Program Coordinator, College Access

*Cover Letter and Resume Required and we require you to reside in Oakland, CA/Bay Area*

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 they need 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, Kindergarten to College, 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 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.

Job Summary: 

Under the supervision of the College Access Program Manager, the Coordinator is responsible for working with students, parents, and other relevant persons to support the work of the Oakland Promise College Access team. The Coordinator will also collaborate closely with team members in K-12, as well as alongside school site personnel to ensure that college access, financial literacy, family engagement, and workforce development address the needs of all students, including historically marginalized students. All aspects of program planning are addressed to ensure all students have equitable access to programs and services needed to persist through and graduate from high school and pursue post-secondary education and careers.

Job Responsibilities 

Program Implementation & Development

• Organize and facilitate monthly family workshops to support parents with understanding topics necessary for their child to be successful in high school. This will likely be expanded to include K-5th grade families over time.
• Coordinate and implement programming alongside College Access partner organizations
• Inform families about the OP Scholarship Fund and College Savings Accounts, collaborating closely with the Kindergarten to College team to strategize informational sessions and workshops
• Organize and develop programming for our 5th graders as they transition to 6th grade 
• Support families in signing up their student for their early college scholarship account
• Work with teachers/school staff to administer the surveys 

Relationship Management

• Liaise closely with school sites to increase student knowledge about college systems, financial aid literacy, career exploration, and scholarships. More specifically, support school-site staff in college and career curriculum implementation through quarterly check ins.
• Strengthen and sustain connections with school-based staff – teachers, community school managers, administrative, staff, etc.

Infrastructure-Building

• Track all program information in Salesforce
• Work alongside the Impact & Evaluation team to evaluate the effectiveness of program elements, including the family workshops, the student success program, 5th to 6th grade hand-off and more. of college access programs and initiatives through surveys, feedback, and outcome measures.

Team & Organizational Development 

• Engage in strategy and thought partnership to develop innovative programming that continues to be refined according to the needs of our community 
• Support “all hands on deck events” in K-12: 12th grade scholarship awarding season, college tours, 3rd/4th grade career conference, etc. 
• Continuously assess and enhance the college and career readiness curriculum and resources based on student needs and best practices in the field 
• Capture program content – pictures, testimonials, etc – to inform telling our programs’ story 
• Collaborate across K-12 teams with college and career workshop development 
• 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. 
• Attend school events and Oakland Promise meetings as required. 
• Engage actively in professional development opportunities including conferences, workshops, team meetings, observations and debrief cycles, webinars, and department meetings. 
• Other related duties and projects as assigned

Required Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree 
• Access to a car 
• Minimum 1-year experience working with under-resourced youth and managing programs/projects with a proven track record of successful relationships and program impact. 
• Knowledge of higher education financing, student financial aid, and postsecondary education entrance processes
• Maintain a strong working knowledge of colleges and universities, which includes staying current on high education changes.
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to details, and ability to manage multiple competing deadlines required. 
• 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 Office 
• Some evening and weekend hours

Preferred Qualifications 

• Highly Preferred – Spanish speaker 
• 2 years of professional experience in either college access/persistence, college counseling, or related skills. 
• Experience working with high-priority students, families, and communities in 6-12 schools
• Experience in either college access/persistence, high school counseling, or related skills.
• Experience with Salesforce and Survey Monkey is desirable. 
• 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 
• Hiring range for this role is $ 70,000 to $ 72,500 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. 
• The ability to learn and grow within a supportive team environment. 
• An opportunity to network and interact with leaders in the community. 
• Some evening and weekend hours may be required

To apply: 

Send a single PDF (NOT a Microsoft Word document) of a resume and thoughtful cover letter to [email protected] with “College Access Coordinator – [Your Name]” in the subject line. Please use your last name and first initial (ex: Doe_J) as the filename of your PDF containing your resume and cover letter. 

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.