Emerge Career Coach

About Chicago Scholars

Chicago Scholars is transforming the leadership landscape of our city by resolving the fundamental barriers to success for academically driven, first generation college students from under-resourced communities. Through college counseling, mentoring, and by providing a supportive community to our Scholars through each phase of our program: College Access (Launch), College Persistence (Lift) and College to Careers (Lead), we ensure that they realize their full potential as students and leaders.

78% of Chicago Scholars graduate college within 6 years. Per the University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research, only 49% of their peers earn a degree within 6 years. Upon graduation, our Scholars move into leadership positions across Chicago, helping to drive the economic future of their communities and our thriving city.

READI Commitment

At Chicago Scholars we strive to prepare our Scholars for the world and the world for our Scholars. Our dual focus on Scholars and the world are essential to our strategy. To achieve these goals, we center racial justice, equity, accessibility, diversity, and inclusion (READI) in all that we do.

Chicago Scholars’ commitment to READI encompasses all of our stakeholders—from our staff to our board, from our volunteers to our partnering organizations, and most importantly our Scholars. This holistic approach is necessary for the sustained, long-term, positive impact that we seek for our Scholars, our neighborhoods, our city, and our world.

To learn more about Chicago Scholars commitment to READI, please visit chicagoscholars.org/readi.

At Chicago Scholars, we believe that education is social justice. That's why we're empowering Chicago's best and brightest first-generation college students and students from low-income communities with the mentors, resources, and opportunities to go to our nation's best colleges and universities, graduate on time, and become Chicago's next generation of leaders. Since 1996, we've impacted the lives of more than 5,000 young leaders in Chicago.

Our Values

These are a set of guiding principles that apply to all stakeholders within the Chicago Scholars ecosystem. We select and retain stakeholders based on these stated expectations for how we achieve our mission and vision. Each are supported with core competencies and narrative for the sake of clarity.

We Dream Big. We speak up, innovate, push the boundaries and keep the creativity flowing. We don’t accept the status quo because the stakes are too high. We have an incredible belief that growth and change is possible. While we dream big, we are laser focused on our intended goals and outcomes for our Scholars, our city and the world.

We Show Up. We show up every day; not just physically, but with a positive attitude and willingness to work, connect, challenge, engage, solve problems and have fun. We don’t wait for someone to tell us what to do. We take action and get the job done. If we don’t know how, we figure it out through our knowledge, exploration or our network.

We Embrace Our Differences. We represent a multicultural nation and our collective backgrounds, experiences, styles, values, perspectives and beliefs are an asset to the world. We recognize that together we achieve better outcomes more quickly. Justice and equity starts with us using our collective voice.

We Model the Way. We exhibit the behavior that we want to see in others and in the world. Titles are granted, but our behavior is what earns us respect. In order to model the way, we must be clear about our guiding principles, celebrate our accomplishments and learn from our challenges and failures.

We Care For Each Other Along the Way. We adapt to the needs of the person in front of us. We pause, reflect and listen. We do our best work when we are in good relationship together. We care personally and challenge directly.

We Keep Our Word. When we commit, we are all in. Whether for events, a Scholar, a peer or ourselves. Our words are as powerful as our actions and are the building block of trust, respect, self worth and integrity.

Overview of the Emerge Summer Career and Leadership Program:

Emerge is an 8- or 10-week paid career and leadership internship program that pairs academically successful and motivated college-age students (including a small number of rising first-year college students) from under-served communities with Chicago-area businesses and nonprofits. The internship experience is supplemented by weekly career development and leadership programming called Growth Labs, biweekly one-to-one coaching with Emerge Career Coaches, and a final Emerge Capstone presentation. The mission of Emerge is to provide students with practical experience, career development, and leadership training. Simultaneously, local businesses are introduced to an important pipeline of future talent.

Position Summary

The Emerge Career Coach’s primary responsibility is to support and coach 10-15 rising first-year, rising sophomore, and rising junior college student interns in the Emerge Summer Career and Leadership Program. Emerge Career Coaches will also contribute to curriculum development for intern orientation and weekly Growth Labs throughout the summer, ensuring that interns have the skills needed to thrive in their summer internships and future career experiences. 

Please note this is a temporary, part-time position from May 28, 2024 - August 2, 2024.

Key Responsibilities

Coach & Support Interns – 45%

• Supervise, support, and provide guidance to 10-15 Emerge Program interns, including meeting with each assigned intern biweekly for 20-30 minutes
• Provide coaching on professional development, skill development, and matters that arise in connection with their internship 
• Support intern groups for the Emerge Capstone: assist interns with brainstorming, developing ideas, and pitching their presentations for the Emerge Capstone
• Document and maintain intern records including intern attendance, meeting notes, and overall accomplishments and concerns
• Support interns through the overall Emerge intern experience

Develop Curriculum & Facilitate Professional Development Sessions – 45%

• Design curriculum for Emerge Intern Orientation and weekly Growth Labs, in collaboration with other Career Coaches and Emerge staff
• Attend and facilitate sessions during Emerge Intern Orientation, scheduled for June 3rd to June 7th from 10am-3pm (Note: orientation is hybrid with some days in person, some virtual)
• Attend and facilitate intern Growth Labs in-person every Friday in June and July from 9:30am-3:30pm [SP1] (except for July 5th, closed for Independence Day)

Attend Staff Trainings & Check-ins – 5%

• Participate in the required Emerge Career Coach training session (virtual, in the evening)
• Attend weekly virtual Emerge Career Coach check-in meetings with other Career Coaches and Emerge staff

Additional Responsibilities – 5%

• This role will occasionally work in the evenings for intern and Emerge staff check-ins 
• Other duties, as assigned

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree required
• Experience: 1-5 years
• Must live in the Chicagoland area

Technical Knowledge

• Demonstrated experience coaching or mentoring students 
• Demonstrated experience in developing and leading career readiness training
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications not required but preferred
• Curriculum development experience not required but preferred 

Core Competencies:

• Develops & Motivates Others: motivates others and supports their development through strong coaching and mentoring
• Communication: communicates in a manner that consistently demonstrates respect, concern, and responsiveness; ability to speak in public and engage with a variety of stakeholders (students, career partners, volunteers)
• Teamwork & Collaboration: works collaboratively in a team environment; listens to ideas from others, even when different from own; works with stakeholders respectfully and effectively
• Project Management: effectively manages own work, ensuring delivery of high-quality work
• Adaptability: remains flexible and can adapt to changing needs and priorities

Best Offer First Policy: The data nationally show for every $1 paid to white men, women earn 82 cents, black men earn 88 cents, and black women earn 76 cents.  Women and black and brown people are also less likely to negotiate than their white male peers. Chicago Scholars has decided to offer our best offer first rather than wait for a potential negotiation. This allows us to set salaries based on market data and internal equity and ensure fair and equal pay for every role. 

If you have questions regarding either of the above policies, or any of Chicago Scholars employment policies, please reach out to the Human Resources team at humanresources@chicagoscholars.org with the subject line: Policy Question.

Salary: $23 per/hour, ~ 11 hours per week with flexible schedule outside of required weekly Emerge staff check-ins (virtual) and intern Growth Labs (Fridays, in person)

Work Environment 

Chicago Scholars has a hybrid workforce. The Emerge Career Coach must work in person at the Chicago Scholars Office for specific Emerge Intern Orientation days from June 3rd to June 7th, and at career partner offices throughout Chicago for Growth Labs every Friday in June and July (except July 5th). The Emerge Career Coach may work from home or another location for all virtual meetings, intern coaching sessions, and trainings. A schedule of required events will be provided in advance. 

To Apply

Please click visit https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/1651291/CHICAGO-SCHOLARS-FOUNDATION/Emerge-Career-Coach to submit your application which should include a resume and cover letter. 

Please include a cover letter that describes your experience with coaching young people in career exploration and skill development.

To Apply

Please click visit https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/1651291/CHICAGO-SCHOLARS-FOUNDATION/Emerge-Career-Coach to submit your application which should include a resume and cover letter. 

Please include a cover letter that describes your experience with coaching young people in career exploration and skill development.