Benefits Navigator & STEP Coordinator

Position Title: Benefits Navigator & STEP Coordinator

Department/Unit: Student Affairs

Classification: Coordinator IV

Status (exempt/non-exempt): Exempt

Pay Rate: $4,419 - $4,598 Per Month

Reports to: Dean of Academic Foundation & Student Success

Percentage: 100%

Annual/Academic year: Annual Year

Location: Central County Campus -Newport, OR

Telework Status:

Regular telework is not a feature of this position. At the Supervisor's discretion, exemptions may be made for special projects or responsibilities requiring periodically needed focus time.

This is a grant funded position with current funding ending 6/30/2027. Continuation of employment is contingent upon new grant funding.

Benefits and Insurances

• Employer premium support for Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Optional employee paid insurance - life, AD&D, Short Term Disability
• Paid time off – vacation, personal hours, sick
• Paid holidays
• Oregon PERS retirement
• Tuition waivers

This Position posting closes on  07.13.2026

An Application is complete when the following have been uploaded:

• A Resume
• A Cover Letter

Oregon Coast Community College (OCCC) is shaping the future of higher education in Lincoln County.

In support of our mission, all OCCC employees demonstrate commitment to: 

• Participation in cross-functional collaboration across the College. 
• Continuous improvement. 
• Understanding that student success is at the center of every staff position at the College. 
• Having an entrepreneurial mindset and propensity to “see what is possible.” 
• Exhibit collegiality and respect for everyone. 
• Being excited about and committed to advancing OCCC’s future: continued independent accreditation, growth and a great place to work. 

Position Summary

Under the direction of the Dean of Academic Foundation & Student Success, the Benefits Navigator & STEP Coordinator provides holistic, non-academic support to address barriers that prevent certificate and degree completion. This position is responsible for identifying, recruiting, and assisting students in applying for local, state, and federal resources, with a dedicated focus on coordinating the SNAP Training and Employment Program (STEP).

Operating under a proactive case management model, this role links students with internal campus programs (including ABE/GED/ESOL) and external partner agencies, guiding participants through personalized career education pathways to college or the workforce.

Duties and Responsibilities

Outreach, Recruitment & Agency Partnerships

• Facilitate recruitment and communication with potential and current students, specifically focusing on SNAP recipients, through the Department of Human Services (DHS), workforce partners, and community organizations.
• Develop and deliver classroom presentations, table at community events, and organize informational workshops or guest presentations regarding available community services.
• Act as the primary campus liaison for workforce and social service agencies to streamline direct student referrals and shared case management.
• Serve as an internal expert for OCCC faculty and staff to increase institutional awareness of external student resources.

Case Management & Career Advising

• Work with STEP-eligible participants to co-create a Career Education Plan that maps out educational options leading to a college certificate, degree, or career advancement pathway.
• Monitor student progress using a proactive case management approach, managing early alerts, and intervening timely to encourage student accountability and successful outcomes.
• Collaborate with foundational education programs (ABE/GED/ESOL) to help transitional students determine the educational options best suited to their long-term career goals.
• Assist participants with job search strategies, job readiness training, and connections to work-based learning opportunities or career fairs.

Data Integrity & Administration

• Input student and participant data into institutional and state tracking systems to ensure the integrity of compliance reporting.
• Maintain secure, confidential student files, records, and documentation in compliance with privacy standards.
• Prepare required regular reports on student progress, milestone achievements, and program outcomes for institutional and grant-funding compliance.

Miscellaneous

• Participates in training, in-services and professional development 
• Supports student success through participation in college committee work, Welcome Week, OCCC Cares, Commencement and/or related activities.
• Performs other duties, as assigned, that support the College’s mission.

The list of essential functions is intended to be representative of the tasks performed by this position. The omission of an essential function does not preclude management from assigning duties not listed herein if such functions are a logical assignment to the position.

Supervisory Responsibility

This position does not have any supervisory responsibility but may lead the work of Student, Volunteer, and/or Temporary Staff assigned to the area.

Leading Work includes:

• Train and orient new hires in position tasks.
• Provide instructions on work tasks.
• Offer guidance, encouragement, and answer questions to ensure work tasks are completed efficiently.
  

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in education, psychology, social services, or equivalent educational background. 
• 6 months or more relatable employment or volunteer time.

OR

• Any combination of relevant education and experience will be considered on a year for year basis. (Example: Associates Degree + 2 years of experience, etc.)

Preferred Qualifications

• Student services experience in the areas of advising, testing, financial aid, or otherwise.
• Experience in case management, crisis intervention, employment services, recruitment, training programs, social-work, or related experience.
• Bilingual – Spanish

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Qualifications

• Knowledge of public benefits programs, including SNAP/STEP, and community resource systems 
• Ability to identify and incorporate continuous changes in federal and state policies and procedures, ensuring OCCC compliance.
• Skilled in outreach, recruitment, and public presentation skills for engaging diverse populations.
• Ability to build and maintain collaborative partnerships with community organizations and workforce agencies
• Ability to work collaboratively with people from a wide variety of cultural and socio-economic backgrounds.
• Ability to analyze, organize and manage multiple priorities
• Empathic listening, problem-solving, and conflict-resolution abilities
• Skilled in cultural competency and the ability to communicate effectively in a culturally sensitive manner with both individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds.
• Understanding of community college student services, retention strategies, and transitional education pathways (ABE/GED/ESOL) 
• Skilled in case management, including individualized support planning and monitoring 
• Proficiency in data entry, case tracking systems, and maintaining accurate, compliant records
• Skilled in identifying student barriers and connecting individuals to appropriate support services.

Working Environment & Physical Requirements

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to: 

• Sit, see and talk or hear. 
• Have mobility to move between offices, classrooms, and floors.
• Use hands to finger, handle or operate computers, objects, tools or controls.
• Reach with hands and arms. 
• Occasionally bend, stoop, and pull.
• Occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and have the ability to carry equipment and tools of moderate weight, using arms and hands. 
• Have vision and hearing abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus, and complete and maintain various types of records. 
• Hear the conversational voice and effectively communicate responses.
• Work in an office environment with potential for interruptions and background noise.

Assignment will include presence at all primary OCCC locations and may include evening and weekend work. Travel between College sites and other locations will be required. Occasional travel and overnight stays outside of Lincoln County may be required for training and other purposes.

The use of tobacco and smoke-emitting materials and devices including electronic cigarettes, is prohibited on all College Property, including OCCC’s building exteriors and parking lots.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

We strive to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool, and we encourage applications from persons with varied backgrounds and perspectives.

In support of Oregon Veterans Preference in Public Employment, we encourage veterans and veterans with disabilities to explore employment opportunities at Oregon Coast Community College.

All positions at Oregon Coast Community College are required to be available for work onsite as requested by the college. 

Employees must maintain Oregon residency as a condition of employment.

Federal law prohibits the College from employing an individual who has not provided documentation for verification by the third day of employment.

Contact Human Resources if you need assistance and/or an accommodation to aid your participation in our hiring process, contact Human Resources at 541-867-8515.

• Notice of Affirmative Action Policy- It is the policy of Oregon Coast Community College not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity,  marital status, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or family relationship (ORS 659.340), in admission and access to, or treatment in, employment, educational programs, or activity as required by Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, and their implementing regulations.