About the position
This is a grant funded, full-time, temporary position through June 30, 2026 with the possibility of reappointment. Under the general direction of the Cradle to Career Program and Evaluation Director and Executive Director of Hayward Promise Neighborhoods (HPN), the College & Career Programs Lead will support a team of 4 staff supporting K-12 and postsecondary programs including Student Success Navigation (High School and Postsecondary), Pioneers with Promise (High School), and Internships (Postsecondary). This position is responsible for aligning strategies that support college and career readiness, persistence, and completion for students at Cal State East Bay, Hayward Unified School District, Eden Area ROP, and Chabot College. The lead will collaborate with university leadership, faculty, and external partners to ensure a coordinated approach to student success and workforce development within the cradle-to-career framework. The lead will have experience developing and implementing evidence-based programs that provide academic and career support services to students, including mentoring, career exploration, internship coordination, and college persistence coaching. The position requires strong collaboration with K-12 districts, community colleges, industry partners, and community-based organizations to establish pipelines for student success. Additionally, this role includes data analysis, program evaluation, and strategic planning to ensure programs meet institutional and grant-funded objectives.
Responsibilities
- Provide lead work direction to a team of five professionals supporting college readiness, career exploration, and student success navigation.
- Provide leadership, training, and regular coaching to staff to enhance student support services.
- Align and integrate programming for Student Success Navigators, Pioneers with Promise, and HPN Internships to streamline student experiences.
- Oversee program implementation, ensuring alignment with Cal State East Bay's strategic goals and HPN's cradle-to-career initiatives.
- Build and maintain partnerships with K-12 schools, community colleges, workforce development agencies, and industry leaders to expand student support and career pathways.
- Collaborate with faculty and administrators to integrate career exploration and readiness into academic programs.
- Plan, coordinate, execute and evaluate monthly and quarterly community activities aimed at promoting college and career opportunities for Hayward students and families.
- Serve as a liaison between Cal State East Bay, local school districts, and community-based organizations to strengthen college and career readiness efforts.
- Participate and support coordination of HPN's Cradle-to-Career Education Reform Network (C2CERN) efforts, including monthly meetings, communities of practice, and plan-do-study-act activities.
- Ensure compliance with grant requirements, CSU policies, and partner agreements related to student success programs.
- Develop and implement risk management policies for student internships, mentorship programs, and career development initiatives.
- Participate in regional, state, and national initiatives supporting HPN's cradle-to-career efforts.
- Oversee program logistics, including student placements, training workshops, and networking events.
- Collect and analyze student engagement and success metrics to evaluate program effectiveness toward our target outcomes.
- Prepare reports on college enrollment, career placement, and retention outcomes to inform strategic decision-making.
- Utilize data to identify barriers to student success and implement evidence-based solutions.
- Attend and co-facilitate weekly in-person HPN staff meetings to report, collaborate, and support collective impact efforts.
- Represent HPN and Cal State East Bay across university and community events and conferences, including travel to conferences in and outside of the state.
Requirements
- A Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Education, Social Sciences, or a related field or equivalent administrative experience.
- Minimum five (5) years of experience in student success, career services, college readiness, or workforce development.
- Experience leading or coaching staff and volunteers to support high-impact student support programs.
- Demonstrated success in building partnerships with educational institutions, employers, and community organizations.
- Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to handle multiple priorities.
- Knowledge of risk management policies, compliance requirements, and student internship best practices.
- Ability to analyze and report program data for evaluation and grant compliance.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to engage with students, faculty, and community partners across diverse backgrounds.
- Strong understanding of cradle-to-career services and resources for children and families.
- Maintain a flexible work schedule that may frequently include evening and weekend activities in community locations.
- Access to reliable transportation and a valid driver's license for regular travel to community locations and events.
- Recognize when information is appropriate for public distribution and when it needs to be kept confidential.
- Knowledge of and ability to use a variety of technologies including, but not limited to: Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suite, Zoom, and general in-house platforms and data collection tools.
Nice-to-haves
- A Master's degree in Public Administration, Education, Social Sciences, or a related field or equivalent administrative experience.
- Proven work experience involving the study, analysis, and/or evaluation of qualitative or qualitative data leading to the development or improvement of administrative policies, procedures, practices, or programs.
- Demonstrated ability to create and disseminate marketing and communication material with attention to detail and graphic design elements to effectively promote HPN related programming and resources.
