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Student Assistance Specialist

Student Assistance Specialist

  • JR10012865
  • Hybrid
  • Madison, Wisconsin
  • Academic Services and Student Experience
  • Full time
  • Closing at: Jul 30 2026 - 11:00pm CDT
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Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.

Job Category:

Academic Staff

Employment Type:

Regular

Job Profile:

Case Manager

Job Summary:

Working in a collaborative team environment, the Office of Student Assistance and Support (OSAS) is dedicated to driving student success. In this role, you will serve all students while specializing in basic needs support, responding directly to student crisis situations and connecting individuals with critical resources.

A primary focus of this position includes overseeing the daily operations of the Open Seat Food Pantry, where you will ensure equitable access to food and essential supplies across campus. As a Case Manager / Student Assistance Specialist, you will directly supervise the Open Seat Graduate Advisor while providing indirect leadership, mentorship, training, and operational oversight to the undergraduate student team.

This position is located on campus and offers the option for a hybrid work schedule (80% on-site / 20% remote) to provide strong direct support for our student body and pantry operations.

Key Job Responsibilities:

  • Serve on campus committees related to basic needs and food security
  • Oversee operations of Open Seat Food Pantry, including direct supervision of the Open Seat Graduate Advisor and indirect supervision of undergraduate student employees of Open Seat
  • Prepares reports based on documented data as needed
  • Assesses needs of students/clients and provides or recommends interdisciplinary care
  • Creates, implements, coordinates, and monitors treatment plans to assist students/clients in meeting wellness goals
  • Documents all cases and accurately maintains records of cases discussed
  • Serves as primary resource and referral source for students/clients in dealing with a crisis and/or mental health issues

Department:

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Student Advocacy, Office of Student Assistance and Support (OSAS)

The Office of Student Assistance and Support (OSAS) creates a culture of care on campus by connecting students to support student success. The office assists with academic, financial, health, family emergencies and other difficulties. The office supports ALL students, including graduate and professional students. The office also consults with faculty, staff, parents, and community members to help support overall student success.

The Open Seat Food Pantry strives to provide healthy and nutritious food and hygiene products for students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. We aim to ensure all students can focus on their success rather than the source of their next meal.

OSAS is part of Student Affairs at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, led by the vice chancellor for student affairs. Our staff is dedicated to serving students and to helping them succeed in and out of the classroom in areas including health and well-being, student success and belonging, leadership and engagement, and student advocacy.

Compensation:

The expected starting salary range for this position is $58,000 up to $60,000, depending on qualifications and experience. To ensure transparency, $60,000 reflects the maximum approved budget for this role and is non-negotiable. This position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including generous paid time off, competitively priced health/dental/vision/life insurance, tax-advantaged savings accounts, and participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund. For a summary of benefits, please see https://www.wisconsin.edu/ohrwd/benefits/download/fasl.pdf

Required Qualifications:

  • Experience working in case management

  • Experience doing presentations, working with community agencies, and outreach

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Experience working with populations related to basic needs/food access

  • Experience working in higher education

  • Experience supervising staff

Education:

Bachelor's Degree Required

Master's Preferred, Higher Education, Student Development, Social Work, or related field.

How to Apply:

To begin the application process, click on the "I am a current employee" button or "I am not a current employee" button under Apply Now. You will need to upload the following documents:

1. A current resume.
2. A cover letter that addresses your qualifications, knowledge, skills, and abilities, or a past experience that would support your success in the role.

Please note that there is only one attachment field. You must upload all your documents into the one attachment field. Application reviewers will evaluate the materials you submit (your resume and cover letter) to identify qualified applicants who will advance in the recruitment process. Please ensure that your application is complete and submitted by the deadline (“apply by “date at the top of the posting) to be considered for this position.

University sponsorship is not available for this position, which includes transfers of sponsorship and TN visas. The selected applicant will be responsible for ensuring their continuous eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without the need of an employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment. UW-Madison is not an E-Verify employer, and therefore, is not eligible to employ F1 STEM OPT Extension participants.

Contact Information:

Angel Cartagena, hr@studentaffairs.wisc.edu , (608) 890-2570

Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information. 

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment. 
 
The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7). 
 
The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department.

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