College Access Program Operations Associate

Cover Letter and Resume Required

About Oakland Promise

Oakland Promise’s (“OP”) mission is to engage the Oakland community to advance equity and economic mobility through cradle-to-career achievement.  OP is available to young learners (from newborns to college students) and their families who reside in Oakland.  We offer every child the financial resources, educational programming, mentorship, and supportive community to help them and their families seek out and thrive in higher education and the career of their choosing.  OP achieves its work through four key programs: Brilliant Baby, College Access, College Access, and College Completion.

The College Access team provides group advising, coordinates and aligns resources, and plans structured activities to promote college and career access for all students. Partnerships with other college and career access organizations provide additional capacity to carry out the OP’s work in OUSD and public charter middle and high schools and ensure that the services and support are coordinated, minimizing duplication and maximizing opportunities for students. 

The College Access team is the middle and high school program component of our K-12 team. More broadly, College Access is one of four programs within the Oakland Promise working to ensure that every child will graduate from high school with the expectation, skills, and resources to complete college and/or be successful in the career of their choice.

About the role

The Program Operations Associate will be primarily responsible for maintaining the operations of the College Access team, which is part of the K-12 team. The Associate will support the team with ensuring the College Access department and K-12 teams are running smoothly; responsibilities include data tracker, communications development and stakeholder engagement. In addition to these responsibilities, the Program Associate will support the team in accomplishing its work to achieve our goals and address the needs of all students we serve, especially those historically underrepresented. 

Under the supervision of the Director of K-12, the Program Operations Associate will:

Systems & Organizational Support:

• Develop a system of organization for partner management – cadence for meetings, notes tracking system and more.
• Support with program operations including ordering food for events & programming materials, and assisting with coordinating program calendars
• Liaise with the finance department to ensure proper record keeping, including tracking all expenses as they relate to the fiscal year budget; this also includes acting as the team’s point person for inputting expenses in Concur
• Maintain College Access data tracking in Asana, Concur, Salesforce, Outcome Tracker, and other required applications and tools to track. This may include generating reports as required.

Communication & Marketing Across K-12 programs (K2C & College Access):

• Develop and implement innovative and high-impact communication materials, including online content, newsletters, flyers, postcards, and multimedia resources to promote K2C and College Access programming for students in grades K-12 and their families.
• Facilitate the translation of team materials, multimedia content, and communication graphics, as well as interpretation at live and/or virtual events.
• Maintain an up-to-date K2C & College Access program materials, ensuring that all information, deadlines, and events promptly reflect any updates.
• Collaborate with Development and Communications teams to develop and maintain a Oakland Promise 12th Grade Scholarships volunteer program. Train and deploy volunteers as needed to support the K2C and College Access programs.

Support with engagement events:

• Assist program coordinators in the development and implementation of student and parent engagement activities, programming (MS visits, scholarship presentations, K-8th Grade Scholarship etc.), college tours, and resource development.
• Support the College Access team in advancing key initiatives, including but not limited to the promotion, administration, and awarding of OP scholarships, organizing and executing events, and assisting with school site events.
• Attend school events and OP meetings as required.

Other:

• Engage actively in professional development opportunities, including conferences, workshops, team meetings, observations, debrief cycles, webinars, department meetings, and team step-backs.
• Maintain a strong working knowledge of colleges and universities, including staying current on K-12 education policies related to college and career.
• Support with at least three organization-wide events each year, outside of K2C and College Access requirements.
• Other related duties and projects as assigned.
• Some evening and weekend hours will be required.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree with a minimum of 1 year of experience working with under-resourced youth and successfully managing impactful projects. Alternatively, an Associate’s degree with a minimum of 3 years experience in the same capacity will also be considered.  
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple competing deadlines. 
• Experience with finance and data management and reporting tools and techniques.
• Excellent interpersonal and writing skills.
• Deep commitment to and passion for the vision of the Oakland Promise: That every child in Oakland will graduate from high school with the expectations, skills, and resources to complete college and be successful in a career of their choice. 
• Ability to pass a background check, and TB test. 
• Proficient in Google Suite, Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Some evening and weekend hours will be required
• Own vehicle/transportation for travel to sites

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working with high-priority students, families, and communities in 6-12 schools.
• Experience in college access/persistence, high school counseling, or related fields.
• Experience with Canva or other design software.
• Experience with Concur, Salesforce, Survey Monkey, and Outcome Tracker is desirable.
• Experience with public speaking.
• Knowledge of higher education access and financing, student financial aid, and postsecondary education entrance processes as well as financial aid processes for undocumented youth.
• Knowledge of, and connections to, Oakland’s educational climate and communities.
• Fluent in a second language other than English.

Compensation and Benefits:

• Full-time exempt position
• The hiring salary range for this role is $66,560 – $68,000 based on skill sets and experience.
• Oakland Promise offers a competitive benefits package, which includes dental / health/ vision, paid vacations and sick days, and a 401k match of up to 3%.
• Oakland Promise currently has a hybrid work policy.
• The ability to learn and grow within a supportive team environment.
• An opportunity to network and interact with leaders in the community.

Application Process:

To apply: Please send a thoughtful cover letter and resume with the job title, “College Access Program Operations Associate” to [email protected].

Unfortunately, the volume of applications will prevent us from responding to all applications received.

Failure to follow these instructions may delay the review of your application. Applications will be reviewed immediately and candidates with the best fit will be contacted for interviews. Unfortunately, the volume of applications will prevent us from responding to all applications received.

Oakland Promise is a place-based organization located in Oakland, California. Oakland Promise requires that employees work in person at various engagements. Currently, Oakland Promise staff are working in a hybrid model, with some work being done remotely and some work being done in the office or at specific locations in or around Oakland. It is a requirement that all staff reside within commuting distance to the main office, located at 484 9th Street, Oakland, CA 94607. Please note that at any time, a full in-person work plan may be required, and it is of utmost importance that all staff are able to meet this requirement.

Oakland Promise is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Oakland Promise is committed to providing a work environment free of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and disrespectful or other unprofessional conduct based on sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), sex stereotype, race, religion (including religious dress and grooming practices), color, gender (including gender identity, gender expression, and transgender), national origin (including language use restrictions and possession of a driver’s license issued under Vehicle Code section 12801.9), ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, registered domestic partner status, age, sexual orientation, military, and veteran status or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law or ordinance or regulation. It also prohibits discrimination, harassment, disrespectful or unprofessional conduct based on the perception that anyone has any of those characteristics, or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of those characteristics.