(On-site) Student Engagement Strategist - WVU Online
West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, United States
About the Opportunity
The Student Engagement Strategist drives inquiry‑to‑application conversion for prospective WVU Online students by combining proactive outreach with a consultative, discovery‑focused approach. This role goes beyond transactional contact: the Strategist works to understand each prospective student's unique journey, motivations, and barriers, then architects personalized next steps that keep the student moving forward.
The Strategist also owns systemic responsibilities, including tracking engagement patterns, managing a structured re‑engagement pipeline, and building best‑practice resources that strengthen recruitment capacity across academic units.
Because students are often most available outside traditional business hours, this position may require occasional evening or weekend outreach to maximize connection rates.
Responsibilities Student Engagement & Discovery
Conducts discovery‑oriented outreach conversations with prospective students, moving beyond information delivery to understand their goals, timeline, barriers, and prior educational experience.
Uses insights gathered during discovery to develop personalized engagement plans—determining whether the optimal next step is a faculty connection, application walk‑through, advising session, or another touchpoint—and executes or coordinates those steps accordingly.
Maintains timely, high‑quality follow‑up using CRM workflows, outbound calls, and personalized written communication, ensuring every prospective student receives guidance calibrated to their individual situation.
Monitors personal conversion metrics from inquiry through application, identifying patterns that inform outreach strategy adjustments.
Disposition Tracking & Data Reporting
Designs and maintains a disposition tracking system within the CRM to capture the reason for each student contact, common questions, and engagement outcomes, ensuring data is consistently recorded and usable for analysis.
Analyzes disposition and contact data to identify trends—recurring questions, information gaps, program‑level inquiry spikes—and synthesizes findings into actionable reports.
Delivers regular reporting to the Enrollment Project Specialist to inform unit‑level initiatives, content strategy, and cross‑functional coordination.
Re‑Engagement Pipeline Management
Manages the inactive prospect pipeline—a structured list of individuals who did not engage during the execution of the initial contact strategy—ensuring records are maintained accurately and reviewed regularly.
Develops, tests, and iterates re‑engagement strategies for the inactive pipeline, including targeted campaigns, updated messaging, and timing adjustments designed to reactivate interest and return prospects to active outreach.
Tracks re‑engagement campaign outcomes and reports conversion data to inform future strategy.
Recruiter Enablement & Training Resources
Develops practical best‑practice resources—including call guides, conversation templates, objection‑handling frameworks, and follow‑up protocols—for recruiters embedded in academic units.
Designs and facilitates training sessions or asynchronous learning materials that build consistent, effective recruitment practices across WVU Online's partner programs.
Collaborates with the Enrollment Project Specialist to ensure resources align with unit‑specific contexts and ongoing enrollment initiatives.
Cross‑Functional Collaboration & Professional Development
Participates in team strategy reviews and professional development, contributing recommendations that enhance the prospective student experience and WVU Online's overall enrollment effectiveness.
Serves as an internal subject‑matter resource on prospective student behavior and engagement, sharing field observations that inform content, communications, and process improvements.
Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in business, communications, education, or a related field.
A minimum of two (2) years of experience in consultative customer/client engagement, advising, sales, or a related field.
Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience will be considered.
All qualifications must be met by the time of employment.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Strong interpersonal and active listening skills with the ability to adapt communication style to diverse audiences.
Comfort building and maintaining data tracking processes.
Ability to analyze engagement data and translate findings into clear recommendations.
Strong verbal and written communication.
Organization and multitasking.
Comfortable working both independently and as part of a larger team to support institutional goals.
Benefits
37.5‑hour work week
13 paid holidays
24 annual leave (vacation) days per year or more based on years of service
18 sick days per year for illness or caring for sick family, including regular scheduled medical appointments. Family includes immediate relatives, in‑laws, and others considered members of your household living under the same roof.
Health insurance and other benefits.
401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks.
Wellness programs.
Salary Salary Range : $52,000-54,000
Equal Opportunity Employer West Virginia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We invite all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or Veteran status.
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The Strategist also owns systemic responsibilities, including tracking engagement patterns, managing a structured re‑engagement pipeline, and building best‑practice resources that strengthen recruitment capacity across academic units.
Because students are often most available outside traditional business hours, this position may require occasional evening or weekend outreach to maximize connection rates.
Responsibilities Student Engagement & Discovery
Conducts discovery‑oriented outreach conversations with prospective students, moving beyond information delivery to understand their goals, timeline, barriers, and prior educational experience.
Uses insights gathered during discovery to develop personalized engagement plans—determining whether the optimal next step is a faculty connection, application walk‑through, advising session, or another touchpoint—and executes or coordinates those steps accordingly.
Maintains timely, high‑quality follow‑up using CRM workflows, outbound calls, and personalized written communication, ensuring every prospective student receives guidance calibrated to their individual situation.
Monitors personal conversion metrics from inquiry through application, identifying patterns that inform outreach strategy adjustments.
Disposition Tracking & Data Reporting
Designs and maintains a disposition tracking system within the CRM to capture the reason for each student contact, common questions, and engagement outcomes, ensuring data is consistently recorded and usable for analysis.
Analyzes disposition and contact data to identify trends—recurring questions, information gaps, program‑level inquiry spikes—and synthesizes findings into actionable reports.
Delivers regular reporting to the Enrollment Project Specialist to inform unit‑level initiatives, content strategy, and cross‑functional coordination.
Re‑Engagement Pipeline Management
Manages the inactive prospect pipeline—a structured list of individuals who did not engage during the execution of the initial contact strategy—ensuring records are maintained accurately and reviewed regularly.
Develops, tests, and iterates re‑engagement strategies for the inactive pipeline, including targeted campaigns, updated messaging, and timing adjustments designed to reactivate interest and return prospects to active outreach.
Tracks re‑engagement campaign outcomes and reports conversion data to inform future strategy.
Recruiter Enablement & Training Resources
Develops practical best‑practice resources—including call guides, conversation templates, objection‑handling frameworks, and follow‑up protocols—for recruiters embedded in academic units.
Designs and facilitates training sessions or asynchronous learning materials that build consistent, effective recruitment practices across WVU Online's partner programs.
Collaborates with the Enrollment Project Specialist to ensure resources align with unit‑specific contexts and ongoing enrollment initiatives.
Cross‑Functional Collaboration & Professional Development
Participates in team strategy reviews and professional development, contributing recommendations that enhance the prospective student experience and WVU Online's overall enrollment effectiveness.
Serves as an internal subject‑matter resource on prospective student behavior and engagement, sharing field observations that inform content, communications, and process improvements.
Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in business, communications, education, or a related field.
A minimum of two (2) years of experience in consultative customer/client engagement, advising, sales, or a related field.
Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience will be considered.
All qualifications must be met by the time of employment.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Strong interpersonal and active listening skills with the ability to adapt communication style to diverse audiences.
Comfort building and maintaining data tracking processes.
Ability to analyze engagement data and translate findings into clear recommendations.
Strong verbal and written communication.
Organization and multitasking.
Comfortable working both independently and as part of a larger team to support institutional goals.
Benefits
37.5‑hour work week
13 paid holidays
24 annual leave (vacation) days per year or more based on years of service
18 sick days per year for illness or caring for sick family, including regular scheduled medical appointments. Family includes immediate relatives, in‑laws, and others considered members of your household living under the same roof.
Health insurance and other benefits.
401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks.
Wellness programs.
Salary Salary Range : $52,000-54,000
Equal Opportunity Employer West Virginia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We invite all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or Veteran status.
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