Manager of Student Success Initiatives Program

The Manager of Student Success Initiative Program(SSIP) is responsible for oversight of the SSIP Program at the John Jay College Institute for Justice and Opportunity. Under the supervision of the Director of College and Career Pathways, the Manager is responsible for providing leadership and supervision to the academic coaching staff. SSIP serves over 300 people a year across 19 CUNY campuses and a range of other institutions of higher learning. The goal of SSIP is to engage people from the community who have been involved in the criminal legal system to pursue higher education and to aid them in successfully completing their degrees or certifications. SSIP services include academic counseling, assistance in obtaining financial aid and enrollment, and conducting supportive workshops to students and alumni. This position may necessitate non-traditional and changeable work schedules, off-site service delivery and periodic travel.

ABOUT THE INSTITUTE:

As a champion of institutional, structural, and personal transformation, the John Jay College Institute for Justice and Opportunity (The Institute) opens doors and eliminates barriers to success for people who have been involved in the criminal legal system. The Institute is one of twelve research entities that collectively comprise the Research Consortium of the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. The Institute has a diverse portfolio of projects that focus on identifying what it takes for people to live successfully in the community after justice involvement and on increasing the effectiveness of the professionals and systems working with them. Recognizing the transformational power of education, the Institute focuses much of its work on increasing access to higher education for people with criminal histories. The Institute’s comprehensive and strategic approach includes direct service, research, technical assistance, and policy advocacy. To learn more please visit our website: https://justiceandopportunity.org/

The Manager must be trauma-informed and knowledgeable about strategies for overcoming barriers to college enrollment, supportive services for returning students—especially within the City University of New York—and the challenges associated with reentry.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Provide supervision and support for the Coaching staff .
• Keep up to date on best practices in the field of academic counseling and adult learning for continued professional development for academic coaching staff.
• Lead weekly counseling team meetings to identify priorities, student opportunities, and ensure effective coordination between student support teams including Support Services and the Mentoring Program.
• Engage in ongoing program evaluation to fine-tune and adapt best practices related to student development, retention, and support.
• Monitor Coaches caseloads to help them develop effective engagement and support strategies.
• Coordinate with the Onboarding team to oversee the matching process of new students in the SSIP program with Coaches.
• Utilize Salesforce database to track student enrollment and retention data, and other data points, for internal evaluation and reporting purposes.
• Engage in ongoing program evaluation in collaboration with staff to enhance program structures, protocols, and coordination of services to students. Analyze and review program data for quality assurance and lead the team in assessing trends and improving outcomes.
• Liaise with CUNY representatives and internal Institute programming regarding updates to CUNY calendars, administrative practices, and opportunities for CI students.
• Assign and oversee the progress of special projects related to SSIP programming including but not limited to staff participation in Institute committees, implementation of tutoring services, event planning (including the annual graduation ceremony).
• Oversee the management of program spending, including participating in program budgeting and coordination with the Grants Analyst on reconciliation of expenditures.
• Collaborate with HR on recruitment of new staff including interviewing and hiring. And oversee staff evaluations.
• Participate in management meetings, activities, trainings and agency-wide committees.

Qualifications:

• Previous experience supervising direct service staff.
• Experience reviewing program data to assess trends and improve outcomes.
• Knowledge of the college application process for both undergraduate and graduate applicants; knowledge of the CUNY application process is particularly useful.
• An understanding of how to effectively support adult learners.
• Demonstrated ability to respond calmly and thoughtfully to emergencies and to develop solutions in partnership with staff, students, and relevant stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively to carry out complex assignments in a timely manner and to adapt to changing situations and priorities.
• Training in Motivational Interviewing desirable
• Experience with Salesforce or other data tracking system desirable
• Commitment to delivering trauma-informed services.
• Commitment to anti-racism work and social justice.

Candidates with lived experience are strongly encouraged to apply. Please send cover letter with salary expectations and resume.

At the Institute, we are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information (including characteristics and testing), military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. The Institute believes that diversity and inclusion among our teammates is critical to our success, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.