Career Advancement Coordinator

Description

About One Million Degrees:  

One Million Degrees accelerates community college students’ progress on career pathways to economic mobility.  

Over 60% of students who start community college do not complete a degree or successfully transfer to a four-year institution. However, 84% of jobs in the US require skills training beyond high school. OMD’s holistic support model is designed to support community college students as they work toward degrees and careers. From tutors and coaches to financial assistance and professional development, OMD helps community college students succeed in school, work, and life, transforming their futures and the futures of those around them for generations.  

The OMD student support model is rooted in evaluation and evidence: A randomized controlled trial conducted with the University of Chicago Inclusive Economy Lab shows that OMD scholars are 70% more likely to enroll, 94% more likely to persist, 73% more likely to earn a degree.  

Currently, OMD serves scholars in all 7 of the City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) and is scaling to reach over 3000 community college scholars by 2026 through our unique partnership with CCC. In addition to direct services, OMD partners with employers across industries to build on-ramps to in-demand jobs through internships and apprenticeships, and supports institutions nationwide to design and implement models of holistic student support.  

Through this growing body of work, OMD continues to have a profound impact in Chicagoland while becoming a national model for sustainable, scalable, and systemic change.  

OMD Values:  

OMD is deeply committed to our core values, as demonstrated in the work we do, our approach to change and growth, and our commitment to our staff.  

• Equity: We address historical and existing systemic inequities by taking a holistic approach to supporting students on their path to economic mobility. 

• Excellence: We address historical and existing systemic inequities by taking a holistic approach to supporting students on their path to economic mobility. 

• Community: We unite around putting students first, collaborating with partners, and celebrating our collective wins. 

• Learning: We each adapt to a changing world and refine our approach to support students, community members, staff, and stakeholders along the way. 

• Amplify: We advocate for our students and share what we've learned as leaders in the field. 

Position Summary:  

One Million Degrees is seeking an entrepreneurial Career Advancement Coordinator to support the implementation of the Aon Apprenticeship Program. This position will be a critical intermediary between the Aon team, apprentices, and college partners. The Career Advancement Coordinator will provide direct one-on-one coaching, facilitate professional development sessions, and work in collaboration with their OMD manager to design tools and processes to successfully implement the program.  

The Career Advancement Coordinator will adapt the OMD program model and materials to fit within the partnership framework and will continually document both challenges and solutions as they arise across the program, ultimately producing a set of best practices to be shared across the city and nationally.  

The ideal candidate is a proactive self-starter, able to develop and coordinate multiple initiatives at once. The successful candidate is a goal-oriented, high-energy team player with a passion for people and the transformative power of education and opportunity. Relationship management, creative thinking, problem-solving, and a can-do attitude are highly valued.  

Specific duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:  

Provide Direct Coaching and Support to Apprentices (70%)  

• Using OMD’s scholar development and support values, methods, and practices, provide direct coaching support to participants in the Aon apprenticeship program 

• Conduct frequent virtual and in-person check-in's and in-person, building each participant’s capacity to excel at work and at school and to complete all program outcomes. 

• Track all interactions, goals, and achievement to success in OMD’s database; track early warning indicators and all available information regarding participants’ performance at work and at school.  

•  Liaise with program partners to address any challenges that emerge. 

•  Ensure that participants become fully immersed in the culture, norms, and expectations of their workplace and of their educational institutions 

Partner with Implementation Teams (25%)  

• Collaborate with implementation teams to coordinate implementation of the program. 

• Alert all program partners to performance and retention issues as early as possible; work collaboratively to design and implement solutions. 

• Document best practices to build all partners’ capacity to seamlessly execute and scale future partnerships and programs. 

Organization Support (5%)  

• Support all career advancement and job readiness strategies and activities within OMD’s signature college completion model and with OMD alumni. 

• Support all-staff activities within OMD’s signature program model as needed, such as Saturday Development Sessions and Recruitment. 

• Contribute to the design and implementation of career development-focused training and workshops for OMD program staff. 

Qualifications

Qualifications and Requirements:  

Qualified candidates must have excellent project planning, relationship management, and communication skills, both verbal and written, and the desire to work collaboratively.  
 
Education:  

• Bachelor’s Degree Required 

Experience:  

• A minimum of two years of professional experience, with experience developing and managing partnerships preferred 

• Experience having direct accountability for the achievements/outcomes of a group of individuals; caseload management experience is a plus 

•  Experience in the career development field and knowledge of workforce readiness strongly preferred 

• Experience keeping case notes in a CRM; Salesforce experience a plus 

• Experience working in a fast-paced environment and prioritizing multiple tasks 

• Experience working across teams or organizations to create a project or program 

Skills:  

• Project Management: proven success working in a fast-paced environment and prioritizing multiple workstreams 

• Communication: strong interpersonal and communication skills; a proven ability to effectively communicate with diverse audiences and the ability to give and receive candid feedback 

Traits:  

• A self-starter who can operate independently and in teams to accomplish goals and objectives 

• Cultural humility and an ability to work effectively with diverse staff, clients, and community partners 

• Relentless drive to close equity gaps in education and employment 

Compensation and Benefits for Full-time Employees:  

• Salary: $ 47,800* 

• Full Health Benefits –Provided for all full-time employees, including medical, dental, and vision. OMD pays 100% of individual’s basic monthly health premium and 80% dependent coverage. 

• Employee assistance program, which offers confidential emotional support, work-life solutions, legal guidance, financial resources, and more 

• Retirement Benefits – For full-time employees, OMD offers a 401(k) plan and matches retirement contributions up to 4% of total salary   

• Generous Paid Time Off Policy– OMD has 12 paid holidays and offers up to 15 days PTO in year one, plus two floating holidays 

• Monthly cell phone and internet reimbursement up to $50/month 

• 12 weeks of paid parental leave for birthing and non-birthing parents 

• Professional Learning Opportunities – OMD supports employee development in areas relevant to professional and organizational goals and will pay for training such as workshops and conferences as agreed upon by employee and supervisor 

• Hybrid Work Schedule – One in-office day at OMD’s office required a week, one in-office day at Aon required per week; plus, eight additional in-person days a month if needed, which will be determined by the supervisor, with input from the employee and other team members 

* Set by Collective Bargaining Agreement between OMD and Cook County College Teachers Union.  

**All employees are expected to work a set number of Saturdays and evening hours per year due to organizational-wide events.  
 
One Million Degrees is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from all individuals regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation, and evaluate all candidates based on merit.  

Salary : $47,800