College Advisor

Lutheran Social Services of Southern California•San Diego, CA

About The Position

Lutheran Social Services of Southern California began in December 1944 when a group of Lutheran congregations in San Diego came together to discuss how to better assist families in need. They began discussing how to form a Welfare Commission. Their vision expanded when they came together with another group of Lutheran congregations in Los Angeles having the very same conversation. Lutheran Social Services of Southern California was officially incorporated in 1946 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit social service agency. The mission has stayed true to its earliest beginnings, to be a servant to those in need. Today LSSSC serves thousands of individuals and families throughout Southern California with over 45 programs/services at 18 locations. We are part of the Lutheran Services in America (LSA) network and strive to serve those in need with dignity and respect. Lutheran Social Services of Southern California’s Mission: Ignited by faith, we live out God’s love by embracing, equipping, and empowering vulnerable individuals, families and communities toward self-sufficiency. The Talent Search program identifies and assists individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds who have the potential to succeed in higher education. The program provides academic, career, and financial counseling to its participants and encourages them to graduate from high school and continue to complete their postsecondary education. The program publicizes the availability of financial aid and assists participants with the postsecondary application process. Talent Search also encourages persons who have not completed education programs at the secondary or postsecondary level to enter or reenter and complete postsecondary education. The goal of Talent Search is to increase the number of youths from disadvantaged backgrounds who complete high school and enroll in and complete their postsecondary education.

Requirements

Knowledge of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act and the ability to handle and work with confidential records and materials of minors.
Minimum of one year of undergraduate course work from an accredited institution of higher education in Mathematics, Science, Literature, Composition, Foreign Language or a related field of study; or meets the equivalent qualifications as established by the agency’s personnel procedures.
Willingness to be open to learning and growing.
Maturity of judgment and behavior.
Maintains high standards for work areas and appearance.
Attends work and shows up for scheduled shift on time with satisfactory regularity considering LSSSC time and attendance policy and/or client operating hours.
Ability to work a flexible schedule.
Must comply with any dress code requirements.
Must be able to work nights, weekends, and some holidays.
Must be legally authorized to work in country of employment without sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H1B status).
Ability to work effectively with low-income and first generation students in need of academic assistance, their families, and high school and university personnel; personal experience in overcoming barriers like those of the students served by the project.
Ability to present self in a highly professional manner to others and understand that honesty and ethics are essential.
Ability to maintain a positive attitude.
Must have basic phone and computer skills (email, texting, etc.).
Good attention to detail.
Ability to work well under pressure.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Excellent management and organizational skills.
Ability to work well alone and in a team.
Knowledge of and proficiency in all OSHA and local requirements related to all assigned work.
A valid driver’s license is required.
Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.
Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
To perform this job successfully, an individual should be proficient in word processing software.
Ability to reach, bend, stoop, push and/or pull, and frequently lift up to 35 pounds and occasionally lift/move 40 pounds.

Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Talent Search Director and Site Coordinator assist Talent Search participants and staff.
Assist Talent Search students in completing College and Financial Aid (FAFSA)applications.
Assist Talent Search students in completing scholarship applications.
Responsible for follow-up with students; these contacts will be in-person and/or virtual.
Assist Talent Search Coordinators in tracking students’ academic progress.
Assist Talent Search Coordinators in updating social media program accounts.
Skills to organize work effectively to achieve timely progress on multiple projects, distribute appropriate effort among the projects, meet deadlines and maintain a high level of productivity and attention to detail.
Maintains a record of the participant’s progress and attendance.
Submits reports and evaluations as necessary to Talent Search staff.
All record-keeping materials will be provided by program staff.
Other duties as assigned.