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:

– Senior Supervisor

Base Description:

– Supervises direct reports, but primarily completes activities, tasks, and/or projects of a functional nature.

Level Summary:

– Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge to perform own work; spends majority of time on tasks related to own job responsibilities. May demonstrate subject matter expertise. Demonstrates intermediate to advanced planning, organizing, directing, and facilitating skills. Demonstrates the ability to coach assigned employees. Assigns and reviews completed work to verify accuracy, quality, and adherence to professional standards. Trains, coaches, mentors, and motivates staff. Anticipates potential problems, issues, and opportunities; researches and recommends solutions within defined policies. May develop creative recommendations for solving problems.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

– Typically oversees at least 2 full–time direct reports or equivalent team of part–time and/or student workers (for Professional track, performs work at the Senior Professional level or higher)

Fiscal Responsibilities:

– May validate and pay invoices
– Monitors and tracks budgets for specific area and/or grant(s)
– May assist in planning and forecasting budgets

Problem Solving:

– Encounters moderately complex problems
– Applies general precedents and practices and specialized knowledge and skills to resolve problems
– Understands benefits, limitations and impact of potential solutions
– Anticipates potential problems and recommends possible solutions within general guidelines

Independence of Action:

– Works independently on moderately complex work assignments, reviews progress, and evaluates results
– Organizes work of direct reports and sets team priorities
– Reviews the work of others to verify accuracy, quality, and adherence to professional standards

Communication and Collaboration:

– Communicates internally within working unit and the University
– Communicates with external audiences for scheduling/coordination
– May communicate with external audiences for business purposes
– Collaborates closely with team members; may interact with other staff outside of area
– Utilizes a communication style that is appropriate for a given situation
– Interprets and communicates information, ideas and instructions clearly, accurately and persuasively both verbally and in written materials intended for distribution

• Comp Grade – 11
• Minimum – $72,300.00
• MidPoint – $90,312.00
• Maximum – $108,444.00