College & Career Advisor - College Students

Location: Hybrid work environment. Day-to-day will be remote, but must reside within/near the San Francisco Bay Area in California as the position will include occasional travel for meetings, conferences, or other program-related events.

Students Rising Above (SRA)

Students Rising Above (SRA) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit founded over 25 years ago to serve all nine counties of the San Francisco Bay Area, now supporting students across the country. Students Rising Above (SRA) believes in the transformative power of education and every day we work to empower underrepresented students to achieve their life goals by connecting them to the tools, resources, and supportive community they need to excel and thrive on their college-to-career journey.

Comprised of a tightly organized team of trained experts, corporate partners, an engaged student community, and the commitment of both individual donors and foundations, SRA has created an all-encompassing program that offers students support, including but not limited to:

• Social-emotional support
• Academic advising
• Healthcare navigation
• Career guidance
• Professional development

By providing comprehensive guidance and support whenever and wherever it’s needed, SRA accomplishes its mission through a series of proven initiatives that have a direct and profound impact, affecting lives for generations. For more information, visit www.studentsrisingabove.org.

Overview:

The College & Career Advisor, reporting to the Senior Manager of College Success, will support the delivery and continued development of SRA’s virtual advising services. They will play a significant role in the delivery of SRA’s entirely virtual, cohort-based advising program for college students, SOAR, which will include the facilitation of virtual meetings/guided discussions, building supportive virtual communities, and supporting the growth and development of program participants in group and individual settings. The College & Career Advisor will collaborate with the SOAR Peer Mentors who play an integral role in the co-facilitation of virtual SOAR meetings and community-building within the cohorts. The College & Career Advisor will also support the delivery of additional services such as in-person and virtual workshops and the creation of college and career-focused content.

Key Responsibilities:

Advising & Interactions

• Provide developmentally and culturally appropriate guidance and support in person and online related to:
  • college applications
  • financial aid
  • financial literacy
  • college finances
  • college selection
  • transition to college
  • transition to life after college
  • career development
  • personal growth
  • self-advocacy
  • the specific challenges of students who identify as undocumented or AB540 status
  • other topics relating to the adjustment to college life and college success
• Develop and maintain respectful and supportive relationships with students from a variety of backgrounds
• Provide extensive feedback on personal statements, resumes, and cover letters for both high school and college students
• Identify and connect with students who have challenges and support them in identifying obstacles to success and developing problem-solving skills to overcome them
• Communicate with students using email, online message boards, texts, phone calls, and video conferencing
• Support in the regular evaluation of content and program effectiveness and contribute ideas/identify opportunities for enhancement
• Create engaging content for the SRA programs and platforms such as articles, videos, presentations, lesson plans, and agendas
• Assist in planning, executing, and evaluating workshops in the community, at high schools, and at colleges both virtually and in person
• Maintain professionalism with school and community partners
• Build community and foster engagement in both virtual and in-person environments

Data Entry & Analysis

• Regularly monitor and track student data using tools such as Salesforce and Google Workspace
• Review data consistently and use collected data to recognize trends and inform advising

Other Responsibilities

• Collaborate with other SRA departments as needed to work towards program and organizational goals
• Position will include occasional travel for required staff meetings, conferences, or other program-related events
• Support with organization-wide and team events some weekend hours and multiple evenings throughout the year
• Other miscellaneous responsibilities as assigned
• SRA is a growing organization; expected flexibility with additional duties resulting from expansion

Required Qualifications & Competencies:

Experience & Work Environment

• Bachelor's degree required
• 3 years of college advising experience or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience
• Access to reliable transportation
• Available to work flexible hours including weekends and evenings as needed
• Enjoy working remotely most of the time; must live in the SF Bay Area as position involves in-person workshops and meetings with companies, staff, and students

Qualities & Skills

• A commitment to working with first-generation college students and students who come from low-income, disadvantaged backgrounds
• Commitment to a personal and professional exploration of power and privilege, including a willingness to self-reflect and experience discomfort in difficult and transformative conversations. Previous progress along this journey required.
• Strong computer skills and familiarity with Google Workspace, Salesforce, and Zoom
• Self-directed; experience working independently with the ability to prioritize, stay on top of all projects, and meet deadlines
• Keen attention to detail and strong organizational skills; must be confident and able to provide accurate and reliable information
• Flexibility; ability to adapt to students’ and programs’ evolving needs, enthusiasm for exploring new methodologies to support the refinement and improvement of programming
• Strong ability to communicate and connect with students via technology (text, email, Zoom, etc.)
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills
• Sound judgment and proven ability to coach students through difficult situations
• Positive, team-oriented attitude with willingness to take on ad hoc duties as necessary due to the evolution of the EdTech services and programs

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with college access and success organizations or programs
• Salesforce, Asana, Slack, and Canva Experience

• Medical, Dental, & Vision
  • Plans through Kaiser, United Health, Anthem Blue Cross, Sutter Health, Ameritas, and other providers
• Self-Care Days
• Flexible Vacation Time
• Monthly technology stipend
• Ability to invest in 403(b) Retirement Plan
• Mission-driven work with meaningful impact