistics, meet deadlines, and work with limited supervision.

- Strong organizational, time-management, recordkeeping, case-management, data-management, and multitasking skills.

- Ability to identify barriers, develop practical solutions, use data to inform decisions, and adapt outreach strategies.

- Demonstrated professionalism, discretion, confidentiality, ethical judgment, resilience, accountability, and commitment to continuous improvement.

- Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, virtual-meeting tools, social-media platforms, and participant or grant-management technology.

WORK ENVIRONMENT PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND TRAVEL

Work is performed in office, classroom, community, partner, and other off-campus settings with frequent interaction with participants, families, community members, and partner organizations. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required.

The position requires the ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, use stairs, communicate effectively, and operate a computer and standard office equipment. Travel may occur by personal or University vehicle, air, or train. The employee must be able to lift and carry materials weighing up to 10 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Extensive travel throughout the assigned service area is required and may constitute a substantial portion of the work schedule. Occasional overnight and professional travel may also be required. The employee must maintain reliable transportation and comply with all University travel and driving requirements.

WORK ENVIRONMENT PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND TRAVEL

Work is performed in office, classroom, community, partner, and other off-campus settings with frequent interaction with participants, families, community members, and partner organizations. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required.

The position requires the ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, use stairs, communicate effectively, and operate a computer and standard office equipment. Travel may occur by personal or University vehicle, air, or train. The employee must be able to lift and carry materials weighing up to 10 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Extensive travel throughout the assigned service area is required and may constitute a substantial portion of the work schedule. Occasional overnight and professional travel may also be required. The employee must maintain reliable transportation and comply with all University travel and driving requirements.

ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Employment is contingent upon successful completion of University-required screenings and continued compliance with applicable grant, confidentiality, travel, data-security, training, and institutional requirements.

BENEFITS

Eligible employees may participate in health-insurance benefits offered through the Louisiana Office of Group Benefits and retirement benefits through the Teachers' Retirement System of Louisiana (TRSL). Dental and vision coverage is available through UNUM. Eligible positions also receive paid time off and University-observed holidays in accordance with applicable policies. Benefit eligibility, employee contributions, plan options, and coverage are governed by the terms of the applicable plans and University policy.

HOW TO APPLY

Applicants should submit all required application materials through the Southern University at New Orleans employment application process. Applications must clearly demonstrate that the applicant meets the required qualifications.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND NON DISCRIMINATION

Southern University at New Orleans is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment based on any status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law in employment and University-administered programs and activities.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT STATEMENT

Southern University at New Orleans complies with applicable federal and state disability laws and provides reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. Individuals needing an accommodation during the application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment should contact the Office of Human Resources.

STATE AS A MODEL EMPLOYER

Louisiana is a State as a Model Employer that supports the recruitment, hiring, and retention of individuals with disabilities.