CEL Specialist

State Title\: Professional Service Specialist 3 (PSS3)

Bargaining Unit\: AFT

Employment Type\: Full-time, 10 month, 35 hours per week

Internal salary: $57,072.15 - $91,302.36

External salary: $57,072.15 - $65,629.71

UNION POSITIONS\: The internal salary range is used for applicants who are current NJ state employees with underlying classified status for promotional calculations who meet the requirements below. The external salary range is used for candidates who are not NJ state employees and who meet the requirements below.

About TCNJ
Founded in 1855, TCNJ offers a highly personalized and collaborative liberal arts education with over 7,400 undergraduates and 700 graduate students. The college is consistently ranked among the top comprehensive colleges in the nation, offering small classes, a 13\:1 student-faculty ratio, and an immersive living-learning experience. With a 4-year graduation rate ranked #1 in New Jersey and #9 among U.S. public institutions, TCNJ is a model for public higher education.

About CEL

TCNJ’s Center for Community Engagement (CCE) is the primary administrative home to the College’s community engagement activities that integrate educational experiences with community service, student development, and civic participation. The Center is the home to two institutes\: Community Engaged Learning (CEL) Institute and the Bonner Institute. Grounded in TCNJ’s mission to “empower its diverse students, staff, and faculty to sustain and enhance their communities,” as well as TCNJ’s commitment to the public purpose of higher education, TCNJ’s CCE develops lifelong learners who are prepared to lead lives of critically informed community engagement.

The CEL Institute oversees and coordinates TCNJ’s community engaged learning activities. CEL is an educational experience in which students engage in an organized community-based activity or project that addresses community-identified needs. CEL experiences are intentionally designed to advance the communities and community members with which they engage, while developing knowledge of and experience with civic responsibility, diverse communities, social issues, and social systems and structures. CEL at TCNJ takes three primary forms\: a first-year community engaged learning experience; Introductory and Advanced CEL courses; and internships, and community engaged learning research and special projects. 
 
Position Overview\: The CEL Specialist supports the Community Engaged Learning Institute by managing the CEL Courses program with support from the CEL Director and assisting with First-Year CEL programming in coordination with the CEL Manager. This 10 month position is primarily responsible for collaborating with faculty, staff, campus partners, and community partners to design, implement, and assess meaningful community engaged learning opportunities, including CEL courses, CEL internships, CEL scholarship, and related community-based learning experiences. This role requires independent program coordination, strong faculty and partner collaboration, knowledge of CEL course design and best practices, and the ability to assess a complex program involving multiple stakeholders.

Responsibilities\: 

•  First-Year CEL Program Support

  • Support First-Year CEL programming as needed in coordination with the CEL Manager, who oversees the First-Year CEL program.

  • Assistance may include supporting service logistics, helping with service experience coordination, supporting assessment activities, and providing back-up leadership of direct service experiences, including driving 15-passenger vehicles when necessary.

• Attend and participate in Professional Development meetings, trainings, and conferences.
   

Required\: 

• Graduation from an accredited college with a Bachelor's degree supplemented by a Master's degree (preferred) in a field related to the position to be filled or equivalency as determined by the appointing authority.
• Experience in familiarity with the culture of higher education institutions and experience working with faculty.
• Experience building and maintaining community partnerships, with Trenton-area community partners preferred.
• Experience organizing and managing records and assessments.
• Experience designing and implementing plans and projects.
• Experience with community-engaged learning theory and practice.
• Experience in training and public speaking
• Familiarity with civic engagement and social change topics
• Non-provisional driver's license

Persons with disabilities may request reasonable accommodations in order to perform the essential functions of the position. If the requested accommodation(s) cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, the applicant may not be eligible for the position. Accommodation\: Applicants who require a reasonable accommodation to apply or interview should contact [email protected].
 
Employer Qualifications

Employment at TCNJ is contingent upon the successful completion of an applicable background check, reference checks, and verification of identity and authorization to work in the United States (Form I-9).

Employee Benefits
As a member of The College of New Jersey Community, you will be a part of an exciting and rewarding public college career. Eligible full-time employees will be able to take advantage of a generous benefits package that includes health, welfare, and retirement benefits, including:

• Comprehensive benefit plans covering medical, dental and prescription plans
• Generous leave entitlements program and Energy Savings Program 
• Employee and dependent Tuition Waiver and Reimbursement Program
• Pension, retirement, and deferred compensation plans, group life insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Employee affinity groups
• New Jersey State Employee Discount Program (Pet insurance, cell phone plan discounts, discounted amusement park tickets, etc.)
• Access to extensive learning opportunities 

To view a comprehensive list of benefits available to employees, visit our Health Benefits Plans and Programs page to learn more!

How to Apply

Qualified candidates should apply online and submit a letter of interest, resume (CV), as well as the names and contact information for three professional references. Applications submitted by the priority deadline of July 27, 2026, will receive primary consideration, with the review process commencing on that date. Applications will be considered until a viable finalist has been found. 

The College is committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive campus community that respects and uplifts individuals from all backgrounds. We value the varied perspectives, experiences, and talents of all members of our community and strive to create an environment where everyone has equitable access to opportunities for success. As an equal opportunity employer, we comply with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. We encourage applications from individuals whose lived experiences and professional interests align with our institutional mission of academic excellence, access, and integrity.