CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND COLLEGE SPECIALIST

Good Shepherd Services • Bronx, NY

6d • Onsite

About The Position

The Career Development and College Specialist builds positive relationships with young people and collaborates with Coaches to support participants’ goals in career development and college. The role assesses work readiness, skills, experience, and education; provides career exploration and job-readiness support; and develops connections with internship providers, workforce development organizations, and employers. The specialist matches young people with employment and internship opportunities, monitors placements, and helps address barriers to participation in the workplace. The position also supports college-bound young people through college exploration and applications, financial aid and scholarship applications, enrollment, and transfers. The role maintains records and reports, participates in program and case-planning activities, and incorporates the Sanctuary Model into daily practice. Field work is required.

The position is based at 7 West Burnside, Bronx, New York 10453, and is 35 hours per week. It is non-exempt, with a salary range of $50,000–$55,000 based on relevant postgraduate experience.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Experience working with adolescents or young adults in education- or employment-related fields.
• Strong group facilitation or teaching skills.
• Ability to work with diverse staff and students and network with diverse employer constituents.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, especially Word and Excel.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Commitment to working from a strength-based Youth & Family Development perspective.
• Ability to perform field work.

Nice To Haves

• Experience developing internships for youth.
• Bilingual English/Spanish.

Responsibilities

• Assess participants’ work readiness, skills, experience, and education, and conduct career assessments.
• Facilitate and organize Career Club activities.
• Conduct outreach to internship providers, workforce development providers, and employers to identify and secure full-time, part-time, and summer internship and employment opportunities.
• Match and place participants in internship and employment opportunities, including SYEP, and monitor placements while obtaining employer feedback.
• Attend home visits as needed to engage participants.
• Help young people apply to external programs and employers as pipelines to opportunities.
• Conduct community outreach, networking, and public relations.
• Facilitate workshops on job and career readiness, career exploration, and skills development, including resume writing, interviewing, and completing job applications.
• Identify barriers or challenges and collaborate with staff, permanent adult supports, and families to help young people address or overcome them.
• Participate in Family Team Conferences, discharge planning, Continuation of Care, and Support Beyond Age 21 conferences.
• Attend program and team meetings and provide progress updates.
• Oversee PYA-related activities and trainings, and coordinate and facilitate staff trainings related to employment, PYA skills, and transition plans.
• Recruit and invite participants to special events, including agency field trips, youth celebrations, academic acknowledgements, and SYEP.
• Generate outreach and placement statistics and data, prepare reports, and maintain updated tracking sheets on the intranet educational group site.
• Assist young people with completing credit checks.
• Maintain a caseload of young people in 12th grade and college.
• Meet with referred young people interested in college to provide exploratory and informational sessions and discuss college or HSE program roadmaps and timelines.
• Monitor students’ Pre-SAT/SAT scores and discuss or refine college options with them.
• Organize college tours and help young people apply to colleges aligned with their interests, preferences, and performance.
• Assist students with college essays and personal statements as needed.
• Review college applications and financial aid forms completed with school or guidance counselors to check for accuracy.
• Assist college-bound students with FAFSA, TAP, ETV, and scholarship applications, including reviewing essays and helping with reference letters.
• Ensure students apply to available Opportunity Programs and are scheduled for entrance interviews or exams.
• Complete required paperwork for College Choice Benefits, when applicable.
• Contact students to ensure they enroll in appropriate classes each semester and assist with enrollment as needed.
• Help young people reapply for financial aid and scholarships each year and assist with college transfers when needed.
• Keep case records current according to agency standards and complete required ACS and agency documentation.
• Promote and model the seven Sanctuary Model commitments and integrate the Sanctuary Model SELF framework into daily practice.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time