Engagement Specialist

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 504

Pay Range: $58,800.00 - $88,200.00

Job Description

Responsible for anchoring the student experience from Orientation through the end of the first year — keeping students engaged and fostering connection and belonging through community spaces. Many of the students in this role’s care may arrive with little to no academic or professional experience, making the quality of their early experience at WGU critical to their long-term success.
This role is a dynamic blend of relationship-building, coordination, and community stewardship. This role is front and center in the student experience — present and engaged from Orientation through live cohort programming, active in online community spaces, and a consistent, familiar face throughout the first year. At the same time, they are the connective tissue behind the scenes: orchestrating the right experiences at the right moments and knowing WGU’s systems of support deeply enough to get every student what they need, exactly when they need it.

 

Orientation & First-Year Engagement

• Serve as a primary point of continuity for students from Orientation through the end of their first year, working alongside their Program Mentor and Instructors to ensure a connected, supported experience
• Guide students through the full Orientation process using a coaching mindset that promotes confidence and self-efficacy
• Anchor the student experience by knowing WGU’s systems of support deeply and connecting students to the right resources at the right moments
• Design and implement targeted outreach for students showing early signs of disengagement or struggle
• Adapt communication styles and channels (video, phone, email, text, community platforms) to meet diverse student needs

Cohort Scheduling & Community Orchestration

• Coordinate and manage the scheduling and logistics of live cohort sessions, micro-webinars, and group events — ensuring the right experiences happen at the right time for the right students
• Foster rich community experiences between students, leading to moments of self-discovery and bonding
• Spark and sustain meaningful discussions in asynchronous community environments through thoughtful prompts, responses, and engagement strategies
• Foster peer-to-peer connections and a sense of shared identity among cohort members throughout the first year

Coordination & Campaign Management

• Manage scheduling and logistics for cohort events, orientation programming, and student communications campaigns
• Coordinate cross-functionally with WGU schools, student support teams, and internal departments to ensure seamless, unified student experiences
• Execute proactive outreach campaigns designed to nurture engagement and reduce early attrition
• Track and report on student engagement patterns, using data to identify opportunities for intervention and process improvement

Content, Brand & Communications

• Contribute to orientation content, community programming, and communications that reflect WGU’s voice and values
• Participate in continuous improvement of orientation and first-year programming through feedback loops and data analysis

Community Building & Engagement

• Demonstrated ability to build, maintain, and grow online community spaces that feel alive, welcoming, and purposeful
• Skilled at generating and sustaining engagement in asynchronous environments — knowing when to prompt, when to respond, and how to draw quieter voices out
• Strong coaching instincts with the ability to motivate and empower adult learners through written and one-on-one communication
• Advanced active listening skills and ability to ask powerful questions that promote self-discovery
• Emotional intelligence and genuine empathy for the challenges faced by non-traditional students

Organization & Coordination

• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple moving parts simultaneously — events, campaigns, student caseloads, and cross-team collaborations
• Strong project management instincts: able to conceptualize, plan, and execute with minimal oversight
• Ability to work calmly and maintain good judgment in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
• Self-directed, reliable, and comfortable holding accountability across multiple workstreams

Communication

• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills with the ability to adapt tone and approach for different audiences
• Demonstrated ability to build trust and rapport in virtual environments
• Knowledge of best practices for social media channels and community platforms

Data & Technology

• Ability to analyze student engagement data to identify trends and opportunities for intervention
• Proficiency with technology platforms that support virtual student engagement
• Tools used in this role include: Microsoft Teams, Outlook, WebEx, Salesforce, and online community platforms

Cultural Competence & Equity

• Cultural competence and demonstrated experience working with diverse student populations
• Commitment to equity and access in higher education
• Growth mindset with commitment to continuous professional development

• Bachelor’s degree in education, communications, marketing, counseling, or related field
• 3+ years of demonstrated experience in student support, advising, coaching, facilitation, or a closely related role
• Proven ability to build relationships and sustain engagement in virtual and online community spaces
• Experience coordinating events, campaigns, or programs with multiple stakeholders
• Demonstrated ability to engage effectively with diverse, non-traditional student populations
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite

• Master’s Degree in Higher Education, Counseling/Psychology, Coaching, Communications, or related discipline
• ICF Certified Coach or training in Motivational Interviewing or other strength-based approaches
• Experience working with adult learners and non-traditional student populations
• Experience with community management
• Familiarity with WGU’s academic model, programs, or student success systems

• This is a remote role
• Flexible scheduling required, including evenings and/or weekends to support student availability
• Occasional travel of up to 20%, including attendance at company summits (typically 1–2 per year), commencement, conferences, and other business-related events

Your day as an Engagement Specialist might begin with a quick scan of your student engagement dashboard, flagging anyone who hasn’t logged in recently for a proactive outreach call. From there, you’re coordinating with internal teams to finalize the schedule for next month’s cohort events — confirming facilitators, sending calendar invites, and making sure every logistical detail is locked. Mid-morning, you’re in the online student community: responding to a thread that picked up overnight, posting a discussion prompt to get the week’s conversation going, and personally welcoming a student who just introduced themselves. After lunch, you connect a struggling student to financial aid and loop in their student mentor. By afternoon, you’re drafting next week’s cohort newsletter and building out the communications calendar for the next 30 days. You end the day having touched dozens of students — some through data, some through conversation, some through community — and every interaction moves the needle on their success.

At Western Governors University, we believe every student deserves the opportunity to succeed. The Engagement Specialist plays a foundational role in our student-centered model — serving as guide, connector, facilitator, and champion for students navigating the critical first year of their WGU journey. This position directly contributes to WGU’s mission of expanding access to quality higher education through innovative, student-focused approaches.

Disclaimer: This job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It is not all-inclusive.

Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at recruiting@wgu.edu.

Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

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 recruiting@wgu.edu.

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