Job Description

Staff - Union

Job Category BCGEU Okanagan Support Staff

Job Profile BCGEU OK Hourly - Support Services Assistant I

Job Title Student Services Representative, Front Counter

Department UBCO | Support | Student Services | Enrolment Services

Compensation Range $25.23 - $28.94 CAD Hourly

Posting End Date October 26, 2022

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the day prior to the Posting End Date above.

Job End Date May 31, 2023

Job/Position Summary:

As a member of a coordinated team and under the general supervision of the Customer Service Supervisor, Front Line Staff, acts as a University of British Columbia ambassador providing front-line, student-focused support and information to students, staff, and the general public. Support and information ranges from way finding to the interpretation of policy and procedures related to a variety of student services and student financial support.

Organizational Status:

Student Services is a coordinated front line service provider housed in the University Centre (UNC). The department acts as a triage point for students by making appropriate on campus referrals and appointment bookings for other service providers within the UNC, in addition to providing front line, student facing enrolment services.

The Student Services office liaises closely with the Advising and Involvement Centre, Student Recruitment and Advising, Admissions, other units within the AVP Students portfolio, Faculties, Administrative Departments and outside government agencies including provincial and federal government student loan offices.

Major Responsibilities:

Accurately evaluates the needs of students, staff, and the general public in person, via e-mail and phone and responds appropriately within a busy and deadline driven environment.

• Determines appropriate referrals to other units and service providers and makes appointments for more in-depth service where appropriate based on analysis of student inquiry and SISC supporting data.
• Advises students on steps to access financial support through government student loans (including out of province and U.S.), bursaries and awards, work study, and financial spending plans.
• Helps interpret the UBC academic calendar and related policies and liaises with academic advisors, faculty and enrolment services staff to provide answers to common registration questions.
• Troubleshoots complex student financial situations including student loan issues, bursary eligibility, tuition assessments and award assignments and disbursements.
• Provides advice and support for students and their families around planning and managing student finances including accessing emergency funding.
• In adherence with guidelines; authorizes tuition deferments, recommends financial advances against student loans, and liaises with housing on residence fee deferrals in appropriate circumstances.
• Explains disbursement dates and requirements to maintain loan eligibility. Underscores implications of not maintaining loan eligibility.
• Provides outstanding customer service for in person, e-mail and phone inquiries.

Processes payments, prints and certifies documents, reviews applications as needed.

• Verifies students meet loan criteria and certifies legal loan documents to permit disbursement of funds. Accurately logs documents on SIS.
• Reviews and accepts part-time loan applications ensuring student meets criteria.
• Processes external award funding documents and ensures updates to SISC as required.
• Accepts tuition payments and explains tuition accounts so students understand their financial obligations.
• Processes official transcripts and accepts payment ensuring compliance with security protocol and procedures.
• Prints student and staff ID cards.

Provides back-up support to other services.

• Provides check in and back up support to Academic Advising and Involvement Centre and Student Recruitment and Advising.
• Acts as first point of contact to walk in traffic at University Centre, second floor.
• Provides document drop off and pick up support to student services units.
• Directs general traffic as needed.
• Provides back up support for other departmental functions including call centre, mail distribution, filing, image storage, data maintenance and file purging.
• Performs other duties as assigned in keeping with the requirements of the position.

Consequence of Error/Judgment:

The incumbent will need to exercise judgment, sound decision making and tact to ensure students are provided with appropriate information, referral and support. Decision making will require strong analysis of complex information using several sources (university and government policies, loan and in-house data bases, web information). The Customer Service Supervisor will provide oversight and errors and omissions will be identified through tracking of system information (e.g. awards error reports, failing restrictions reports).

Judgment is required to resolve delays in student loan funding, to assess requests for emergency funding, to determine loan and/or scholarship eligibility and to determine when students should be referred to more in-depth advising or other services.

Poor judgment or decision making could lead to financial hardship for students, lack of access to services, negative academic outcomes, increased stress, negative financial impacts to the university, and compromised reputation for the university. Students could face delays in program enrolment and/or completion, incur additional costs, miss out on opportunities that would enhance their university experience.

Supervision Received:

The position is supervised by a Customer Service Supervisor (CSS), who is actively engaged in the front line service and provides oversight on complex inquiries, intervenes, as needed, when exchanges become volatile and provides immediate information or technical support. Ongoing training and sharing of new information is provided by the CSS.

Supervision Given:

N/A

Education/Work Experience:

• University degree or equivalent combination of experience and education.
• One year experience in a university setting preferably in student services.

Performance Competencies and Criteria:

• Strong customer service skills are essential including communication skills, demonstrated empathy, and the ability to maintain composure when dealing with difficult people.
• Ability to exercise tact, diplomacy, confidentiality and discretion.
• Ability to process large volumes of information and analyze customer needs and provide guidance and information based on university and government policies and procedures.
• Ability to exhibit a strong sense of teamwork and collaboration among peers including working in a team environment to deliver services within the context of a complex, busy and often high stress environment.
• Strong computer skills including ability to learn new computer programs, to use general office computer programs and equipment, and to access information through web and other data bases.
• Attention to detail and ability to multi-task and to prioritize work load and meet deadlines are essential.
• Ability to write clear concise business English.