Coordinator, Retention Initiatives & Scholarship Programs (App. D/Temp.: Sept. 2025 - Sept. 2026)

Status: Appendix D/Temporary Assignment (September 2025 – September 2026)

Hours: Monday – Friday, 35 hours/week

Home Campus: Stoney Creek (hybrid work arrangements available)

Rate of Pay: Payband I (Start Rate: $39.34 per hour, plus 8% in lieu of vacation and benefits)

Posting Date: August 27th, 2025

Closing Date: September 3rd, 2025 at 7:00 pm EST

We believe the rich diversity among our students and the communities we serve should be reflected within our workforce. As educators, we believe it is important to act and show leadership in advancing the principles of reconciliation, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our community.

Reporting to the Manager, Student Success Advising & Retention, the Coordinator, Retention Initiatives & Scholarship Programs oversees and coordinates student retention initiatives, including student outreach campaigns and proactive advising interventions for current students. The incumbent will also provide support and advising to specific scholarship program recipients, to promote student engagement during their studies. The incumbent will work with scholarship recipients to ensure they meet all scholarship requirements. The incumbent will also create an assessment plan and coordinate the collection and analysis of key data to ensure student success and retention in both the specific scholarship programs and across the College as a whole.

The Coordinator is responsible for communication to participants and tracking events-related activity connected to the scholarship program(s) participants including donor workshops, employer networking opportunities, and existing college events that are requirement for the scholarship and awards participants, such as Meet the Grad, Jill of All Trades, Open Houses, etc.

Acting as the first point of contact for these specific scholarship programs, the Coordinator must be able to respond to, investigate and resolve a diverse number of inquiries from students, staff, faculty and other departments. Responsibilities include advising, support, outreach, referral, intervention and retention, transition and orientation, as well as data tracking and reporting.

What you’ll be doing:

Retention Initiatives - Program Coordination

• Oversees and coordinates current and future student retention initiatives and interventions, such as:
  • Proactive advising model (pre-semester Get Set information sessions, academically at-risk student intervention)
  • Late Start Campaign
  • Communication strategy focused on psychological attuned messages, supporting early engagement with high-risk students ahead of a new semester
  • Completion Plan
  • Compulsory Withdrawal student intervention
• Oversees the program/intervention outreach campaign and the goal is to proactively outreach to students who are at-risk of leaving, not completing and ultimately improving students’ sense of belonging and feeling of community.
• Identifies, develops and implements programs and approaches to reach under-served student populations, including those from equity-deserving groups.

Promotion and Selection of Scholarship Candidates

• Works with Foundation and Faculty to develop a matrix of scholarship requirements and deliverables for recipients.
• Works with Recruitment and Admissions to attend key events (such as Open House, etc.), and presentations.
• Coordinates selection committee for Award recipients in partnership with Financial Assistance, and other departments as necessary.
• In partnership with Public Affairs, Financial Assistance (FA), and Foundation, works to coordinate public relations events of awards recipients.
• Responsibility for working with Marketing and FA to ensure dedicated webpages for scholarships reflect current, accurate information.
• Liaises with other college staff, faculty and students to coordinate activities and promote specific scholarship programs.
• When appropriate, collaborates on the development and delivery of presentation, both on and off campus to potential students to meet short and long-term application targets.
• Supports review of program expenditures, co-ordinates program delivery in consultation with supervisor.

Formal Evaluation and Assessment Plan

• Develops and implements an evaluation and assessment plan of retention initiatives and scholarship programs, including ROI, student feedback, retention, and implementation fidelity.
• Works with other college departments including Student Recruitment, the Foundation, Financial Assistance, Academic departments, the College Student Success Innovation Centre, and Institutional Research to support the evaluation and assessment plan.
• Ongoing student intervention evaluation using student feedback tools.

Provides Academic and Program Advising and Support to Retain Scholarship Students and Engage Graduates

• Provides direct services of personal and academic advising to students, grounded in Advising Model which emphasizes development, intrusive and lifecycle theory and practice.
• Refers students to appropriate services when necessary (e.g. tutoring, counselling, ALS, etc.).
• Engages scholarship recipients to provide support and mentorship in events, awards ceremony, career fairs, Open Houses, 1-1 and small group meetings and presentations.
• In partnership with other departments, promotes events and activities for student engagement.
• Provides guidance and referral support to scholarship students to support academic success in their program.
• Communicates with coordinators and faculty on student achievement and monitors mark threshold and academic performance.
• Compiles statistical reports and procures data for analysis, which may be used by the Foundation for donor reports.
• Communication with Financial Assistance regarding student progression.
• Works with Foundation to develop scholarship recipient post-graduation survey to assess experience and to uncover possible improvements, as well as coordinating communication (written, verbal, media, etc.) to donors.

Other duties as assigned.

What you’ll bring to the role:

• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Social Sciences, Student Affairs, or other degree with emphasis in adult learning, counselling or a closely related field.
• Candidate must have the ability to communicate and work effectively inter-culturally with a diverse group of students, employees, donors, and the community.
• Demonstrated commitment and understanding of human rights, equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility.

Minimum of 3 years of practical experience where the following knowledge, skills and experiences have been developed:

• Experience in advising, teaching or coaching adult learners or post-secondary students.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Solid understanding of student development.
• Well-developed skills in the preparation of informative and engaging presentations/training and teaching sessions.
• Excellent cross-cultural verbal and written communication skills.
• Skills in the development, deployment and utilization of evaluation assessment measures.
• Superior organizational and time management skills.
• Excellent analytical skills and the ability to synthesize complex issues with competing priorities.
• Demonstrated experience in working with and supporting a diverse learner population.
• Ability to work independently to initiate action, set priorities and organize tasks to maintain workflow and meet project deadlines.
• May require evening and weekend availability on occasion.
• A valid Ontario Driver’s License and reliable vehicle.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Suite, including Teams.

What we offer:

• Opportunity to gain experience and build relationships at a Hamilton/Niagara Top Employer.
• Access to professional development opportunities.
• Option to enroll in Defined Benefit pension plan (CAAT) with contributions matched by Mohawk College.
• Discounted rate for full-service athletic facility and instructor-led classes.
• Opportunities to engage in wellness events and activities.

To find out more about working at Mohawk College, please visit https://www.mohawkcollege.ca/about-mohawk/careers-at-mohawk

We are committed to reconciliation and nurturing an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible (IDEA) environment for everyone who learns and works at Mohawk College. We welcome applications from racialized persons, women, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ persons, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.

The College is committed to fostering inclusive and barrier-free recruitment and selection processes. If you require accommodation during any stage of the recruitment process, please contact Human Resources.

To learn more about Mohawk College’s commitments, please visit the Mohawk College strategic plan webpage: https://www.strategicplan.mohawkcollege.ca/