The Student Care Team Program Specialist provides comprehensive operational, administrative, and programmatic support to the Student Care Team (SCT). This highly student-facing position serves as a central point of contact for students, families, faculty, staff, and campus partners, ensuring timely, coordinated, and student-centered care in conjunction with case management team support.

Duties

• Operational and Administrative Responsibilities: Provide operational and administrative support for the Student Care Team, including oversight of front desk services, monitoring the general SCT email and phone line. Compile monthly statistics and prepare reports to support assessment, planning, institutional, and division reporting requirements (e.g., Dashboard, Story Reports, etc.), reconcile and substantiate credit card transactions for the SCT.
• Student Support and Care Coordination: Serve as an active member of the Student Care Team by identifying, monitoring, and supporting students of concern. Provide case management by assessing student needs, identifying appropriate interventions, and ensuring timely follow-up on student cases. Triage student emergencies and crises and coordinate response efforts with appropriate Pepperdine departments and personnel. Serve as a resource for students, families, employees, and community partners to address concerns, promote student success, and ensure safety and policy compliance. Maintain accurate and private case records, outreach documentation, and intervention tracking within the case management system.
• Customer Service and Communication: Communicate with students using multiple modalities, including in-person, telephone, email, and videoconferencing. Serve as a resource for students, families, employees, and community partners to address concerns, promote student success, and ensure safety and policy compliance. Maintain appropriate and timely communication with the immediate supervisor and Student Care Team staff regarding student issues and escalations where necessary.
• Systems and Data Management: Maintain proficiency in university systems, including the case management database, PeopleSoft, WaveNet, Simpler, Etrieve, and other institutionally supported systems. Ensure accurate data entry, reporting, and compliance with university policies and privacy standards.
• Collaboration and Partnerships: Maintain positive and effective working relationships with campus partners and key stakeholders. Collaborate with internal and external partners to enhance service delivery and address complex student needs. Foster a culture of care and support through trainings, workshops, presentations, websites, and other campus engagement efforts. Participate in fundraising (Pepp Gives) and grant-writing efforts to advance programs supporting basic needs.
• Outreach, Programming, and Engagement: Organize and participate in outreach activities, tabling events, presentations, and campus programs. Develop and execute strategic educational programs and initiatives, such as basic needs resource fairs and targeted awareness campaigns. Track service utilization and promote awareness of Student Care Team services across campus, such as BLOOM, CareTech, and Waves Cabinets.
• As a staff member in Student Affairs who works closely with students, this person serves as a Christian role model and promotes a biblical worldview.
• Support emergency preparedness preparation. Serve on the Student Affairs Emergency Response Team.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Uphold University's mission through work performed.

The above information has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

Skills and Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in higher education, social work, counseling, public administration, or a related field plus at least one year of professional work experience.
• Demonstrated experience providing student services, case management, or front-facing support in a higher education or related setting.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, discretion, and ethical decision-making in sensitive and complex situations.
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent customer service and the ability to work well with people.
• Strong written, verbal communication skills, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Capacity to handle stressful situations gracefully.
• Ability to multitask and work in an environment requiring a high level of confidentiality, as well as the capacity to maintain a positive attitude in a dynamic environment.
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments while maintaining privacy.
• Proficiency with technology systems and data tracking tools.
• Ability to manage complex student needs.
• Ability to integrate Christian faith with student development theories and practice.
• Must have a personal faith in Jesus Christ; active involvement in a local church; demonstrated support for the Christian mission of the University.
• Microsoft Office, computer literate, proficiency in database management.

Preferred:

• Master's degree in a related field plus 2+ years of professional work experience.
• Experience working with student case management systems and in a university setting.
• Knowledge of issues impacting student success, including mental health, basic needs insecurity, and retention.
• Experience with assessment, reporting, program development, or grant writing.

This is a Regular, Nonexempt, 40 hour per week position.

Expected Pay Range: $25.00 - $27.88 per hour 

The above pay range reflects what Pepperdine University reasonably expects to pay for this position at time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on relevant factors such as work experience, market conditions, education/training, and skill level. In addition to base pay, Pepperdine offers a robust and highly competitive benefits package.

Pepperdine is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of any status or condition protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Pepperdine is committed to providing a work environment free from all forms of unlawful discrimination and harassment. Engaging in unlawful discrimination or harassment will result in appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from the University.

Pepperdine is religiously affiliated with the Churches of Christ. It is the purpose of Pepperdine to pursue the very highest employment and academic standards within a context that celebrates and extends the spiritual and ethical ideals of the Christian faith. While students, faculty, and staff represent many religious backgrounds, Pepperdine is permitted under applicable law and reserves the right to seek, hire, and promote persons who support the goals and mission of the institution, including the right to prefer co-religionists who support Pepperdine's Christian mission.

Qualified individuals should be able to show respect for workplace differences, and have the ability to work effectively with individuals from different backgrounds.

Offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a criminal, education, and employment screening. The University conducts such screenings in compliance with applicable laws and with the objectives of evaluating risk and supporting a safe environment for students, faculty, staff, and guests; safeguarding key University assets including people, property, information, and the University’s reputation; and providing comprehensive job-related information to University leaders to enable them to make prudent hiring decisions. Individuals will be required to disclose any criminal convictions on a designated form after receiving a conditional offer of employment; failure to disclose accurate information may result in withdrawal of the offer or termination of employment. Qualified individuals with criminal histories will be considered for employment in compliance with applicable laws, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance.