2025-26 Manager or Director of College Partnerships (New Orleans)

The internal priority application deadline is January 21, 2025 at 8:00 AM.

About this Role: The Manager or Director of College Partnerships will continue the strong partnerships across the country and region that we’ve built with strategic external supporters while actively seeking new partnerships that support college access and persistence. They hold a deep belief in ensuring that all graduates have access to a college education that is affordable and provides a high likelihood of success. Success in this role means improved college persistence rates for scholars in all Collegiate Academies’ schools. This team members will play a key role in building more robust college partnerships and persistence supports across the network aligned to our college first strategy.

About Collegiate Academies: Collegiate Academies prepares all students for lives of unlimited opportunity. Founded in 2008, Collegiate Academies serves over 3,000 students in five public high schools and two postsecondary programs in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. We serve a dramatically higher proportion of students with special needs, students who are English language learners, and students who are from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. We see the individual greatness of every student who comes through our doors.

Responsibilities:

• Increase college persistence and degree attainment for CA graduates.
• Work closely with the Chief of Staff, Network Director of College Counseling, and other teammates in college support roles to ensure aligned goals and execution of strategies.
• Balance conflicting priorities to manage workflow, ensure the completion of essential projects, and meet critical deadlines.
• Consistently strive to be an excellent network teammate that is a model for others. Intentionally build team culture through participation in macrostructures and micro-moments.
• Strategically develop and/or enhance relationships with target schools that have higher rates of degree attainment to make it easier for CA graduates to expedite issues with offices and receive the belonging/engagement strategies that lead to persistence.
• Build partnerships with regional colleges that implement cohort models for CBR and NOLA graduates.
• Enhance Recruitment and Persistence at NLN as a free option after senior year where alumni can earn associate degrees and better prepare themselves to succeed in earning a BA and access to a high-wage, high-demand career pathway.
• Enhance Recruitment and Persistence to colleges where we have a track record of success for each academic level.
• Hold a deep understanding of what's going well at each partner school and immediately act to improve anything not going well.
• Hold a deep understanding of student interest/app numbers at partner colleges and colleges that have the highest persistence rates, and enhance recruitment/app numbers as needed
• Identify potential clients, establish relationships with key stakeholders and decision-makers at partner organizations, and maintain strong relationships with existing clients.
• Seek and develop strategic partnerships and alliances with non-profit organizations supporting first-generation college access and high-wage, high-demand career pathways (College Track, POSSE, YFN, etc.,)
• Monitor and analyze partnership performance, providing regular reports to leadership and recommending strategies for improvement.
• Coordinates college campus cohort activities and events aimed at improving scholar persistence.
• Provide direct coaching and support to College Persistence Counselors and Next Level NOLA coaches supporting alumni.
• Facilitate and/or coordinate professional development for school-based teammates on any topic deemed necessary to meet goals for persistence in college.
• Know the landscape -- check all the newsletters (college greenlight, contigoed, nacac, sacac, npea, ncan, nola ccan, csgf, uaspire, coalitilition for college, posse, etc
• Is or becomes an expert at federal student aid and scholarship opportunities.
• Manage data and know, through alumni experience and data, the strengths of different postsecondary opportunities in order to make informed recommendations.
• Facilitate best practice sharing across College Persistence Counselors.
• Coordinate applications to pre-college summer programs -- partner with the best ones, build relationships, set up info sessions, make sure we know how to get kids in and that we increase the number of students participating.
  
  

Mindsets, beliefs, and skills:

• Deep commitment to our radical college focus. A belief that all people, regardless of their backgrounds and educational pasts, will succeed in college or in an appropriately rigorous
• Shares ownership over outcomes and takes action to both inspire and prepare team members and scholars for college beginning in 9th grade.
• Is frictionless with feedback. Even when challenging, they share gratitude for the growth.
• Obsesses over results. Wants everyone across the network to win on college goals and sees it as part of their job to grow themselves and all other members of team college.
• The ability to communicate effectively both in writing and spoken word with a wide range of clients and constituents, including teachers, parents, professors, school leaders, college counselors, employers, and community-based partner organizations.
• Proficiency in Google Suite (Gmail, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms and Hangouts).
  
  

Additionally, Successful Candidates Need

• ‘AND’ thinking - The disciplined practice of embracing two seemingly opposing ideas in the mind at the same time without placing limits on what is possible.
• Whatever it takes mentality - To be excited to be part of building the plane as they fly it. Team members are prepared to not have all of the answers yet and to be part of figuring it out.
• More than a job approach- Commitment to our mission extends beyond any regular work schedule because the right person fills their bucket by serving others.
• Win the day attitude- Ability to evaluate performance and determine what action to take next by collecting and analyzing meaningful data every day.
  
  

Salary:

• The salary scale for a Manager position is $55,000 to $70,000.
• The salary scale for a Director position is $70,000 to $85,000.
  
  

Additionally, CA provides the following benefits:

• Industry-leading comprehensive medical and dental coverage
• 403(b) Plan with a 3% match
• 6 weeks of breaks per year (plus additional federal holidays) for all employees, with an additional 6 weeks for most school-based roles.
• 12 weeks paid parental leave for primary and 6 weeks of secondary
• Up to $2,500 for out-of-state moving expenses
  
  

To Apply:

Application: Please submit a resume and application online. In the application, you will be asked to answer the following questions. You may want to plan your answers in advance of beginning the application.

• How do you see this role as critical to the CA mission? (1-2 paragraphs)
• Describe a time in your career where you had to grow dramatically in your mindsets and skills to ensure you met your goals. What was challenging about this? How did you do? (2-3 paragraphs)
• Describe an instance in your professional life when you successfully influenced an outcome or influenced change when there was not a direct reporting relationship. How did you do it? (2-3 paragraphs)
  
  

Disclaimer: Collegiate Academies encourages individuals of all identities and backgrounds to apply for this position. We are an equal opportunity employer fully committed to hiring a talented and diverse group of individuals. Collegiate Academies does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, creed, color, national origin or ancestry, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other category protected by applicable law. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. Being authorized to work in the U.S. is a precondition of employment. Collegiate Academies does not sponsor employment visas.