Office Manager & Work College Support Coordinator (Internal)

Please note that references provided at the time of application for staff positions will not be contacted until the applicant has been offered the position.

Description

Under the general direction of the Dean of the Work College Program and with day-to-day supervision provided by the Associate Dean of the Work College Program, the Office Manager and Support Coordinator provide operational, administrative, and student engagement support for the Work College Program. This position plays a central role in supporting the daily functions of the office while coordinating initiatives that strengthen student engagement, communication, experiential learning opportunities, and the overall student experience connected to Path to Purpose, Berea’s Work College Program. The role serves as a key point of connection for students, faculty, staff, supervisors, community partners, and campus visitors while helping maintain efficient office operations and a welcoming, student- centered environment.

This position also serves as a first-point liaison for routine student concerns, accountability documentation, and student support matters connected to the Path to Purpose experience. The role is responsible for helping triage concerns, maintaining appropriate documentation, and using sound judgment and discernment in determining when issues should be elevated to the Associate Dean or other divisional leadership. In addition, the position coordinates the Berea Work College Program’s off-campus experience program and supports divisional leadership through operational coordination, communication support, strategic initiatives, and special projects that advance the mission and goals of the division.

Following long-standing tradition and practice at Berea College, this position includes responsibility for supervising, mentoring, and developing students in the College's integrated Work College Program. This supports student learning, career readiness, and the program's learning goals and outcomes. The Work College Program provides a developmental framework that guides student learning while creating a structured mentorship opportunity, with role-specific training that equips faculty and staff mentors to support student development. Faculty and staff mentors play an essential part in helping students connect their work-learning-service experiences with broader academic, professional, and personal development. For faculty, this aligns with Berea's tenure and promotion criteria.

Your Key Responsibilities

• Manage the daily administrative operations of the Path to Purpose office, including scheduling, communications, records management, and coordination of office workflows.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for students, faculty, staff, supervisors, community partners, and campus visitors by providing timely support, information, and referrals.
• Coordinate divisional calendars, meetings, operational logistics, and internal communications to support effective office operations.
• Serve as the first-point liaison for routine student concerns, student support matters, and accountability-related documentation connected to the Path to Purpose experience.
• Maintain appropriate documentation related to student concerns, accountability processes, and follow-up communications while ensuring professionalism and confidentiality.
• Use sound judgment and discernment to assess concerns and elevate matters to the Associate Dean of Labor or other divisional leadership when appropriate.
• Lead and coordinate the division's off-campus experience program, including student coordination, community partner communication, and program support operations.
• Support student engagement and experiential learning initiatives connected to Path to Purpose and Berea’s work- learning-service model.
• Assist with planning and coordination of trainings, retreats, workshops, supervisor development opportunities, and student engagement events.
• Coordinate and support divisional communication efforts, including weekly supervisor newsletters, announcements, informational materials, and student-facing communications.
• Maintain and organize divisional records, databases, reports, and operational documentation.
• Assist with onboarding, training coordination, and administrative support for student leaders, supervisors,and departmental partners.
• Support divisional leadership with strategic initiatives, executive-level coordination needs, sensitive communications, and operational priorities that advance the mission and goals of the Work College division.
• Perform additional duties and special projects in support of the mission, goals, and evolving needs of the Work College Program.
• Demonstrate flexibility as this role evolves, adapting to new responsibilities and strategies in alignment with the campus strategic plan.
  
  

What You'll Bring

Education required to ensure success in this position:

• Bachelor’s Degree required
  
  

Experience required to ensure success in this position:

• Two years directly related experience, preferably in higher education.
• Professional work in a confidential environment
  
  

Special skills, knowledge, and abilities:

• Strong organizational and administrative management skills with the ability to coordinate multiple projects, deadlines, and priorities simultaneously.
• Demonstrated ability to build positive relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community partners while maintaining professionalism and confidentiality.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to communicate clearly and effectively in person, through written communication, and across diverse audiences.
• Ability to support and engage students from a developmental and student-centered perspective.
• Knowledge of office operations, scheduling coordination, records management, and administrative processes.
• Experience coordinating events, meetings, trainings, or student engagement initiatives.
• Ability to problem solve independently while exercising sound judgment, discernment, and discretion when addressing student concerns and sensitive situations.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage complex logistical processes.
• Ability to collaborate across departments and contribute to a team-oriented environment.
• Proficiency with administrative and communication technologies, including Microsoft Office, ,scheduling systems, databases, and related platforms.
• Understanding of experiential learning, student development, or higher education environments preferred.
• Ability to adapt to evolving priorities and contribute to strategic and operational initiatives within the division.
  
  

License, certification, or registration necessary:

• Valid driver’s license
• Required background checks
  
  

Physical requirements:

• Manual dexterity and visual acuity necessary to do substantial and detailed work on the computer.
• Ability to operate general office equipment.
• Ability to navigate campus/public buildings and grounds
• Ability to travel independently by car and/or plane
• Ability to occasionally lift up to 20lbs.
• Must be able to sit for extended periods of time with computer use
  
  

Environmental conditions:

• Professional office environment with interruptions and noise due to frequent visitors, students, staff and faculty
• Occasional travel required for meetings, conferences,etc.
  
  

Ability to operate the following vehicles or equipment:

• Standard office equipment including computer, printer, copier, e-fax, multi-line phone system,etc.
• Vehicle – college vans/cars
  
  

Founded in 1855, Berea College is nationally recognized as the first coeducational and interracial college in the South. Berea has a longstanding commitment to interracial education and is one of the most racially diverse private liberal arts colleges in the United States. With an emphasis on service to Appalachia and beyond, Berea enrolls more than 1,500 students from 46 states and U.S. territories and more than 70 countries. Berea College admits students who are unable to afford tuition and provides all of them with a no-tuition promise. Berea’s students excel in the College’s supportive yet demanding academic environment, and most are the first in their families to attend college. As one of only ten federally recognized Work Colleges, all Berea students are expected to work 10-12 hours weekly in various positions across campus. Berea College is also the only institution in Kentucky to receive the 5-Star Rating from Money Magazine, 2025. Washington Monthly has named Berea College the #1 Best College in the nation in its 2025 College Guide. Berea College appears in their rankings as #1 College (overall): Best College for your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars, #1 Best-in Class College, #1 Liberal Arts College and #1 Best Bang for the Buck Southern College.

Located where the Bluegrass Region meets the Cumberland Mountains, the town of Berea (pop. 16,000) lies forty miles south of Lexington and is approximately two hours from Cincinnati, Louisville, and Knoxville. More information about Berea College is available at www.berea.edu.

Berea College, in light of its mission in the tradition of impartial love and social equality, welcomes all people of the earth to learn and work here.

Berea College is always looking for talented, self-motivated individuals to join our team. If you think you are ready to be a part of an exciting team, then we encourage you to continue with this applicant friendly, online job application!

Berea College is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits and hires qualified candidates without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, disability, or veteran status.

Our Benefits

Berea College offers a comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees and their families including health care, dental, vision, retirement, health savings accounts, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability and an Employee Assistance Program. The benefit package also includes access to the Child Development Laboratory for children of College Staff, ages 6 weeks to 6 years, Seabury Center Membership, Staff Development Funds and Tuition Reimbursement.

Eligible staff employees also receive paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave.

Part-time employees who work an average of 24 hours per week over the course of a year, receive benefits on a pro-rated basis.

To learn more details, visit our benefits page at https://www.berea.edu/human-resources/employee-benefits.

Our Unique Culture

Berea College strives to be a place where people with various Christian interpretations, different religious traditions, and no religious traditions work together in support of Berea's Great Commitments.

Over the past century, various leaders of the College have applied the College’s inclusive scriptural foundation and spirit to their expanding world and welcomed those whose beliefs were consistent with the Christian gospel of impartial love. Therefore, Berea College today affirms its inclusive Christian tradition even as it respects the traditions of Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus, as well as other faiths, and those holding no religious beliefs. We strive not to ignore our differences, but rather seek to understand each other honestly and respectfully, and together create a climate where anyone can openly discuss what they believe without fear of sanction. To that end, all persons who are willing to share in the spirit and the work of the Great Commitments as shaped by its preamble are welcome to study, to teach, and to work at Berea

Labor Supervision

In support of Berea College’s great commitments, staff and faculty serve as labor supervisors. Our fourth great commitment, The Dignity of Labor, promotes learning and serving in community through the student Labor Program, honoring the dignity and utility of all work, mental and manual, and taking pride in work well done. Student Labor Supervision includes scheduling, assigning, and approving student work, developing students' workplace acumen, and providing tangible work experience. To learn more about the labor program office please see the following link Labor Program Office.