College Advising Mentor Specialist

IMPROVE YOUR TOMORROW•Merced, CA

8d•$26 - $36•Onsite

About The Position

Improve Your Tomorrow (IYT) works to increase the number of young men of color who attend and graduate from college. Guided by its values of Character, Service, Teamwork, and Liberation, the organization aims to address academic inequities and build a college-to-community pipeline. The College Advising Mentor Specialist serves as the primary relationship-builder, college advisor, and college-going culture builder for students in grades 9–12. Under the FY26/27 restructure, this is the senior site-based leader for daily programming, with a visible presence on campus every school day and responsibility for the daily IYT experience. The role provides a consistent connection among students, families, and their college-going path. The position is based at an assigned local school campus in Merced, California. The schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; some weekends, evenings, and organization-wide events are required. Travel is listed as up to 25%. The hourly pay range is $26.00–$35.57.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university.
Commitment to IYT’s mission, vision, and values.
Demonstrated commitment to equity and supporting young men of color.
Strong relationship-building skills and ability to connect authentically with students, families, and school partners.
Commitment to meeting students where they are and building relationships before asking for anything.
Strong case-management instincts, including the ability to track, follow up, and document an ongoing caseload.
Ability to self-motivate and achieve results.
Ability to multitask and work under pressure.
Ability to prioritize work, meet deadlines, and produce quality results.
Excellent communication and management skills, including the ability to inspire and encourage others to accomplish goals.
Ability to act with an appropriate and responsible level of transparency and vulnerability to build confidence and trust.
Computer skills with G-Suite, Microsoft Suite, Zoom, and Salesforce.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual in Spanish is strongly preferred.
A bachelor’s degree in education, social work, youth development, or a related field is preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead daily IYT programming as the senior site-based leader and maintain a consistent, visible presence on campus every school day.
Provide one-on-one mentorship to students across all grade levels on the site roster.
Operate open and structured study hall on designated programming days, maintaining a welcoming, structured, and purposeful space.
Lead structured site programming, including the full Brotherhood experience, its rituals and activities, and the Member Development Workshop.
Make a family touchpoint after every mentorship session to affirm student growth, share a success, or invite the family to an upcoming opportunity.
Lead quarterly family engagement touchpoints: Q1 Orientation/Welcome, Q2 Milestone, Q3 Mid-Semester, and Q4 Celebration.
Monitor assigned students’ GPA, A–G and college eligibility progress, and attendance.
Coordinate FAFSA/CADAA timelines, college applications, and senior readiness for 12th graders with the College Completion Mentor Specialist.
Introduce each senior to the College Completion Mentor Specialist by spring semester and document the required warm handoff before graduation.
Log mentorship sessions, program attendance, and family touchpoints in Salesforce within 24 hours.
Maintain current academic records for each student, including GPA, A–G/college eligibility progress, attendance, and D/F flags, and promptly raise concerns with the Associate Program Director.
Track and document 12th-grade milestones, including FAFSA/CADAA completion, college applications, intent to enroll, orientation, registration, declared major, education plan, and counselor connection.
Maintain intervention notes and academic recovery plans for students with D/F grades or a GPA below 2.0, including follow-up actions and progress.
Complete end-of-week Salesforce logging and review students not yet seen to ensure each member has had contact or has a scheduled follow-up.
Capture and submit regular site content, including photos, short videos, student stories, and significant program moments, with required consent and release documentation on file.
Perform additional duties as assigned.

Benefits

Medical benefits
Dental benefits
Vision benefits
Life and AD&D coverage, with additional voluntary options
Employee Assistance Plan (EAP)
403(b) retirement plan with a 3% employer match after one year of employment
Sick leave
Two weeks of accrued paid vacation leave
Eight paid holidays
Additional paid time off during select school breaks, about three weeks in total