College Counselor

Job Description

Reporting to the CAPS Directors, the College Counselor serves as a member of the CAPS (College Access, Persistence, and Success) team supporting the organization’s overall vision. The college counselor will work directly with students as a case manager, the entire program team to plan and execute various events throughout the year, and various external partners. As part of the CAPS team, the ideal candidate will have experience in college access, persistence, and success programming. The successful candidate will be able to think strategically and logically, be able to thrive in a fast paced environment, and handle competing priorities and deadlines. Additionally, the right candidate will be extremely organized and can develop and maintain systems and structures that will ensure effective daily operations of the organization.

Responsibilities

• Work in partnership with the program team to support the overall vision and mission of the program
• Manage all aspects of student engagement including maintaining communication, tracking attendance, and verifying the completion of paperwork
• Maintain database to track student participation, contact information, demographics, and outcome measures
• Build and maintain relationships with youth that offer high support and mutual accountability
• Provide coaching and advising sessions to each participant, ensuring they have an actionable plan in place for enrolling into higher education
• Support students through the college or graduate school application process
• Expose, engage and support students through the financial aid process including applications like FAFSA, CA Dream Act and CSS Profile
• Plan and facilitate year round programming, including weekend events and after-school workshops
• Manage and support external partners that facilitate college access programming
• Train and lead workshops for college attainment advocates
• Collaborate with C5 leadership and staff, and maintain relationships with partner organizations
• Transition students to postsecondary success programs to support continued persistence in college and career, as needed
• Represent C5LA at events, workshops, seminars and conferences
• Support staff in assigned project based work
• Other duties as needed

Key Requirements

Our ideal candidate is someone who can build strong relationships with students, excels at data -keeping, and has exceptional organizational skills. This position requires flexibility, the ability to manage competing priorities, and the ability to work with multiple stakeholders in various settings. Experience in college, access, persistence and success is a key requirement.

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
• Previous experience in the work of college access, preferably with first-generation students of color
• Exposure to the graduate school application process is a plus
• Experience developing trusting relationships with students from diverse backgrounds
• Requires working some evenings and weekends, as well as occasional Tuesday – Saturday weekly schedule
• Experience in group facilitation and experiential learning
• Experience planning, promoting, and executing events and facilitating group experiences
• Passion for the mission and purpose of C5LA and an ability to communicate this passion to others with the ability to represent the organization externally across a wide range of stakeholders and constituencies
• Experience in managing several projects simultaneously with flexibility to move back and forth between projects when necessary
• Excellent time management skills, with an ability to prioritize, work well under pressure and meet tight deadlines
• High level of proficiency with the use of software including the Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suite, Zoom, and Salesforce
• Superior communication both verbally and written and able to listen and write clearly and analytically
• Self-starter, flexible, able to adapt and adjust quickly to changing situations and needs
• Understanding of racial inequity, including how it plays out within organizations; an ability to spot the potential for racial disparities and propose solutions that advance racial equity; a commitment to continually developing in this area
• Willingness to be ‘on duty’ 24 hours per day during 4 - 7 day overnight summer experiences with assigned students
• Ability to travel to communities around Los Angeles – a valid driver’s license is required