Please Note: PCC currently limits employment to individuals residing in Oregon and Washington. Employment offers are contingent upon the ability to establish residence in Oregon or Washington.
Portland Community College will also ensure that applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for the hiring process are provided for. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact the PCC Talent Acquisition Team at [email protected].
Portland Community College is the largest post-secondary institution in Oregon and 19th largest in the nation, serving approximately 80,000 full- and part-time students. With four comprehensive campuses, five workforce training and education centers, and 200 community locations in the Portland metropolitan area, our unique role is to make high-quality education accessible to everyone, creating opportunities for our students and contributing to the economic development of our community.
Portland Community College (PCC) is seeking a full-time, permanent Admissions Center Specialist (ACS) for the Admissions & Recruitment department in Portland, Oregon. Admissions & Recruitment supports Portland Community College’s prospective student population by advising and guiding new students through the recruiting, onboarding, and college orientation processes.
Under the direction of the Director of Admissions & Recruitment, the Admissions Center Specialist (ACS) ensures success with the admissions and enrollment process for new students. Operating as the primary face of PCC Admissions for walk-in and virtual traffic, the ACS manages the daily operations of campus Admissions Welcome Centers (AWCs). The role represents a strategic shift toward a seamless recruitment ecosystem, moving away from general enrollment advising to provide "on-the-spot" pre-registration problem-solving and technical barrier resolution.
Each ACS typically works in a partnership model with a campus-based Admissions & Recruitment Coordinator (ARC) to provide a consistent, low-handoff transition for incoming students from the initial application stage up through the start of the first week of their first term. The ACS works to resolve difficulties, overcome onboarding obstacles, identify unique solutions for special needs populations, perform proactive caseload outreach, and actively contribute to individual and team new student enrollment goals.
The Admissions & Recruitment team is a dynamic team working to elevate the recruitment, enrollment, and onboarding process for new students at a critical moment, ensuring new students to PCC are onboarded successfully. This position will work closely with the Admissions Recruitment Coordinators, Pathway Recruiters, other Admissions Center Specialists, and the Student Services Navigation and First Year Experience teams. The primary on-site work location is based at the Sylvania campus, with travel required to all PCC campuses for meetings, trainings, and events as needed. Operates on an on-site flex model consisting of 4 days per week on-campus in an Admissions Welcome Center (AWC), formerly the Orientation Center, and 1 alternating remote day per week. This position may also include some evenings and weekends around recruitment and admissions events or busy registration times.
See the classification description for additional information: https://www.pcc.edu/hr/admissions-center-specialist/
Typical Duties and Responsibilities
Center Operations & Walk-In Support: Maintains the daily operations of designated campus Admissions Welcome Centers (AWCs) , serving as the primary face of PCC Admissions and the central physical hub for walk-in admissions traffic .
Onboarding & Pre-Registration Navigation: Supports new students through sequential onboarding steps from initial application up through the completion of technical class registration . Provides high-touch support to new students through the start of the first week of their first term .
Inquiry Resolution & Policy Interpretation: Interprets and responds to walk-in and virtual student inquiries regarding admissions, registration, and new student policies . Gathers information from students to understand individual circumstances, interprets relevant guidelines, and delivers "on-the-spot" problem-solving to determine the best course of action .
Proactive Caseload Engagement: Conducts proactive caseload management and multi-channel outbound communications to admitted, non-registered new students . Identifies and resolves enrollment barriers for students who have not completed orientation or initial onboarding steps before the term begins .
System & Technical Account Support: Guides new incoming students through system navigation and account setup . Provides troubleshooting for MyPCC account setup, student email access, portal registration holds, and technical entry into the Online Orientation system .
Financial Aid Literacy: Provides general financial aid counseling and literacy, including assisting new students with navigating the FAFSA or ORSAA completion process and monitoring timelines . Makes necessary referrals to the Financial Aid office for complex income questions or formal appeals .
Placement Process Guidance: Assists new students with navigating the college placement process . Guides students on how to access and complete required placement modules and provides instructions on submitting academic history, transcripts, grades, or test results .
Recruitment & Event Collaboration: Coordinates closely with assigned campus ARCs and Pathway Recruiters to ensure a unified recruitment and onboarding pipeline . Serves as the technical expert and host for application and registration labs during Admissions Preview Days, Open Houses, New Student Registration Sessions, and campus tours .
Cross-Functional Communication: Maintains regular communication and collaborates with Student Services Navigation, First Year Experience (FYE), and Academic Advising teams to provide seamless, well-coordinated student transitions .
Advising Boundary Management: Maintains a critical distinction between technical registration support (how to add courses and navigate MyPCC) and academic advising . Refrains from class selection, degree planning, or transcript evaluation, ensuring that first-time students or those requiring help choosing classes are referred to Academic Advisors, FYE coaches, or New Student Sessions .
Resource Referrals & Warm Handoffs: Identifies onboarding students who require specialized support and provides a "warm handoff" to college resources, including Career Services, Tutoring, Disability Services, Veteran Services, Resource Centers, and Student Leadership Programs . Directs students to International Student Services or special programs (e.g., Future Connect, ESOL, GED, CAMP) when distinct onboarding pathways apply .
Program Redirection: Explicitly identifies and redirects student inquiries regarding specialized Health Admission programs (such as Nursing, Radiography, or Dental) to the dedicated Admission Specialists managing those specific pathways .
Data & Record Maintenance: Utilizes the Admissions CRM and other institutional technologies to manage caseload tracking, execute outreach campaigns, and maintain accurate records regarding the nature of student interactions, discussions, and resolutions .
Mobility and Coverage: Travels to alternative PCC campus locations as needed to attend meetings, professional trainings, large-scale events, or to support regional center staffing operations .
Other Duties: Performs other related duties as assigned .
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Education, Liberal Arts, Sociology, Psychology, Student Services, or related field. Experience performing related duties may substitute for the degree requirement on a year-for-year basis. Two years of experience in a postsecondary environment in a student services capacity, working with students or coordinating services.
Success Criteria
Strong culturally responsive communication and interpersonal skills – written and verbal, remaining sensitive to student or customer experiences and needs during challenging times.
Collaborative, relational, and student-centered approach to successful stakeholder management through interdepartmental relationships.
Demonstrated success communicating complex data, system navigation, and policies.
Demonstrates an understanding of the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and can show the impact of this understanding on their professional work; demonstrated ability to address equity and inclusion as a priority, especially in admissions and enrollment services.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, prioritizing competing demands.
Demonstrated ability to problem-solve through researching processes and collaboration to offer holistic solutions for students.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Knowledge of:
Core processes, timelines, and procedures relating to postsecondary admissions, recruitment, technical registration, financial aid literacy, and placement systems.
Student success, retention, caseload engagement, and proactive outbound outreach strategies.
Applicable local, state, and federal laws, codes, rules, and regulations (including student privacy and financial aid baselines).
Post-secondary education, student development theories, and specialized institutional programs (e.g., International Students, High School Programs, special mentorship cohorts).
College policies, registration interfaces, and internal/external resources available for new student populations.
Skills in:
High-touch customer service, active problem-solving, and defusing conflict situations within a fast-paced, walk-in center environment.
Assessing student onboarding barriers and determining immediate, practical technical solutions.
Operating computers, enterprise Admissions CRM systems (SLATE), student information portals (MyPCC), and various supporting software packages.
Public speaking, group facilitation, and delivering clear informational presentations for labs, workshops, and tours.
Ability to:
Maintain highly accurate, confidential records of caseload assignments and student interactions within a CRM.
Work collaboratively within an assigned ARC/ACS pair and across diverse academic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students, faculty, and staff.
Effectively communicate complex procedural, technical, and regulatory information across multiple channels (in-person, virtual appointments, phone, and email).
Interpret, analyze, and evaluate complex onboarding bottlenecks to successfully recognize, define, and execute solutions.
Maintain strict professional boundaries regarding technical registration assistance versus academic course selection and advising.
The PCC district encompasses a 1,500-square-mile area in northwest Oregon and offers two-year degrees, one-year certificate programs, short-term training, alternative education, pre-college courses and life-long learning. As part of our College community, you’ll enjoy:
Portland Community College embraces equity and inclusion as a priority. We are committed to building a community with a variety of backgrounds, skills, views, and life experiences. The more we value equity and inclusion, the more we will add value to the work we do and how we serve our students, engage with each other, and the Oregon Community that we serve. Creating a culture that honors equity and inclusion is our objective and the smart path forward.
Academic Professional 3 (A)
Full time
There is never a dull moment at PCC. We offer more than just a competitive salary. When you join our team at PCC you'll also enjoy:
Comprehensive benefit package designed to provide employees and their families, including domestic partners, with access to a broad range of benefit options. Includes Health, Dental, and Vision options, Group Life, Long-term Disability, Long-term Care, and Auto and Home Insurance programs
Oregon PERS contribution - PCC currently fully funds the Oregon Public Employees Retirement System (PERS/OPSRP) pension and contributes an additional 6% into the employee's Individual Account Program under PERS/OPSRP
Tax deferred annuity program and a deferred compensation program where employees may save additional pre-tax dollars for retirement
PCC provides a tuition waiver for you, your spouse/domestic partner, and dependent children under 24 years of age, as well as partial tuition reimbursement for full-time employees at other accredited institutions
Free access to the sport centers / campus gymnasiums, performing arts, and cultural events
Generous Paid Leave - as determined by our collective bargaining agreement (Pro-rated by FTE for Part-Time Employees) -
Faculty and Academic Professional Agreement
Paid Leave:
Starts at 13.33 hours of vacation leave per month (additional vacation hours with years of service)
1 day of sick leave per month
12 holidays
PCC Winter Break (when College is closed)
1 additional personal leave day per year
View a complete list of PCC benefits
The first two steps of the range are: $64,008.00 and $66,249.00 per year. Higher salary placement may be available based on qualifications, experience, and internal equity.
Portland Community College complies with the Oregon Veterans' Preference in Public Employment law which provides qualifying veterans and disabled veterans with preference in employment. You will be given instructions during the application process to claim Veterans' Preference in the recruitment of this position, and to provide the documents required for verification of eligibility. Please do not send your documentation to the hiring manager directly. For verification of eligibility, please submit the following documentation:
Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act), you may view Portland Community College’s (PCC) most recent Annual Security Report (ASR) on the Department of Public Safety website. The ASR contains current security and safety-related policy disclosure statements, emergency preparedness and evacuation information, crime prevention and sexual assault prevention information and resources, and drug and alcohol prevention programming. The ASR also contains crime statistics for Clery Act crimes which occurred on PCC properties for the last three calendar years. Paper copies of the ASR are available upon request at all Department of Public Safety offices.
