Technical Consultant

Project Overview

Student Success Network (SSN) seeks a Technical Consultant to lead the development and integration of the Network Navigator, a GPT-powered chatbot that makes SSN’s collective knowledge and resources more accessible to its network of youth-serving organizations.

This project will deliver a functional, embedded chatbot integrated with SSN’s existing data and web systems. Given the project’s limited funding, this phase will focus exclusively on core technical implementation and establishing a foundation for future enhancement.

Background

Student Success Network (SSN) is a community of over 80 youth-serving organizations working towards a shared vision of NYC where all young people thrive. Together, we align around shared goals, use data to learn and innovate, and share what works to promote student success. The Network Navigator is part of SSN’s innovation strategy to improve how members access tools, data, and insights.

The chatbot will allow users to interact conversationally to locate relevant resources, learnings, and network opportunities from SSN’s Airtable, Google Workspace, and other internal systems.

Scope of Work:

The consultant will collaborate with SSN’s Manager of Analytics & Operations and Director of Collaborative Improvement to execute the following:

Chatbot Development

• Configure a GPT-based chatbot to retrieve and surface content from SSN’s key data sources (e.g., Airtable, shared drives, resource databases).
• Establish secure hosting and API configuration (OpenAI).

Integration & Implementation

• Deploy a simple, secure, and functional web interface in Squarespace or Google sites (e.g., embedded iframe or hosted app).
• Integrate core data sources through Airtable API or static data layers.
• Conduct limited internal testing to validate usability and reliability.

Documentation

• Deliver clear technical documentation outlining the chatbot’s architecture, setup, and maintenance steps.

Deliverables

1. Web integrated Network Navigator chatbot, configured and integrated with SSN systems.
2. Secure hosting and tested implementation.
3. Technical documentation and maintenance guide.

Budget

The total budget should be inclusive of all fees and software costs. Proposals should demonstrate efficient use of funds and may include recommendations for phasing or prioritizing development tasks within specified amounts.

Terms

This is a contract position. The selected consultant will operate as an independent contractor and is not eligible for SSN employee benefits. All taxes, insurance, and expenses related to this engagement are the sole responsibility of the contractor.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in GPT or AI-powered chatbot development, with OpenAI or comparable frameworks.
• Expertise in Airtable, Google Workspace, and API integrations.
• Knowledge of web embedding, data management, and system security.
• Strong communication and documentation skills.

Proposal Requirements

Proposals should include:

1. Approach and timeline for completing the technical implementation.
2. Relevant experience and examples of similar projects.
3. Budget breakdown within the total available funding.
4. References or prior client examples.

Send proposals or inquiries to: hiring@ssn-nyc.org