College & Career Success Specialist

College & Career Success Specialist

Start Date: Immediately 

Employment Type: This is a full-time position

Location: Los Angeles or Atlanta 

Reports to: Program Manager, Karim Kharbouch Coding Fellowship

General Overview: 

The Knowledge House’s mission is to empower and sustain a talent pipeline of technologists, entrepreneurs, and digital leaders, who will uplift their communities out of poverty. The Knowledge House (TKH) approach is to (1) close gaps in the education­-to-­employment pipeline in underserved communities to launch careers or ventures in technology, and (2) support links between local youth, tech innovation, and business development that bring positive community impact.

Karim Kharbouch Coding Fellowship (KKCF) is a 12-month tech exposure program for high school students in their Sophomore, Junior, and Senior years of high school. It starts with a stipended summer program featuring hands-on code and design instruction, followed by monthly small-group meetings to advance college and career goals in a structured manner. These meetings are led by a College & Career Success Specialist. 

Headquartered in the South Bronx, the poorest congressional district, and reaching all of New York City, TKH has served more than 1,750 students of all ages. TKH has recently expanded the KKCF program to service other underestimated communities in Atlanta, GA, Newark, NJ, and Los Angeles, CA and the DMV area. 

Benefits of working at The Knowledge House:

• Apply your skills while giving back to NY/LA/ATL/NWK/DMV youth, low-income, and other underrepresented communities 
• Become further exposed to the tech ecosystem
• Lead innovation in the emerging tech movement in underestimated communities
• Join a startup where every team member is expected to contribute to strategy, create solutions and improve org culture 
• Competitive benefits and paid time off package 

Job Summary: 

The  College and Career Success Specialist is directly responsible for improving career and college outcomes for TKH’s High School-focused, Karim Kharbouch Coding Fellowship while also cultivating relationships with employers and STEM programs and coaching students on resume and cover letter updates. During the summer program portion of the Fellowship, the Specialist is a key support for program delivery and student persistence. Throughout the Fellowship the Specialist checks in with Fellows to ensure success and students meet their outcome goals. They will lead the strategy and framework for fellows in regards to post program outcome goals including but not limited to, internships, programs, college and employment. The specialist will also be extremely focused in tracking data that shows fellows progress to their outcome goals and TKH’s organizational goals.

Responsibilities and Duties:

1. Coordination and Facilitation of College and Career Pods - 60%

• Survey students and organize pods based on their post-program goals, interests and availability to foster peer support and social skills development.
• Develop framework, themes, and discussion topics for pod agendas, ensuring alignment with fellows' needs and goals.
• Lead monthly small groups meetings to help fellows advance their college/career journeys through peer mentorship. Conduct follow-ups as needed to address needs discovered in sessions.
• Support students individually and in groups with resumes, personal essays, applications, and financial aid for postsecondary education programs
• Facilitate connections between high school fellows and opportunities in college, internships, summer programs, or summer jobs, with an emphasis on fostering interest and participation in STEM disciplines.

2. Industry Engagement - 15%

• Collaborate with Career Specialists and Instructors to identify internship and upskilling opportunities for program participants.
• Identify and encourage fellows to attend relevant industry events to expand their network and awareness of college and career opportunities across all TKH sites.
• Represent the organization at tech, workforce, and education events to enhance industry knowledge and promote our mission.

3. Overall Program Support - 10%

• Attend summer classes to support fellows and ensure their successful completion of program phases.
• Conduct 1:1 check-ins with students to assess their interest in STEM and identify any additional support needed.
• Follow up with students who fail to meet program expectations and develop improvement plans as necessary.
• Support the planning and execution of program-based events such as Demo Day and Graduation Day.
• Attend Career Workshops, provide support, and keep fellows informed of program announcements and opportunities.

4. Administrative Support - 15%

• Maintain up-to-date records of student college and career movements and destinations
• Identify students for highlighting in philanthropy reports and social media
• Support student surveying process from creation to ensuring student completion
• Manage Program Calendar with networking opportunities, engagement events, and application deadlines 
• Keep all program trackers up to date with accurate information 

Qualifications and Skills:

You’re an ideal candidate if you are/have:

• 2+ years of work experience ideally in a non-profit, education, or youth development environment
• Experience working with underestimated communities, especially Black and Latino and low-income communities 
• A passion and love for our students and their genius. A tenacious desire to smash all barriers in the way of our students accessing rewarding, high-paying careers in technology and higher education.
• Interest in learning more about the technology field in service of helping young people access the industry
• Proficient in Google Drive applications and other apps for work
• Ability to independently produce high quality work, delegate, problem-solve, and ask for help when needed.
• Calm under pressure, with strong follow-through and ability to meet deadlines 
• Strong work ethic and commitment to produce high-quality work
• Exceptional organizational skills and ability to balance multiple priorities and deadlines in a constantly changing and fast-paced environment.
• Effective communication skills, including clear writing and professional email
• Highly  collaborative, including actively reaching out to colleagues to support or consult on projects
• Commitment to contributing to positive organizational culture and core values. 
• Ability to travel occasionally and participate in frequent evening and weekend activities for work-related purposes.

Compensation

•  Full-time $60,000-72,000/year salary 
• Competitive health, dental, and vision insurance
• 2% 401k match
• A monthly tech stipend of $100
• Unlimited days of paid time off

It is the policy of The Knowledge House Fellowship, Inc. to promote and provide equal employment opportunity without discrimination based on age, race, creed, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, Veteran status, genetic predisposition, or carrier status.