Retention Specialist, La Plaza

Position Title Retention Specialist, La Plaza About the University

Western Washington University, with over 15,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 90,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Western has additional sites in Anacortes, Bremerton, Everett, Port Angeles, and Poulsbo. Western is recognized nationally for its successes, such as being named one of the top public master's-granting institutions in the Pacific Northwest for 25 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report.

Western Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success, increasing our Washington impact, and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity. Western's greatest strength is the outstanding students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae who make up its community. Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can thrive. In pursuit of this excellence, individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff, faculty, administration, student, and external constituents. Further, individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic, societal, environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties.

About the Department Multicultural Student Services supports Western's mission, which states that together with our students, staff, and faculty, we are committed to making a positive impact in the state and the world with a shared focus on academic excellence and inclusive achievement. We encourage applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and other candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and with diverse experiences interested in this opportunity.

Established in 2021, the Office of Multicultural Student Services (MSS) is dedicated to supporting and serving all students, with a special focus on those from historically marginalized communities. We provide leadership and guidance for a variety of student organizations and resources, including the Black Student Coalition (BSC), Blue Resource Center (BRC), Ethnic Student Center (ESC), and La Plaza. Soon, MSS will also be home to an Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) cultural center.

About the Position The La Plaza Retention Specialist is responsible for the daily operations, programming, and student engagement at the La Plaza Latine resource center. The Retention Specialist for La Plaza is a key retention agent at Western centering Latine students and that develops and creates bridges to academic and co-curricular resources, advises and supports students with culturally-appropriate and inclusive services, and supports the holistic wellbeing and thriving of Western Washington University (WWU) students through co-curricular programming, supportive advising and counseling, and referrals to other university and community resources.

The Retention Specialist will be supervised by the Director of Multicultural Student Services and will collaborate with the staff and programs within The Office of Multicultural Student Services, LGBTQ+ Western, and Disability Access Center. Together, the three departments make up The Centers for Student Access, Community, and Intercultural Engagement Unit within Academic Affairs.

The Retention Specialist will also collaborate with community partners and organizations to bridge relationships with prospective students, current students, alumni, and community members.

Primary Responsibilities  

Program Development & Management (30%) 

• Program development and management Duties include: Manage the daily operations of the La Plaza, the Latine Student Resource Center.  

• Create, implement, and assess comprehensive co-curricular programming and events centering Latine identities and experiences such as the welcome event La Bienvenida, Dia De Los Muertos with Whatcom Community College, and the Si Se Pudo Celebration of Graduates. This program should provide resources, support, referrals, celebrations, and advocacy.  

• Provide intersectional programmatic support such as partnering with LGBTQ+ Western, Disability Access Center, and Tribal Liaison Office Develop, implement, assess, and enhance programs and services for Latine students to support their enrollment, retention, satisfaction, and completion.  

• Chair the Latine Student Support Network  

• Chair the Latine Heritage Month committee  

• Support University Admissions, Compass to Campus, and other programs in hosting Latine student centered recruitment efforts  

• Create a welcoming and inclusive environment that supports all student success, centering Latine student success 

Supervision, engagement, and advising (30%) 

• Recruit, hire, train, and supervise student employees.  

• Supervise 8-10 student employees Advise ESC clubs, centering clubs celebrating and honoring Latine identity. Includes liaising with Club Activities Office and faculty and staff club advisors.  

• Advise individual students to support their development, academic success, and holistic well-being.  

• Provide connections to additional university and community resources as appropriate.  

• Provide direct outreach to current and prospective students. Participate in speaking and tabling opportunities and at events including Fall Info Fair and events hosted by Admissions, University Residences, and the Counseling and Wellness Center.  

• Foster a supportive and student-centered environment to empower and equip students with skills and strategies to engage in self-advocacy and be academically successful.

Institutional support and guidance (20%) 

• Collaborate and consult with departments in and beyond The Centers to embed appropriate resources throughout our student services.  

• Meet regularly with fellow supervisors of student staff  

• Develop, implement, and assess student staff training with other staff members Represent The Office of Multicultural Student Services and The Centers at university committees  

• Participate in strategic planning for MSS and The Centers and contribute to assessment, communication, and reporting about programming and services provided by La Plaza, including annual reporting.  

• Support the Director of the Office of Multicultural Student Services on policies, procedures, and issues relevant to La Plaza operations and programming.  

• Research and share best practices with faculty, staff, and administrators to support Latine communities in navigating and succeeding academically. Develop and implement a structure for sharing promising practices and resources with colleagues on an ongoing basis.

Administration (15%) 

• Ensure compliance with applicable university policies and procedures, including record retention requirements. Coordinate appropriate training with student staff to support compliance with requirements in ways that build student leadership.  

• Manage the Latine Center annual budget of approximately $200,000 in collaboration with the Director of Multicultural Student Services. Including professional staff salary and benefits, student staff salaries, and programmatic budget across multiple funding streams  

• Manage public platforms for communication and resource provision, including maintaining the La Plaza website and developing the La Plaza social media presence to support student engagement  

• Participate in strategic planning for MSS and The Centers and contribute to communication and reporting about programming and services provided by the Latine Center, including annual reporting.  

Other Duties as Assigned (5%): 

• Participate in division and university committees and initiatives as assigned by the Director of the Office of Multicultural Student Services 

• Participate in regular professional development regarding community, accessibility, and intercultural engagement 

• Support the management of the Ethnic Student Center programs and front-desk with other professional staff 

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree and one year of relevant work experience in student affairs, student services, or higher education, or a bachelor's degree in a relevant field and two years of relevant work experience in student affairs, student services, or higher education, or an equivalent combination of education and professional work experience.
• Knowledge of current and historical statewide and national Latine student movements and historical issues impacting Latine student success.
• Experience effectively advising students and/or young adult leaders of programs, clubs, or organizations to support student leadership development, including demonstrated success providing culturally responsive advising services to BIPOC students.
• Ability to orient Latine students to the culture of the university and provide support services to help Latine students achieve their personal, academic, and professional goals.
• Experience designing and facilitating programming and trainings that advance positive identity development and build leadership skills for students who hold multiple marginalized identities, with a specific focus on Latine populations.
• Demonstrated ability to engage students of diverse identities in intercultural learning and dialogue.
• Experience supervising student employees.
• Strong small and large group facilitation skills and written communication skills.
• Ability to develop and manage budgets.
• Knowledge of student leadership and student development theories and their applications in practice.
• Excellent professional judgment and the ability to make decisions that align with organizational mission and goals.
• Demonstrated ability to perform job responsibilities collaboratively with colleagues and students across departments and disciplines.
• Demonstrated organizational and time management skills, with ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a field related to job responsibilities, for example Student Affairs Administration, Education, Ethnic or Cultural Studies, or Psychology.
• Demonstrated leadership experience in multicultural services or identity-based resource centers in higher education.
• Demonstrated skills and experience in strategic assessment of programs, services, and/or student learning outcomes.
• Fluency in Spanish.

Conditions of Employment All employees must comply with our Immunization policies, including Proof of Rubeola Measles Immunity within 60-days of hire. Please reach out to HR@wwu.edu if you need information regarding medical or religious exemption and applicable accommodations. Salary Hiring range is $63,206 - $72,686/year depending on qualifications and experience.  Through longevity position will top out at $82,166/year. Benefits Information

Benefits Overview for Administrative Professional Position.

Application Instructions

A cover letter and resume are required and should address your experience related to the position responsibilities and the required and preferred qualifications. Please include the names and contact information of three professional references. References will only be contacted if necessary, with notice provided beforehand.

Closing Date Notes Application review begins May 28, 2026; position is open until filled.

Western Washington University (WWU) is an equal opportunity employer. In compliance with applicable laws, WWU does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, age, citizenship or immigration status, pregnancy, use of protective leave, genetic status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, creed, religion, veteran or military status, disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal (including a service animal in training) by a person with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law, in its programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs. See WWU’s Policies on Prohibiting Discrimination Based on A Protected Class and Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Sex. Inquiries may be directed to the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance, Title IX and ADA Coordinator, Western Washington University, Old Main 126 (MS 9021), 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225; 360.650.3307 (voice) or 711 (Washington Relay); crtc@wwu.edu

WWU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request an accommodation, please contact Human Resources Disability Services, 360.650.3751 or 711 (Washington Relay).

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report: This report is provided pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act ("The Clery Act"). It includes statistics for the previous three calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on Western's campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Western; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. You can obtain a copy of this report in printed or alternate formats by contacting the Office of Student Life at student.life@wwu.edu. The report can be found at: Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.

All new employees must comply with the immunization policy and show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service before beginning work at WWU. A thorough background check will be conducted on all new hires which includes a sexual misconduct background check.