Post-Secondary Program Coordinator

Summer Search

Job Description

While young people from low-income communities – who are disproportionately young people of color – face systemic inequities in school, in the workforce, and in life, they possess unique strengths, resilience and tremendous potential. When provided with support and resources, these young people fulfill their potential and achieve success in school, work and life.
 
Through a combination of mentoring and transformative experiences, Summer Search supports young people to successfully transition from adolescence into adulthood. We aim to unleash the potential of our young people while also building a toolkit for navigating and challenging systemic barriers to higher education and career opportunities.
 
THE OPPORTUNITY
The Post-Secondary Program Coordinator is an exciting and dynamic position at Summer Search Boston. The Post-Secondary Program Coordinator will work with participants as they plan for, transition into, and progress through their chosen post-secondary pathway whether that be college, a vocational track, a gap year program, or joining the military or workforce. The Post-Secondary Program Coordinator will also work with Post-Secondary Participants from Year 2-6 on a network-wide team comprised of mentors across the different sites, to meet participant needs.
 
This Post-Secondary Program Coordinator will join a team, comprised of 2 additional coordinators, a program manager, a career navigator and internship manager, and a director. We are passionate about working with youth and committed to building long-term, holistic, individualized relationships with each student to support them in their journey through high school and beyond.
 
WHAT YOU’LL DO
Post-Secondary Program Coordinator will be responsible for a caseload of participants between the ages of 17-24. They will support each student in developing and implementing plans that are specific to their needs, interests, and strengths as they transition from high school towards their post-secondary goals.
 
Direct Services (60%): Utilize Summer Search's approach to mentoring using lenses of trauma sensitivity, social and emotional learning, critical consciousness, and adolescent development while navigating situations commonly faced by first-generation, low-income participants. Identify, document, and connect participants to events, stakeholders, and other resources that will support them in their educational attainment, career readiness, and sense of financial well-being.
 
12th Grade - Over their senior year of high school, provide holistic, student-centered, individualized mentoring with the following:
  • Monthly 1:1 mentoring with participants.
  • In-person monthly Group Mentoring workshops.
  • Revise and implement workshops that are specific to each cohort’s needs and strengths.
  • Work with organizational partners to track student progress and engagement.
  • Provide college or alternative post-secondary pathway advising as needed.

1st Year Post High School - During their first year after high school, support their life transitions as new challenges and skills arise. This will include: 
  • 1:1 mentoring every 6 weeks with participants.
  • Refer participants to Career and Internship Manager for 1:1 coaching specific to their career goals.
  • Utilize CONNECT (Summer Search’s career resource portal) as a resource for participants to expand their network and build career readiness awareness.
  • Provide mentoring and support towards post-secondary completion and career guidance as needed.      
2-6 Years Post High School - Provide ad-hoc individualized support across the network.
  • Provide mentorship as needed for participants across all five regional offices who are: approaching college graduation, transferring schools, completing financial aid renewal, switching majors, or in need of connection to resources for their health and wellness and financial wellness support.
  • Collaborate with a network-wide cohort of Post-Secondary staff across Summer Search’s five regional offices and National Program Team to support program lifecycle (program design, delivery, and evaluation).

Alumni - Provide ad-hoc support with event planning and alumni community engagement
  • Work with the Director of Post-Secondary and Alumni Relations in cultivating Boston’s alumni community through volunteer leadership and event participation.  
 
Program Design & Delivery (25%):  
  • Enhance current group mentoring workshop curriculum on an ongoing basis to remain relevant to participant needs.  
  • In collaboration with other post-secondary program coordinators, managers, and director, support the development of new curriculum as it relates to post-secondary program.
  • Design and implement events for all post-secondary participants. 
  • Conduct intentional and strategic outreach for all post-secondary programming, including career coaching and internship program.
  • Coordinate other program pieces related to educational attainment, career readiness, SEL and financial well-being such as: scholarship processes, mass communications, college visits, high school partnerships, student retreats and other special projects as needed.
 
Data & Evaluation (15%):
  • Ensure meticulous data collection on a weekly basis in our Salesforce database to execute the organization-wide programmatic metrics and goals, such as outreach, mentoring touchpoints, matriculation. and college persistence.
  • Analyze data in collaboration with Director of Post-Secondary and Alumni Relations to adapt approaches and supports as needed.
 
WHO YOU ARE:
The Post-Secondary Program Coordinator will be a highly motivated team player who thrives in an authentic, feedback-driven culture exemplifying curiosity, empathy, teamwork, flexibility, critical consciousness, and a commitment to continuous learning. Specifically, strong candidates will bring:
  • EXPERIENCE: At least 2 years of professional experience serving first-generation students from low-income backgrounds and/or communities of color (high school or college-aged). Solid grasp of college admissions processes, alternative post-secondary pathways, financial aid cycles, and college admissions testing. Boston specific knowledge is a plus.
  • COMMUNICATION EFFECTIVENESS: Well-developed communication and interpersonal skills, with an ability to lead and facilitate group presentations and utilize active listening and reflect others’ viewpoints in relationship building with diverse groups of stakeholders. 
  • CRITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS: Demonstrated awareness and understanding of systemic and institutionalized racism facing diverse and low-income communities of color, and the historical context of privilege and power in America, with sensitivity and humility in engaging youth around these topics.  
  • SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE: Conscious awareness of one’s own and other’s emotions, motives, and desires. Supports emotional regulation and coping skills and assists others in doing the same.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: Holds self and others responsible for process, decisions, actions and commitments to results and to drive high-quality outcomes for students/participants. Is responsive to the needs of stakeholders such as student/program participants, staff members, community partners, and alumni.
  • TEAMWORK & COLLABORATION: Inspires and fosters commitment, connection, enthusiasm, and trust. Manages and resolves conflicts and handles interpersonal issues constructively.
  • TECHNOLOGY SKILLS: Proficiency in using databases and Excel for data entry and management; experience using Salesforce, or a similar student database is a plus. 
  • LANGUAGE SKILLS: Bi-lingual English/Spanish, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, Chinese a plus. 
 
In addition, all Summer Search staff bring a commitment to our mission of unleashing students’ potential through mentoring and transformative experiences, as well as the ability to thrive in an environment that values excellence, gratitude, well-being, diversity, authenticity, and collaboration.
 
WORK HOURS AND LOCATION
Work hours are Mon-Fri 10am-6pm with occasional weekend and evening special events. This position will be a hybrid remote/in-person role with 3 days in the office, 2 days working remotely, with some in-person training and meetings that may fall out of that expectation. Our programming schedule varies based on the participant needs and academic calendar, percentages mentioned above reflect responsibilities across the year.
 
Summer Search requires all its staff be vaccinated against COVID-19. Employees who are unable to be vaccinated due to a medical reason or sincerely held religious objection may be able to qualify for an exemption, consistent with state and federal law. 
 
OUR BENEFITS
We are committed to staff learning, growth and development. Our investment includes:
  • Competitive and transparent salaries. This is a non-exempt position with an hourly pay range of $30.03-31.45 per hour equivalent to $58,567-$63,198 annually. The hiring manager works with the Talent Team to place all hires appropriately within the band. We strive to maintain internal equity in compensation, while also considering prior experience.
  • Medical insurance with up to 90% employer contribution
  • Dental, vision, FSA, life and disability insurance plans
  • 401 (K) and Employer Match up to $2,000 annually
  • Generous time off including 15 vacation days, 10 sick days, and 18 holidays (2 floating holidays of your choice, a birthday day-off, 10 company-wide holidays, and a 1-week December closure).
  • Individual, local, regional and national training
  • A commitment to developing leaders from within the organization
  • An organizational culture that supports staff well-being and holistic self-care/community care
  • Ample opportunities to connect with the students and communities we serve
 
OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION
With a staff that cares deeply about social justice and racial justice, we believe that diverse perspectives and backgrounds create a rich work environment and enhance our ability to pursue our mission. We are committed to building an organization with raised consciousness in order to impact how we work with students, as well as how we work together as a team. We hope you will join us as we continue to build a justice-centered organization that fosters a work environment where people from all backgrounds are welcomed and valued.
 
TO APPLY
Submit a resume and targeted cover letter, addressed to Stephanie Tafur, that answers the question, “Why are you interested in the Post-Secondary Program Coordinator opportunity at Summer Search?”
 
SUMMER SEARCH IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.