This position serves as primary counsel and one-to-one relationship builder to Capella’s prospective learners, educating prospects about online degree programs, career outcomes, financing, and licensure matters, while helping to clarify key decision-points and solution alternatives which align with needs of the individual. ECs utilize consultative relationship building skills focused on a supportive and empathetic approach, a mastery of highly complex educational program offerings, and a strong achievement- orientation to promote Capella in a passionate yet transparent manner, ensuring we are meeting the needs of our learners.
This role is responsible for counseling the prospective learner through the full lifecycle of the enrollment process. This entails initial relationship development, exploration of needs and personalized solution offerings, navigating the decision-making and application process, and asking for the business when appropriate in addition to effectively preparing the learner for long-term success.
As the dedicated resource, this process involves multiple interactions, often over an extended period of time. It requires developing an advanced understanding of the lead and application process, of the systems and tools necessary for navigating and managing workflow and pipeline, and of how to help prospects make fully informed decisions on how to achieve their educational objectives
The hours for this position are 9am - 6pm four days a week and one day a week will be an assigned late day 11am - 8pm. We do also require some late Fridays 11am-8pm and Saturdays 9am-5pm throughout the year. This schedule is in your time zone.
Essential Duties
- Utilizing organization and forecasting methodology to build and manage a strong sales cycle and pipeline. This entails multiple points of contact per individual learner to help identify correct educational solutions.
- Guiding prospects through Capella’s consultative enrollment process: qualifying readiness and fit, investigating and discovering needs, understanding motivations, presenting features and financing options, recommending programs and customized solutions, asking for the business when appropriate and always listening to the needs of the learner.
- Typical day will involve continuous customer interaction throughout the majority of the day on the phone or via chat, social media & email; all customer contact is with “warm” leads—no cold calling. Individual inquiries will be focused on our degree (Bachelor, Master, or PhD) programs. A variety of service standards are measured such as availability, talk time, adherence to contact strategy & protocols, pipeline management, backlog, record keeping, forecasting, etc.
- Leveraging automation tools and complex software applications to manage learner data.
- Committing to continuous training and development to become experts on a dynamic, evolving product offering. Establishing credibility is essential and Enrollment Counselors are responsible for utilizing extensive product knowledge.
- Team participation: Counselors are expected to operate as a team, dedicated to meeting customer expectations and reinforcing a high quality, end-to-end learner experience. This entails supporting colleagues, taking active part in team discussions and 1:1 call coaching sessions, and providing constructive feedback to management. Improving learner persistence by creating personalized pathways for learners, by assessing needs and being transparent and clear with all learners so they are making fully informed.
Job Skills
- Consultative inside sales of a complex or intangible product offering
- Higher education admissions
- Recruiting
- Financial Services - Mortgage/Real Estate
- Educational or training-industry sales
- Referral-based sales roles
- Fund-raising for non-profit organizations
- Retail sales of high-end solutions which require in-depth customer interaction
- Displayed track record of advanced performance and ability to meet objectives
- Ability to work in a goal driven and measured performance environment;
- Excellent time management, interpersonal, written/verbal communication, and presentation skills;
- Evidence of organizational accomplishments in a productive and contributive team environment
- Highly motivated, self-starter and able to relate positively and professionally with prospective learners and University colleagues.
- Experience with comprehensive customer-decision cycle, which often entails multiple contacts
- Experience representing high-value products and services to a diverse customer base
- Expertise leveraging customer-tracking software applications and tools
- High achievement-orientation and drive
- High service-orientation; strong desire to work in a mission-driven culture and work in the best interests of customers/learners.
- Experience creating and maintaining strong customer relationships.
- Ability to work 9am-6pm with periodic late coverage from 11am-8pm
Job Type: Full Time
Pay: $25.49 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Employee discount
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
- Referral program
- Retirement plan
- Tuition reimbursement
- Vision insurance
Work Experience
- Previous professional sales experience is preferred, preferably in one of the following fields of interest
Education
- BA/BS in relevant field preferred; commensurate experience can substitute the education preference
Certificates, licenses and registrations
Other
- Must be able to travel occasionally should a business need arise. For most roles travel would not be common. Travel may involve plane, car or metro. In accordance with ADA policies, reasonable accommodations regarding travel limitations can be provided. Travel will be more common for roles such as Account Executives (25 - 50%), senior leaders (10 – 20%) or Capella Core Faculty (5 – 10%).
- Ability to work onsite in Corporate or Campus location (in a typical office environment) may be required based on role. If so, this would include being mobile within the office, including movement from floor-to-floor using elevators or stairs.
- If offsite or hybrid role, must have access to work in setting which enables meeting all requirements of the role (including privacy, reliable internet access, phone, ability to video conference, etc.) at a remote location.
- Faculty and Federal Work Study roles require access to work in setting which enables meeting all requirements of the role (including computer, privacy, reliable internet access, phone, ability to video conference, etc.) at a remote location.
- This role may require lifting, however reasonable accommodations will be provided in accordance with our ADA policies.
- Must be able to meet critical thinking and problem solving aspects aligned to job duties, as well as effectively communicating with co-workers.
- Must be able to work more than 40 hours per week when business needs warrant. Accommodations related to schedule may be considered.
- Able to access information using a computer.
- Other essential functions and marginal job functions are subject to modification.
SEI is an Equal Opportunity employer committed to a diverse and inclusive community. We welcome applications from all. While it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top end of the pay range at SEI, we offer a competitive salary and benefits package. The actual base pay offered to the successful candidate may vary depending on multiple factors including, but not limited to, job-related knowledge/skills, experience, business needs, geographical location, and internal pay equity. Our Talent Acquisition Team is ready to discuss your interest in joining SEI. The expected salary range for this position is below.
$19.50 - $29.75 - Hourly
If you require reasonable accommodations to complete our application process, please contact our Human Resources Department at [email protected].