Student Advising and Program Coordinator

Austin, TX, United States

ABOUT BREAKTHROUGH CENTRAL TEXAS

Founded in 2002, Breakthrough Central Texas is changing lives with our community and student-centric approach to postsecondary access and completion. We work with families and local stakeholders to foster investment in and bring highly sought resources to Central Texas schools. By developing authentic community partnerships, hiring experienced educators who increasingly reflect the communities we serve, and pairing them with well-trained AmeriCorps members, we are able to provide in-school and out-of-school time programs and services to thousands of deserving students each year and support them to realize their postsecondary aspirations.

We are proud to have validated that our long-term commitment to students and their families is improving outcomes and increasing the number of first-generation college graduates in the region. Data show that Breakthrough participants are consistently outperforming their peers in on-time high school graduation, postsecondary enrollment, and postsecondary degree and certificate attainment. Breakthrough Central Texas is poised to leverage the state's favorable policy environment, abundant current and developing partnerships, and its latest strategic plan in the direction of the organization's new north star: promoting equity in college attainment rates across the entire Austin region. Toward that end, by 2025, Breakthrough will expand its impact to serve more than 3,000 students in Central Texas.

WHY WORK AT BREAKTHROUGH CENTRAL TEXAS?

The Breakthrough Central Texas team firmly believes in the potential of all students and their right to postsecondary success and self-determined lives of choice. Join us if you are a builder and a nurturer, equally committed to making college-going and degree attainment accessible for the youth in our region while also fostering an inclusive team culture that supports us all to do our best work.

ABOUT THE PSAP STUDENT ADVISOR AND PROGRAM COORDINATOR ROLE

PSAP is a year-round advising services partnership that supports students to realize their postsecondary goals by providing direct advising services to every junior and senior at a high school. PSAP works with the campus to shift the goal for students beyond high school graduation to success in higher education, whether it is the attainment of a credential, certificate, diploma, or enrollment in the military. Critical duties include advising high school students and their families on academic progress, postsecondary pathways, steps to applying to, gaining entrance to, and securing financial aid for their selected postsecondary path, and overcoming any obstacles, academic or non-academic, that come their way. In addition, the PSAP Student Advisor and Program Coordinator will design and lead engaging programming with the staff, students, and families of the high school to learn about the path to and through the postsecondary journey. The role includes the responsibilities of both supervision and team collaboration.

Reporting to the Associate Director of Postsecondary Advising, the PSAP Student Advisor and Program Coordinator will work closely with school personnel to ensure every 11th and 12th-grade student at the high school receives high-quality, individualized support during high school and on their path to postsecondary success. Specific responsibilities of the PSAP Student Advisor and Program Coordinator include:

Serve as an advisor to a group of up to 75 high school students, regularly engage with students as well as their families, teachers, and other key stakeholders in the student's success

Support students to take academic and non-academic steps necessary to achieve postsecondary success (such as accessing academic tutoring, developing college and financial aid knowledge, seeking leadership and other opportunities, and accessing mental health and other campus and community resources)

Design, plan, and execute summer workshops and connections for students that support the goals of college and/or career access and success

Supervise AmeriCorps member(s) to ensure the highest performance and optimal student outcomes

Manage large groups of students to build a positive learning community aligned with Breakthroughs core values, career readiness, and postsecondary success goals

Develop and maintain relationships with a diverse group of students and families

Track student progress and identify critical needs to provide timely and appropriate interventions

Meet and communicate regularly with parents/families on student progress, including conducting regular student/family conferences

Strategically develop relationships with key partners, including teachers, school administrators, district leaders, counselors, and leaders of other community-based organizations

Meet regularly and work collaboratively with other staff members and volunteers to support students and families

Support program evaluation efforts and make continuous program improvements to achieve outcomes

Collaborate with other leaders on the program team to create and refine Breakthroughs processes that support students on their postsecondary journey

Participate in committees and workgroups to engage in team planning, organizational change work, and other collaborative work as needed

Perform other job-related duties as required

ABOUT YOU

You are a strong candidate for the PSAP Student Advisor and Program Coordinator role if, above all, you are a champion for closing the opportunity gap and increasing social and economic equity and mobility through educational attainment. You are a servant leader and feel at your best in deep relationships with the communities in which you serve. You love to support students in their learning and their plans for postsecondary success. You are passionate about building authentic relationships with students, family members, caregivers, and educators at the schools our students attend. You bring content expertise in youth development, college access, and event or program operations. You will also bring experience or demonstrated capacity in: Providing high-quality advising services to students, with a focus on building authentic relationships and a skill for advocating for the student's success in school and other settings

Navigating postsecondary access steps at the secondary level, including but not limited to postsecondary identity development, career exploration, military readiness, college visits, test preparation and access, college applications, and financial aid (familiarity with Texas IHEs preferred)

Tracking of data (e.g., test scores, college readiness indicators, applications submitted, college acceptances, financial aid applications submitted) and utilizing data to inform programming

Connecting students and their families to resources within the community, including school-based services, mental health services, and others

Leading students in groups of varying sizes, from small groups to assemblies, to achieve learning objectives

Supervising individuals and teams to achieve ambitious goals and to grow professionally, including coaching aspiring educators and others on how to be effective classroom teachers and project leaders

Collaborating with others on a team in complex tasks and projects while also working independently

Organizing elaborate projects, such as student schedules, events, or other school-like administrative tasks against a deadline

Tailoring communication to meet the needs of a variety of audiences, including students, families, staff members, school personnel, and individuals who speak a language other than English

Approaching conversations about identity, power, and privilege with awareness, humility, and a quest for greater understanding

Developing your own professional skills, with humility to your own competencies and identity

Using a variety of technology platforms, including operating systems, student databases, and online tools such as Google Suite

Prioritizing multiple tasks and delivering commitments in a timely manner, and

Possessing a disciplined, strong work ethic and comfort with working non-standard hours (some weekends and evenings).

Participate in committees and workgroups to engage in team planning, organizational change work, and other collaborative work as needed

Perform other job-related duties as assigned

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS Competitive salary between $50,000-$66,000, depending on experience and qualifications

Health, dental, and vision insurance; Breakthrough pays 100% of employee-only premiums

Long-term disability and life insurance

Matching 401K retirement plan

Thirty days of annualized PTO

Breakthrough Central Texas is committed to a policy of equal treatment and opportunity in every aspect of its relations with its applicants, staff members, and families, without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender identity and gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, military status, pregnancy, or parenthood. People of diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.