Fast Facts

WGU is seeking a Persistence Partner to enhance student engagement and retention through personalized support and coaching, as part of a cross-functional team. This full-time role requires proactive collaboration, data analysis, and the ability to motivate students in an online environment.

Responsibilities: Key responsibilities include providing coaching and support to students, collaborating with Program Mentors, analyzing data to improve student outcomes, and participating in strategic planning initiatives.

Skills: Candidates should possess strong empathy, active listening skills, motivational interviewing techniques, and the ability to work independently while fostering communication across diverse learner profiles.

Qualifications: A Master's or advanced degree with three years of relevant experience in student support or mentoring is preferred, along with ICF or NBC-HWC coaching certifications being a plus.

Location: This position is remote, based from Home Office in the United States.

Compensation: $58800 - $88200 / Annually

If you’re passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country—and you’re committed to working hard to play your part in building that future—consider WGU as the next step in your career.

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.

At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:

Grade: Faculty 504Pay Range: $58,800.00 - $88,200.00

Job Description

Primary Responsibilities

• Participate in university wide initiatives as cross functional team member to develop and implement strategies to enhance engagement and retention among various student populations
• Provides coaching and support for university students that have been identified as benefiting from additional outreach and coaching to enhance their engagement and success.
• Connects with other Persistence Partners ensuring tailored interventions that address unique challenges and promote academic success
• Participates in strategic planning sessions to analyze data and devise new strategies
• Leverages motivational interviewing techniques to influence positive behavior change in students.
• Collaborate closely with Program Mentors to reconnect students to their degree affiliated School and inform them of key policies and strategies that will enhance their educational success.
• Empathetically provides encouragement, reinforce positive behaviors and celebrate milestones of identified students for outreach.
• Connects students with the appropriate WGU departments and resources to support ongoing academic engagement and educational success.
• Collaborates within the team of Persistence Partners supporting teammates and providing input on opportunities for improvement.
• Embraces WGU Leadership Principles with a high emphasis on learning, courage, and student obsession.
• Responds with urgency to meet student needs and communicates professionally and respectfully with students and all other members of the WGU community.
• Analyze and interpret data to effectively improve student success and team productivity.
• Assist students with various student process, policies and systems, and solve for any administrative problems or barriers that occur.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

This job description includes a general representation of job requirements rather than a comprehensive inventory of all required responsibilities or work activities. The contents of this document or related job requirements may change at any time with or without notice.

Qualifications

• Establish empathy, active listening, optimism, and caring about others' success.
• Demonstrate high-energy and enthusiasm to support virtual group sessions.
• Demonstrated ability to work with diverse learner profiles.
• Create strong rapport and communications abilities, using a variety of modalities.
• Promote a strong work ethic coupled with attention to details.
• An ability to work independently without close supervision, coupled with an understanding that regular reviews and feedback are part of a continuous improvement cycle.
• Exemplify a courageous focus on what's best for students and the team.
• Champion change and demonstrate flexibility in an ambiguous environment.
• Intermediate experience working with a sophisticated portfolio of technology systems.
• Foundational knowledge of principles of coaching, mentoring, and positive psychology.
• Ability to work a student-friendly schedule (evenings/weekends).

Education          

• Masters or Advanced degree and all applicable licenses or certifications for a degree program.

Experience

• 3 years of experience providing student support, mentoring, coaching and/or instruction.

Preferred Qualifications

• ICF, NBC-HWC, or other nationally accredited coaching certifications
• 2+ years mentoring experience.
• One year of professional working experience in a high-volume coaching center serving clients remotely OR Minimum one year employed at WGU AND satisfactory/advanced proficiency with motivational interviewing that is demonstrated consistently for at least six months.
• Two years professional experience teaching or facilitating groups OR demonstrated satisfactory/advanced proficiency delivering social emotional learning curriculum consistently for at least six months.

Working Conditions:

• Must work a student-friendly schedule (evenings/weekends).
• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times
• Required to travel up to 25% as needed.

#LI-HS1

#AA

Position & Application Details

Full-Time Regular Positions (classified as regular and working 40 standard weekly hours): This is a full-time, regular position (classified for 40 standard weekly hours) that is eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave.

How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday.

Additional Information

Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It’s not all-inclusive.

Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at [email protected].

Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.