Academic Placement Advisor I

Job Description

Academic Placement Advisor I

Description

At Pearson, we’re committed to a world that’s always learning and to our talented team who makes it all possible. From bringing lectures vividly to life to turning textbooks into laptop lessons, we are always reexamining the way people learn best, whether it’s one child in our own backyard or an education community across the globe. We are bold thinkers and standout innovators who motivate each other to explore new frontiers in an environment that supports and inspires us to always be better. By pushing the boundaries of technology—and each other to surpass these boundaries—we create seeds of learning that become the catalyst for the world’s innovations, personal and global, large and small.

Pearson’s Online & Blended Learning K-12 group provides high-quality, highly accountable online education solutions to schools, school districts and students in grades K-12. It serves families and schools with a variety of digital learning and online school solutions including Connections Academy, International Connections Academy, and Pearson Connexus. In 2018, it will deliver online learning to over 400,000 students in the U.S. and 48 countries. The group, formerly known as Connections Education, is based in Columbia, Maryland and has been named a “Top Workplace” by the Baltimore Sun for three consecutive years and a “Best Place to Work” by Baltimore magazine. Recognized for its outstanding curriculum, high-quality teachers and leadership, Pearson Online & Blended Learning is committed to expanding quality education through technology, and helping students achieve both academic and personal success.

Qualifications

Family Support Group

Family Support’s primary purpose is to enhance enrollment and retention by providing the best possible experience for families and students. With the services we provide to schools, students and families, we also support key accountabilities within marketing, sales, client relations and school services including:

• Enrollment and Retention
• Sales/Proposals
• Client and School Satisfaction
• Graduation Rate

Enrollment Services Department

The Enrollment Services Department is accountable for driving customer satisfaction and expediting enrollments, providing:

• Lead follow-up and nurturing
• Senior-level relationship management support to partner schools for enrollment and academic placement, including collaboration on enrollment strategy
• Escalated contact center/help desk enrollment and academic placement support for students and families in the enrollment process
• Outreach to families during the process
• Initial course placement for students
• White-glove dedicated enrollment/academic success support for designated families.
• Dedicated single-point-of-contact non-academic support for families in the Family Connections Coordinator program from their initial interest in our program through to graduation.

Position Summary:

Working from a home office, the Academic Placement Advisor will work in conjunction with the Academic Placement Services team to determine appropriate academic courses and program(s) for all prospective students. This is a phone queue environment interacting with prospective families interested in enrolling in a Connections Academy school. This position will review and evaluate online student academic documentation and skills assessments, consult with parents, administrators and other staff to make appropriate academic placement decisions, and maintain data concerning the entire process

Primary Responsibilities:

• Facilitate communication of inbound calls, outbound calls, and WebMails daily to assist families throughout the enrollment process;
• Approve course schedules for students entering Kindergarten through Grade 11, using Pearson’s Education Management System’s Course Placement Tool;
• Review student performance, by evaluating report cards, state standardized test scores, and placement tests and match against Pearson curricular options to determine which course(s) of study are appropriate for each student;
• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of Pearson’s K-12th grade curricular options and state specific processes;
• Understand and be able to assist prospective families with understanding the requirements of the enrollment process;
• Determine gifted and talented course eligibility for students in Grade 3 through Grade 8 using academic documentation, skills assessment results, IQ testing scores, and state standardized test scores;
• Evaluate transcripts and determine transferable credit for high school applicants;
• Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of high school graduation requirements and course sequences;
• Communicate with School Counselors, Principals and Teachers to help determine appropriate placements for students and families with specific needs;
• Communicate grade level placement decisions clearly and accurately through verbal and written communication with families;
• Consult with and counsel families to determine an appropriate academic fit for each student; and
• Other duties as assigned.

Pearson Online & Blended Learning is focused on providing a flexible work environment to its employees, including the ability to work from home on a regular basis in most positions. We believe that flexibility in work/life balance is a critical part of our culture and employee satisfaction, and we are proud to provide to our employees the ability to work from anywhere, anytime. In exchange, we require that employees have the appropriate means to work remotely, including adherence to our work at home policies regarding home office setup, including but not limited to privacy of records, technology standards, equipment standards and expectations.

The following equipment will be provided to you by the company as a full-time employee:

• Laptop and phone
• Headset

The following equipment will need to be provided by you, as the employee, when working from home:

• 2ndmonitor (required)
• Mouse (required)
• Keyboard (required)

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• Prior customer service experience is highly preferred
• Prior experience in a phone queue/call center preferred
• Experience in an educational setting/school, preferably as a registrar (or with scheduling experience) or school support professional a plus
• Knowledge of curriculum as it corresponds to students’ developmental stages and state standards a plus
• Knowledge of online student information systems a plus
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written
• Able to act as a team player and demonstrate flexibility in a fast-paced work environment
• Must be able to learn quickly and multitask
• Fast thinking and good problem solver
• Good organizational skills and attention to detail are essential
• Proficient in Google Business suite
• Commitment to a regular schedule with hours from 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM in the Eastern/Pacific time zones

Key Capabilities:

• Customer Centric – Acts with a strong customer mindset (both internal and external) and is a visible advocate for the customer. Builds strong relationships with customers and uses those to improve their experience and outcomes.
• Communications - A great communicator who engages teams and stakeholders with thoughtful delivery and messages that resonate.
• Works well in a matrix - Models collaboration, solves problems with peers, builds trust and support.
• Takes personal responsibility – Can be relied on to complete tasks timely and well, demonstrates “ownership” regardless of the outcome, proactive in exploring and exploiting new opportunities.

Pearson is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer and a member of E-Verify. All qualified applicants, including minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Primary Location: US-RE-Remote

Other Locations US-MD-Columbia

Work Locations: US-Remote Remote

Job: Customer Service

Organization: North America Connections

Employee Status: Regular Employee

Job Type: Standard

Shift: Day Job

Job Posting: Nov 20, 2019

Job Unposting: Ongoing

Schedule: Full-time Regular

Req ID: 1913674

Pearson is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer and a member of E-Verify. All qualified applicants, including minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.