Program Manager, College Advising

SEO (Sponsors for Educational Opportunity)•New York, NY

23h•$66,300 - $73,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Program Manager, College Advising manages all elements of the college admissions process for a cohort of ~50-60 12th grade students to ensure 100% admission into a four-year college. This includes college list development, application essay reviews, standardized prep support, financial aid support, as well as preparation for the college transition. In coordination with 11th grade, 12th grade, and College Scholars staff, and students’ families, the Program Manager leads and implements SEO Scholars 12th grade programming on Saturdays, after school, and during the summer. They are an integral member of the team and closely collaborate with 12th Grade SEO writing coaches.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required.
At least two years of experience teaching, coaching, or advising high school students one on one on college-bound pathways.
Experience in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.
Knowledge of NYS high school graduation requirements.
Knowledge of the college process; federal, NY State, and institutional financial aid applications; EA/ED; and NY city and state opportunity programs.
A demonstrated commitment and passion for closing the opportunity gap for all students.
Adept at building authentic relationships with students quickly.
Exceptional communication skills, both written and oral.
Ability to conduct difficult conversations with Scholars and families to give honest, productive feedback.
Excellent interpersonal skills and a high level of professionalism.
Highly adaptable and solution-oriented with the ability to solve complex problems.
Data-driven and results-oriented with an unquestionable commitment to high-quality work.
Ability to manage complex projects with multiple deadlines.
Highly organized with exceptional attention to detail.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of Excel and experience working with Salesforce (database) and Brightspace (LMS) are a plus.
Bilingual Spanish/English is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

Provide data-driven college application advising to all Scholars in their cohort, including benchmarks for outreach, individual meetings, and application material completion.
Stay up to date on current college admissions and financial aid processes and trends to coach students through the college application, admissions, and financial aid processes.
Create and foster an environment for the 12th-grade Scholars that encourage intellectual curiosity, and an inclusive, close-knit, and supportive community.
Partner with Program Managers to ensure consistency and rigor across all cohort experiences.
Author personalized letters of recommendation for students in cohort where needed.
Advise and partner with families and school partners of cohort participants, communicating clearly and openly about the college admissions process and pathways for each student.
Provide resources and support for standardized test preparation (SAT, ACT).
Set and maintain high expectations for Scholars, encouraging positive student outcomes and ensuring all adhere to program policies and behavioral standards.
Track and maintain data from all student meetings on Salesforce to ensure 100% college and financial aid application completion.
Analyze and report cohort outcomes and impact in support of capturing SEO’s success through meaningful data.
Show willingness to learn new technological skills and/or systems to manage and assess current practices.
Engage in professional development opportunities, such as being present at webinars and trainings, visiting colleges and universities throughout the academic year, and attending national and regional college admissions counseling conferences.
Create and update college advising workshops and seminar curriculum as necessary to ensure our curriculum stays student centered and current to the college admissions landscape.
Facilitate college admissions seminars on Saturdays and weekday workshops once per week as well as other relevant workshops designed to increase student success in the college application process and in the high school to college transition.