College Access Program Coordinator, Middle School

*Cover Letter and Resume Required*

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 Coordinator is responsible for developing college-bound identity and culture in partnership with College Access middle schools and other content providers. The Coordinator will design and implement student and parent workshops, host and support events, and build relationships with students, parents, college access partners, school site staff, and other relevant persons to ensure that the work of the College Access Team addresses the needs of all students, including those historically underrepresented. 

Under the supervision of the College Access Program Manager, the Program Coordinator will:

School Programming

• Ensure that a cohort of middle school students effectively participate in College and Career Readiness programming through direct services and partnerships with relevant content providers
• Design and facilitate workshops and other activities to increase student knowledge about college systems, financial aid literacy, career exploration, and scholarships
• Organize college and career exploration activities, such as career fairs, college visits, and guest speaker events, to expose students to a wide range of post-secondary options
• Develop and sustain connections with school counseling and administrative staff as well as with college access collaborative partners

Scholarships

• Support families in signing up for the K-8 Oakland Promise Scholarship
• Become well informed about all of Oakland Promise’s scholarship programs
• Liaise with school stakeholders to keep them informed about current Oakland Promise scholarship sign ups for their families and develop initiatives to drive enrollment and engagement

Family Engagement

• Inform families about the OP Scholarship and College Savings Accounts, organizing informational sessions and workshops
• In coordination with the K-12 team, design and facilitate regular virtual family workshops centered around college affordability, helping your child to be high school ready, and other topics relevant to college & career preparation
• Identify and attend high-leverage school and community events to amplify Oakland Promise’s services

Other

• Engage actively in professional development opportunities including conferences, workshops, team meetings, observations and debrief cycles, webinars, and department meetings
• Maintain a strong working knowledge of colleges and universities, including staying current on 6-12 education policies related to college access work
• Collaborate with the Impact and Evaluation team to ensure timely collection of impact data
• Support with at least three organization-wide events each year, outside of College Access requirements
• Attend school events and Oakland Promise meetings as required
• Other related duties and projects as assigned

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree with a minimum of 2 years of experience working with under-resourced youth and managing programs/projects, along with a proven track record of successful relationships and program impact Alternatively, an Associate’s degree with a minimum of 4 years experience in the same capacity will also be considered
• Knowledge of higher education access and financing, student financial aid, and postsecondary education entrance processes as well as financial aid processes for undocumented youth
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple competing deadlines
• Experience with Salesforce and Outcome Tracker platforms and tools
• 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
• Own a vehicle for travel to sites

 Preferred Qualifications

• Experience offering direct services to high-priority students, families, and communities in 6-12 schools
• Experience in college access and persistence, high school advising, or related fields
• Experience with Salesforce, SurveyMonkey, and Outcome Tracker
• 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 salary range for this role is $70,000-$73,000 based on skill set 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 (MS) Program Coordinator” 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.