Student Success Counselor

Come Build the Future with Us

At Trellis Company, we're passionate about creating opportunities that change lives.

Our vision is to connect people to education-to-employment pathways that transform their lives. For more than 40 years, we've helped individuals achieve educational and career success through innovative solutions, strategic partnerships, and mission-driven service.

Today, we're building on that legacy by partnering with employers, educational institutions, workforce organizations, and community leaders to create stronger connections between learning and employment while expanding pathways to economic opportunity.

Our mission is to develop and advance initiatives that grow individual economic mobility and expand community prosperity.

At Trellis, you'll find the purpose of a mission-driven nonprofit combined with the energy and innovation of an organization focused on the future. Your ideas matter, your work has impact, and your contributions help create brighter futures for individuals, families, and communities.

Join Trellis and help create pathways to opportunity, economic mobility, and lasting success.

Job Summary

The Student Success Counselor contacts college students and potential college students to encourage enrollment, re-enrollment, or ongoing enrollment. The Counselor will be responsible for a high volume of outbound and inbound phone calls that will reach the maximum number of students in order to help students will college steps.

Incumbent will serve as a primary point of contact for students, offering support and guidance toward college enrollment and will provide basic instructions to students in conversations and, when appropriate, escalate the student conversation to more detailed-level counselors at Trellis or with the college as appropriate.

Location: Remote

Essential Responsibilities

The incumbent is expected to perform the following essential duties and responsibilities of the position with reasonable accommodation.

• Conduct outbound and inbound phone calls and text messages to identified populations as delegated by Trellis. Agent will only call pre-approved phone numbers for students. Encourage college enrollment by highlighting the return on investment of educational credentials.
• Assess students’ prior educational and work experiences to identify suitable credential programs aligned with regional labor market needs.
• Assist students in navigating barriers to re-enrollment and facilitate their transfer to institutions for application and enrollment.
• Assist with the preparation of required enrollment documentation per college guidelines.
• Provide guidance to help students make informed decisions about their educational pathways and refer students to the Trellis Retention Coach(s) when applicable.
• Maintain contact with students through their first day of classes to ensure a smooth transition.
• Adhere to approved call scripts and compliance guidelines.
• Provide consistent high-quality customer service to students.
• Assist with e-mail and text message communication using approved methods and technologies.
• Document call outcomes and maintain data as directed by department management.
• Maintain knowledge of Trellis and college privacy regulations to ensure the privacy of students.
• Participate in training and other learning opportunities to ensure compliance and expand knowledge of company, position, and process.
• Evaluate, adopt, and apply AI-enabled technologies to support strategy, improve workflow efficiency, automate routine tasks, and enhance data-driven decision making.
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Non-Essential Responsibilities

• Assist with training support for new employees and internal/external customers.
• Perform all other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
• Must be available to work flexible hours.
• Support other functions and responsibilities of the department. 
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Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong communication, numerical, analytical, critical thinking, and decision-making skills.
• Adapts to change, prioritizes, and handles multiple tasks within prescribed timeframe and performance standards.
• Knowledge of college application procedures and transfer credit concepts
• Knowledge of using Microsoft Office products.
• Resourceful self-starter and goal oriented.
• Effective time management and prioritization in a multi-tasking job.
• Maintains a positive disposition on high volume phone calls for several hours per day.
• Follows approved operational guidelines, scripts, and escalation procedures.
• Demonstrated sound judgment to make good customer service decisions.
• Skilled in utilizing AI-enabled tools and technologies to improve efficiency, enhance work quality and outcomes, and support innovation and continuous process improvement.

Qualifications

Education

Required:

• High school diploma or equivalent required.

Preferred:

• Associate degree or higher preferred.

Experience

Required:

• One (1) year of experience in a call center, student service, or other customer service environment required.

Work Environment

• Work may be conducted remotely or in an office with a small cubicle environment.
• Work environment is climate controlled with no substantial exposure to adverse environmental conditions.
• Work culture is team-oriented, fast-paced, high-energy and constantly changing.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Trellis is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants. Employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications without regard to any status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

To view the Equal Employment Opportunity posters provided by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), please click here.

Physical and Mental Demands

• Regularly must move about inside the office or external locations.
• Perform repetitive motions. Regularly operate a computer, phone, and general office equipment.
• Regularly uses hands/fingers to handle, feel, or grasp; reaches or extends arm(s) in any direction.
• Hearing and speaking. Regularly talks with other employees and on the phone, virtually, or in person. Regularly uses hearing to listen and respond to internal and external contacts.
• Visual acuity. Regularly must have close visual acuity to view and enter information into computer and software systems, analyze data, develop presentations and reports, and other materials.
• Maintain a high level of mental effort and focus, and exchange detailed and accurate information through oral and written communication. Concentration and self-direction are required.

Benefits