The Placement Specialist reports directly to the Campus Director of Blue-X Virtual Learning, along with other departmental personnel, to perform position requirements, workflow, and assist with other duties as assigned. The Placement Specialist supports student success by providing academic advising, transcript evaluation, graduation planning, course placement, and College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) guidance. This position works collaboratively with Managing Instructors, Learning Mentors, Facilitators, administrators, students, and families to ensure students are appropriately scheduled, remain on track toward graduation, and are informed of postsecondary opportunities that align with their individual goals.

The Placement Specialist serves as a subject matter expert in graduation requirements, transcript analysis, academic planning, college and career readiness, and student placement while supporting departmental initiatives and special projects across the virtual school.

Qualifications:  

Education/Certification

• High School Diploma/GED required
• Associate's Degree or Bachelor's Degree preferred
• Teaching certification or school counseling certification preferred, but not required

Experience

• Two to five years of experience in academic advising, student records, transcript evaluation, scheduling, registrar services, counseling support, or related educational services preferred.
• Experience working in a virtual education environment is preferred.
• Experience with graduation planning, College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR), Career and Technical Education (CTE), or postsecondary advising preferred.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs)

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong understanding of graduation requirements, transcript evaluation, and academic planning.
• Working knowledge of College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR), Career and Technical Education (CTE), dual enrollment opportunities, and postsecondary pathways.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to prioritize multiple projects and meet established deadlines.
• Strong customer service skills with a student-centered mindset.
• Advanced proficiency with student information systems (SIS), Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and virtual collaboration platforms.
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with students, families, and colleagues.
• Ability to work independently while maintaining effective communication in a virtual environment.

Responsibilities and Duties:  

Student Placement and Academic Planning

• Review and evaluate student academic records to ensure accurate transcript entry, credit evaluation, and graduation planning.
• Develop and maintain individualized graduation plans aligned with state graduation requirements and student goals.
• Assist students and families with academic planning, course selection, scheduling, and graduation pathway decisions.
• Ensure student schedules accurately reflect graduation requirements, credit needs, and academic progress.
• Monitor assigned students' progress toward graduation and recommend adjustments as needed.
• Maintain accurate student schedules, graduation plans, and academic records in all required systems.

Records Management and Compliance

• Request, review, verify, and maintain student academic records from previous schools.
• Follow up on missing or incomplete records to ensure accurate student placement.
• Ensure transcript accuracy and compliance with applicable state graduation requirements.
• Assist with graduation audits and end-of-year student record verification.
• Support department reporting and data collection related to graduation, scheduling, testing, and student placement.
• Maintain accurate documentation of student communications and academic records.

Collaboration & Student Support

• Collaborate with Managing Instructors, Learning Mentors, Facilitators, administrators, and other staff to support student academic success.
• Participate in conferences with students and families regarding graduation plans, scheduling, and academic progress.
• Respond to student and family questions regarding transcripts, graduation requirements, scheduling, and postsecondary planning.
• Provide timely, accurate, and professional communication while maintaining exceptional customer service.
• Participate in department meetings, professional development, and training opportunities.

College, Career & Military Readiness (CCMR)

• Assist students and families in exploring college, career, military, and workforce opportunities aligned with their interests and goals.
• Provide guidance regarding graduation pathways, Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, dual enrollment opportunities, industry certifications, and postsecondary planning resources.
• Support school-wide College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) initiatives by helping students understand available opportunities and ensuring appropriate documentation of participation.
• Collaborate with school leadership and staff to promote scholarships, financial aid resources, career exploration, and workforce readiness activities.
• Coordinate or assist with virtual informational sessions, college and career events, and postsecondary planning activities as assigned.

Department Operations

• Manage assigned projects and departmental initiatives independently.
• Support standardized testing activities, graduation preparation, and other campus initiatives.
• Assist with graduation planning, ceremonies, and distribution of graduation materials.
• Meet established deadlines and maintain a high level of organization and professionalism.
• Participate in ongoing professional development to remain current on graduation requirements, postsecondary opportunities, and applicable state regulations.
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

Equipment Used:

All equipment required to perform jobs duties and tasks previously described. 

Physical / Environmental Factors:

The physical demands 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. Blue-X considers applicants for all positions without regards to race, color, national origin, age, religion, sex, marital status, veteran or military status, disability, or any other legally protected status. Being authorized to work in the U.S. is a precondition of employment Blue-X is an Equal Opportunity Employer.