Penn State Job Catalog

The Student Athlete Success Specialist provides leadership and oversight for comprehensive student-athlete success initiatives that promote holistic growth, leadership, well-being, professional and financial readiness, personal responsibility, and successful transition beyond intercollegiate athletics; serves as a key liaison and subject-matter expert across athletics, University, and external partners; leads program assessment and continuous improvement; oversees resources and partnerships. Duties are performed at various levels within the defined job category.

• Provide leadership and oversight for comprehensive student-athlete success programs, initiatives, and strategies that promote holistic development, personal responsibility, leadership, well-being, professional development, and overall welfare
• Develop, implement, evaluate, and enhance programs, resources, and strategies that promote student-athlete growth, engagement, leadership, financial readiness, professional advancement, and successful transition beyond college athletics
• Facilitate individual and group development opportunities, workshops, seminars, and educational programs addressing student-athlete needs, including financial literacy, personal safety, healthy relationships, responsible decision-making, leadership, and professional development; connect student-athletes with appropriate University resources and subject-matter experts
• Coordinate student-athlete orientation, milestone, and transition programs that support adjustment to collegiate athletics, ongoing development, and successful transitions into and beyond intercollegiate athletics
• Oversee and/or support student-athlete leadership initiatives, advisory groups, and peer development opportunities; advise student-athlete leaders and facilitate involvement in departmental initiatives, University activities, and the broader campus community
• Serve as a key liaison between Intercollegiate Athletics, University partners, and student-facing offices to coordinate resources, facilitate communication, and align student-athlete support strategies with departmental priorities and University policies
• Build and maintain partnerships with campus departments, external organizations, employers, alumni, and community partners to expand opportunities in career development, financial education, mentorship, leadership, experiential learning, and post-collegiate transition
• Oversee community engagement, volunteerism, and service-learning initiatives that provide student-athletes with opportunities to contribute to the community, develop leadership skills, and build external partnerships
• Develop and maintain communication and engagement strategies that connect student-athletes with development opportunities, resources, and support services while promoting awareness and participation
• Assess student-athlete needs, emerging trends, program participation, and resource gaps; establish systems to track program utilization and outcomes; translate findings into recommendations and communicate results to athletics leadership and key partners
• Serve as a subject-matter expert on student-athlete success initiatives; advise athletics leadership, coaches, staff, and campus partners on effective practices, emerging issues, intervention strategies, and resources that support student-athlete development and success
• Develop, plan, and administer the unit's budget; align resources with departmental priorities, programs, partnerships, and student-athlete needs; monitor expenditures and evaluate resource effectiveness
• May provide leadership, direction, and supervision to staff, interns, graduate assistants, and/or partners supporting student-athlete success initiatives

Level:

– Intermediate Professional

Base Description:

– Completes activities, tasks, and/or projects of a functional nature.

Level Summary:

– Demonstrates ability to perform intermediate tasks in defined skill areas. Demonstrates intermediate knowledge of internal procedures. Works under general supervision, performing assignments that may be varied and sometimes difficult. Supports team decisions and follows through with team responsibilities. Interprets and communicates information clearly and accurately. Demonstrates intermediate problem–solving skills.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

– May serve as direct supervisor for part–time, student, and/or temporary workers or volunteers

Fiscal Responsibilities:

– May validate and pay invoices

Problem Solving:

– Encounters generally routine problems; occasionally faces more complex and/or varied problems
– Typically follows recommended course of action and procedures to resolve problems
– Applies knowledge of larger unit goals, priorities, and related procedures in determining course of action

Independence of Action:

– Work is generally monitored by supervisor
– Detailed instructions and procedures are generally provided
– Uses available guidelines to make appropriate adaptations to routine situations and refers other situations to supervisor

Communication and Collaboration:

– Communicates internally within working unit and/or the University
– May communicate with external audiences
– Collaborates closely with team members
– Interprets and communicates information, ideas and instructions clearly and accurately both verbally and in written materials intended for distribution

• Comp Grade – 8
• Minimum – $54,060.00
• MidPoint – $66,252.00
• Maximum – $78,444.00