College Access Program Associate, Outreach and Engagement

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.

Oakland Promise College Access  is dedicated to enhancing college and career readiness and access for all students in Oakland. We achieve this by providing, coordinating, and aligning essential resources, structured activities, and events. Our collaborative partnerships with schools and other college and career access organizations strengthen our ability to support students in grades 6-12, ensuring that every student can maximize their educational and career opportunities.

Oakland Promise is a place-based organization, necessitating all team members to be available in-person at our office, located at 484 9th Street, Oakland, California 94607. Our staff currently follows a hybrid schedule, spending at least three days collaborating either in the office or schools/community and two days working remotely. As a community organization, we prioritize doing what is best for our community work, and as such the requirement to be available for a full in-person work week may be mandated at any time.

About the Role:

The Program Associate will primarily be responsible for creating impactful communication materials for the College Access team as well as assisting with volunteer coordination, parent engagement, event organization, and supporting scholarship and college and career readiness initiatives for students in grades 6-12. The Program Associate will support the team in accomplishing its work in order to achieve our goals and to address the needs of all students we serve, especially those historically underrepresented.

Under the supervision of the College Access Director, the Program Associate will:

• Develop and implement innovative and high impact communication materials, including online content, newsletters, flyers, postcards, and multimedia resources to promote college access programming for students in grades 6-12 and their families.
• Facilitate the translation of college access materials, multimedia content, communication graphics, as well as the interpretation at live and/or virtual events.
• Collaborate with Development and Communications teams to develop and maintain a College Access volunteer program. Train and deploy volunteers as needed to support the college access program.
• Assist program coordinators in the development and implementation of student and parent engagement activities, programming, and resource development.
• Develop and implement strategies to encourage student and parent participation in College Access events and activities. Coordinate closely with team members to ensure that events resonate with the target audience.
• Maintain precise documentation of event attendance and oversee the distribution and completion of feedback surveys.
• 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.
• 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, which includes staying current on 6-12 education policy as it relates to college access work.
• Support with at least three organization-wide events each year, outside of College Access requirements.
• Attend school events and OP meetings as required.
• 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 proven track record of successful engagement and outreach impact. Alternatively, an Associate’s  degree with a minimum 3 years experience in the same capacity will also be considered.
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to details, and ability to manage multiple competing deadlines.
• Experience with marketing, social media, graphic design and communications tools and techniques.
• Excellent interpersonal and writing skills.
• Experience with public speaking.
• 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.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working with high priority students, families, and communities in 6-12 schools.
• Experience in either college access/persistence, high school counseling, or related fields.
• Experience with Salesforce, Survey Monkey, and Outcome Tracker is desirable.
• Knowledge of higher education financing, student financial aid, and postsecondary education entrance processes as well as financial aid processes for undocumented
• 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 range for this role is $ 55,000 to $72,000 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 up to 3%.
• Oakland Promise currently has a hybrid work policy that requires 3 days a week, in-office.
• 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 include a thoughtful cover letter and resume with your name and job title, “College Access Program Associate – Outreach and Engagement” to [email protected].

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

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.