ORGANIZATION SUMMARY

For more than two decades, LA Promise Fund has uplifted schools, students and families in South LA to ensure more Black and Latinx students are prepared for success in college, career, and life. Today, we accomplish this goal as an education management organization that runs two South LA charter schools and coordinates high impact educational enrichment programming to ensure students are college and career bound. Westbrook Middle and High Schools advance a college-prep culture and integrated digital media arts-themed education, with significant parent engagement, socio-emotional support, and leadership development. 

Simultaneously, LA Promise Fund works with schools County-wide to offer a portfolio of programs that foster motivated, engaged, and directed students poised for academic, professional, and personal success. Currently, these regional programs include a focus on female empowerment, STEM, media arts, college readiness, career exposure and work-based-learning, school improvement design, and parent engagement. We work alongside a network of essential partners, students, parents, teachers, and school leaders to build strong schools that increase educational equity within South LA and beyond. To learn more about LA Promise Fund visit www.lapromisefund.org.

POSITION SUMMARY

Under the supervision of the Director of Black College Success, the College Success Manager is responsible for ensuring Black College Success (BCS) Fellows receive information, resources, and support that ensure their college and career success. To meet this goal, the College Success Manager will assist in developing, implementing, and managing programs and services that engage and support BCS Fellows in a culture of high academic expectations and achievement. More specifically, the College Success Manager will provide and manage an array of college success programming and services that promote college retention and college success. The College Success Manager will perform duties as assigned to support BCS Fellows who are currently persisting in higher education. Furthermore, the ideal candidate will broaden student exposure to college resources and careers, and assist and support students and their families in the college persistence experience, academic excellence, mental health wellness and financial aid processes. This is a full-time, exempt position.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

The College Success Manager will:

• Work collaboratively and closely with the Director to guide and support BCS’s College Success programming to support college retention and graduation rates for BCS Fellows.
• Foster strong and meaningful relationships with BCS Fellows, college/university administration, and partner service providers to cultivate a nurturing and supportive environment for BCS Fellows and College Success staff.
• Maintain and develop a sustainable process to maintain long-term communication with BCS Fellows.
• Assist in the planning and facilitation of BCS Senior Programming to aid and successfully transition high school seniors onto BCS Fellows. This includes, but is not limited to, working closely with the College Access team.
• Develop strategies around college success to build and increase the capacity of the College Success team to support BCS Fellows.
• Support in the expansion and creation of innovative programming for BCS Fellows, by working with other departments in BCS and external organizations & partners.
• Facilitate individual Academic Action Plans (AAP’s) for students who are in need of academic or social/emotional support.
• Conduct one-on-one interviews with BCS Fellows to review their academic progress and professional development.
• Ensure the upkeep of student information and documentation being submitted through student communication and portals.
• Communicate with BCS Fellows through emails, videoconferencing check-ins, social media, one-on-one meetings, and college campus visits.
•  Support BCS Fellows with the yearly financial aid reapplication process.
• Assist with the planning and coordination of the College Success team’s semesterly college campus visits schedule.
• Serve as a liaison for the College Access team in the planning of college campus visits or college field trips as needed.
• Conduct regular follow-ups with BCS Fellows to track and monitor their progress and persistence through college and beyond.
• Identify and develop resources and toolkits to support BCS Fellows on topics that will improve college and career success: college life, campus resources, financial aid, financial literacy, professionalism etc.
• Develop and maintain data, research, and strategies to support BCS Fellows retention strategies.
• Stay up-to-date on college success trends for first-generation, at-risk and community college students.
• Support overall College Success team programming, events, BCS Fellows communications, and other tasks as needed.
• Attend at least one in-person college visit to check in on BCS Fellows.
• Other duties as assigned

CANDIDATE REQUIREMENTS

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field required
• Master’s degree in a relevant field desirable
• Experience counseling/advising in an urban school district with students of diverse backgrounds and socioeconomic statuses preferred
• Three years of work experience in educational environments
• College counseling, counseling, school experience and training desired

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong knowledge of college entrance requirements
• Strong working knowledge and literacy around college access data
• Proven ability to develop and execute strategies focused on underrepresented student groups
• Strong organizational, administrative, and project management skills
• Resourceful, able to multitask, prioritize and manage time effectively
• Ability to work well in team-oriented environments
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of stakeholders in a diverse community
• Persistent self-starter with a knack for problem-solving, networking, creating new relationships and opportunities
• A strong collaborator, good listener and strategist; comfortable receiving input from many sources, and able to analyze and formulate disparate information into a sound, well-organized plan
• Fluent computer skills including database, word processing, spreadsheets, presentation, and online communications (e.g., Microsoft Office, Google Suite, Zoom)
• Commitment to LA Promise Fund mission and Core Values of Integrity, Accountability, Collaboration, Professionalism, Excellence, Diversity and Equity and Black College Success mission and values 
• Must clear a LiveScan criminal background check 
• Must clear a TB Risk Assessment 
• Must complete Mandated Reporter training
• COVID-19 Vaccination (recommended)