Job Description

College and Career Specialist

ABOUT ALLIANCE COLLEGE-READY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Alliance College-Ready Public Schools is one of the largest and most successful nonprofit public charter school networks in the nation, operating 26 high-performing, public charter middle and high schools that educate nearly 13,000 scholars from Los Angeles' most underserved communities. Alliance schools have been recognized as among the best in the nation by US News & World Report, Newsweek, the U.S. Department of Education, and the California Department of Education. Since opening its first school in 2004, 95% of Alliance scholars have graduated from high school and been accepted to college. We strive to truly change the life trajectories of our scholars and communities. Now is the time to join our collaborative community to make long-lasting change across Los Angeles.

ROLE SUMMARY

The College and Career Specialist supports Alliance's vision of 75% of students graduating with a degree from a 4-year university. This role develops strategies and executes upon the strategies to support college awareness and career exploration among all grade levels of the school through direct-to-student programming and through the identification and development of community partnerships. The ideal candidate will have significant knowledge, experience and expertise of various higher education institutions (admissions, the community college transfer process, financial aid, student support services, etc) and career exploration from 9-12th grade.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

College Awareness and Career Exploration Program Management

• Oversee college awareness and career exploration programming and outcomes among all grade levels
• Design, coordinate and implement student services at all grade levels including (but not limited to): college campus visits, managing students completion of the college matriculation process, completion of financial aid applications, and one-on-one guidance to ensure students understand financial aid packages
• Mentor students through the career exploration and job search process by leading 1-on-1 career coaching discussions and tracking students' career exploration activities
• Collaborate with Parent Engagement Specialist to provide college awareness and career exploration services to parents
• Work with Alliance Home Office College Success Coordinator on Alliance-wide initiatives such as Alliance Mentorship Program (AMP), College Fair, etc.
• Participate in Alliance-Wide Professional Development related to college readiness and colleges success, as applicable
• Attend a variety of workshops, meetings, trainings, and conferences to maintain current knowledge of graduation requirements, college entrance and financial aid requirements, career technical education development, and pathway development.
• Update Naviance college admission and matriculation reports in consultation with high school counselors
• Ensure program outcomes are met within budget
• Design and teach career preparation curriculum to high school students

Community Partnership Development

• Develop and execute upon strategy to gain community partnerships to support students through college awareness and career exploration
• Contribute to recruiting discussions and recommending students for internship opportunities with corporate and non-profit partners

Alumni Support

• Plan and lead professional development workshop and events for college students
• Provide direct support to alumni through individual advisement regarding college enrollment, accessing resources, and career readiness and exploration
• Manage an alumni communication platform showcasing outstanding graduates, news, information, and resources
• Manage alumni data by updating contact information, college enrollment status, work status, etc utilizing an Alliance-wide alumni tracking tool
• Create bi-annual report to all stakeholders, including school leadership, parents, and community partners highlighting work accomplishments, and future goals
• Collaborate with site support staff including but not limited to Counselors, Psychologist, Parent Liaison and School Administrators

THE STRONGEST CANDIDATES WILL

• Believe. Hold the belief that all scholars, regardless of their economic or social demographics, deserve a quality education and can earn a four-year college degree.
• Social Justice. Desire to be a part of Alliance's social justice mission, integrating anti-racist, student-centered instruction, and working in systemically underserved communities in Los Angeles.
• Culture. Demonstrate an ability to develop a positive, achievement-oriented, supportive, and collaborative culture of high expectations that motivates and inspires scholars to learn at college-preparatory levels.
• Expertise. Have strong academic content expertise, instructional and classroom culture skills, and in-depth knowledge of effective evaluation and assessment techniques to drive scholar learning. Thrive in an environment of high expectations and collaboration.
• Mindset. Hold a growth mindset and commit to continuously honing their craft.
• Relationship-Building. Have strong interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills with both children and adults.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree required
• At least 4 years of experience working within the college awareness, career exploration and community partnership arena is required.

Skills

• Track record of success in in supporting first generation college students and/or higher education
• Proven ability to understand community needs and goals, and set a strategic vision to meet those goals with limited budget.
• Excellent project management and organizational skills - able to set priorities and manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Ability to work with others to execute upon strategic vision
• Excellent interpersonal skills, capable of interacting with professionals in a variety of roles, school administrators, students, parents, community members, and other stakeholders o Ability to track and analyze data to identify trends, evaluate the effectiveness of programs and adjust programs in real-time based on incoming data

Fit with Alliance Organizational Culture

• Ability to learn quickly and effectively function in a fast-paced and dynamic environment o Willingness to go above and beyond to contribute to the success of a dynamic team o Flexible, optimistic approach, and comfort with change and ambiguity
• Commitment to the success of all Alliance students and specifically to raising the academic achievement of children in high-poverty communities

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

• Compensation: Alliance provides competitive salaries, which are reviewed every three years. Based on relevant prior work experience, the salary range for this role is $64,500 - $71,000. Please click HERE for more information on our salary schedule.
• Health Insurance: Medical, dental, and vision plans options are covered at 100% of monthly premiums for individual employees and at least $1,000 per month towards medical family plan premiums.
• Retirement: School staff, depending on role, may participate in the California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS) or California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS).
• Paid Leave: Regular full-time 12-month employees accrue vacation at a rate of 10 hours/month, for a maximum of 180 hours in addition to 10 national holidays as well as a week for Spring Break and a week for Winter Break. Regular full-time 11-month employees receive five weeks of paid leave as part of the academic calendar, plus sick leave that accrues at one day per month.
• Professional Development: At Alliance, we believe in supporting staff growth and provide substantial school-based and network-wide professional development support to staff.
• Recognition. Provide special recognition to staff who demonstrate their dedication inside and beyond the school

APPLICATION PROCESS

To apply, Interested candidates should submit their resume and cover letter below. Please note that only candidates who are selected for an interview will be contacted.

** PLEASE NOTE: Alliance College-Ready Public Schools requires that all team members be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 for the safety of our students, family, and staff. Team members may apply to seek a medical exemption. Regardless of your current vaccination status, our team can advise you on how to fulfill this important requirement so that you can start the position in a timely way. **

Research shows that while men apply to jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the requirements, women and other underrepresented people tend to only apply when they match every criteria. If you think you meet some of the qualifications, but don't necessarily check every box in the job description, we encourage you to still apply. If you have questions contact the Staffing Team at JoinUs@laalliance.org.

Alliance College-Ready Public Schools are tuition-free public charter schools that do not discriminate against any scholar, parent, community member, or staff member on the basis of actual or perceived ancestry, age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.

See where our schools are in Los Angeles

Map Key:

• Red Dots: Middle Schools
• Green Dots: High Schools
• Yellow Dot: Alliance Home Office

*Please mention you saw this ad on AcademicJobs.*

Apply Now