The Coordinator, College Guidance and Transition (CGT) will help lead the highest quality student-driven college guidance and transition programming. Inclusive of supporting the 12th grade OppNet Fellows with honing their sense of college “fit, curating a “best fit” college list, completing all college application and financial aid requirements, assessing financial aid packages, and making their final matriculation decision.

The Coordinator will also specialize in coordinating resources for the entire CGT program for 11th grade through college first-year OppNet Fellows, inclusive of scholarship opportunities, personal writing support, financial aid and wellness support, examining student need and helping incorporate student voice and choice within the curricular and programmatic scope of the CGT program. The Coordinator will work with outstanding students, enjoy the freedom to create and collaborate, and seize a real opportunity to create social change.

The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated ability to connect with high school and college-level students from historically underserved and underrepresented communities, with an awareness and familiarity of the overall college application process, and a level of comfort in supporting students navigating their first year transition into college. With regards to coordinating aspects of the CGT program, the candidate should have some project management experience, with demonstrated abilities to keep a project moving towards successful completion, within budget and deadlines. Understanding metrics and competences and connecting to various projects within the department, along with effective cross-departmental communication, attention to detail, and strong organizational skills are essential for success in this role. Relevant experience in curriculum development for students and supporting student wellness needs is a plus.

In addition, the ideal candidate will personally connect to the important work we do across the organization. The candidate will demonstrate an awareness of the needs and challenges faced by high school and college-level students from historically underserved and underrepresented communities. The candidate will actively participate in all organization-wide learning sessions and self-reflection, as well as work with others to enact changes that contribute to meeting the organization’s goals. The candidate should possess outstanding professionalism and discretion, organization and attention to detail, energy and initiative, the ability to prioritize and complete a variety of tasks on time, and a willingness to work on a wide range of assignments.

Individualized College Guidance and Transition Support (40%):

• Advise and support a caseload of 25-30 high school seniors and their families throughout the college application process through one-on-one meetings and group sessions in which students will: create balanced college lists, complete applications, and identify and apply for various types of financial aid

• Work with Fellows and volunteers to develop and edit personal statements, supplemental essays, and essays for scholarships

• Support the completion of financial aid forms and coordinate provision of relevant resources for financial aid applications (FAFSA, TAP, CSS Profile, etc.) and conduct financial aid counseling for Fellows and families

• Liaise with college admissions officers to advocate for Fellows throughout the decision process, ensure that all college contacts are up to date, and build upon relationships with admissions teams at colleges across the country

• Conduct 1:1 check-ins with a designated caseload of 20-25 first-year college Fellows and conduct campus visits at local campuses throughout the fall and spring semesters

• Follow up with College Fellows to provide relevant resources to manage issues they are facing on campus, e.g. academic challenges, socio-emotional challenges, adjusting to college life, connecting with professors, etc.

Overall Program Coordination (45%):

• Collaborate with the Curriculum & Facilitation and Wellness Support teams to design and deliver student-driven, high-quality quality and high-impact events and services

• Serve as support for coordinating scholarship opportunities, including, but not limited to, sharing scholarship information with Fellows, working with the CGT team to track scholarship opportunities on Salesforce, and liaising with the Strategic Advancement Team regarding institutional scholarship partnerships

• Liaise with the Wellness Team with monthly Student Wellness & Support meetings to design wellness initiatives and strategies to support 12th grade and 1st year Fellows navigating their college transition

• Coordinate and support the planning of college visits for 11th and 12th grade Fellows, including the annual February mid-winter college trip and Summer Institute college trip

• Coordinate and support planning of weekly workshops, annual intensive/plenary-based workshops, and ongoing opportunities such as 11th grade College Application Boot Camp and 12th grade College Transition Boot Camp events, College Access and Success Symposium, and the fall College Essay Coach program

• Maintain detailed records on Fellows’ admissions decisions, financial aid packages, GPAs, test scores, etc.

• Support coordination of data tracking, statistics, and end of year competencies related to OppNet programming for reporting and evaluation purposes

• Support the CGT Team with analysis and reporting on metrics, findings, competencies, etc.

• Provide coordination and facilitate sessions on college access, transition, and success for all OppNet Fellows

• Provide individualized support to in-college Fellows through one-on-one check-in meetings and evaluate Fellows’ progress based on a predetermined rubric

• Lead recruitment visits/information sessions at area high schools, review annual OppNet applications for rising juniors, and interview prospective Fellows

Organizational Learning, Development, and Program Reflection (15%):

• Participate in organization-wide learning sessions, working groups, and optional affinity groups

• Attend weekly team meetings, All Hands meetings, All Staff meetings, team retreats, and annual institution-wide retreat

• B.A. from an accredited U.S. college/university, and three to four years of work experience, preferably in the college counseling/college success field, and relevant experience and/or demonstrated interest in curriculum development, wellness supports, and data management for high school and college students

• Familiarity with the realm of financial aid and understanding of nontraditional situations

• Experience working with students to craft personal statements and college supplements

• Knowledge of how higher education student services/affairs support college students

• Demonstrated ability to connect with high school and college-level students from historically underserved and underrepresented communities

• Demonstrated skill set in project management and data management, including regular collection, cleaning, and analysis to drive insights, inform decisions, and communicate progress towards goals and outcomes