Project Assistant

School District of Philadelphia•Philadelphia, PA

8h•Onsite

About The Position

Provides departmental support with various programs and tasks in the assigned area of programmatic activities. Provides a variety of facilitative services and serves as a resource to external agencies that have partnered with the District to provide programs and services. The Opportunity Network is comprised of district-managed and partner-managed educational options that focus on educating students at risk of or currently disengaged from school with the goal of bringing students through to high school completion in preparation for post-secondary credential attainment and/or self-sustaining employment. In total, the Opportunity Network educates more than 3,000 students each year across 19 school programs. Many students make their initial connection with those programs by visiting the Re-Engagement Center (REC). Participates in program planning and development. Monitors program operations and maintains contact with external agencies. Gathers data for reports and works to ensure benchmarks of the program are obtained. Investigates specific operational concerns highlighted by program staff and makes recommendations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
One year of full-time, paid work experience which has involved working with parents, schools, school programs or providing departmental support meeting project goals.
Demonstrated knowledge of District practices and procedures.
Demonstrated knowledge of methods and techniques utilized in effective program planning, design and administration.
Demonstrated skill in using personal computer applications.
Demonstrated ability to plan, organize and direct project activities.
Demonstrated ability to exercise discretion and tact in handling sensitive and/or confidential information.
Demonstrated ability to work quickly and effectively under time limitations.
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

Responsibilities

Coordinates tasks for small projects in the assigned office; plans and schedules projects.
Tracks timelines and monitors progress with departmental projects.
Works with selected teams on specific aspects of meeting project goals in a timely manner.
Prepares reports related to project status and projections.
Develops and builds good communications and relationships between the assigned office and the schools.
Works with schools and offices in setting priorities for the completion of requested services.
Coordinates the needs of the unit with other offices.
Assists management with administrative and operational responsibilities in support of the functional unit, including personnel-related project resource management.
Participates in organizational planning within the assigned office and other departmental offices.
Maintains and updates key reference documents and databases.
Maintains grants, contracts, memorandum of understanding and other documents for multiple projects.
Assists with professional development logistics
Makes arrangements for conferences, meetings, and appointments.
Responds to public inquiries on the telephone and in person; explains School District policies and procedures; researches various issues, which may involve contacting internal and external sources; coordinates activities between functions/departments to facilitate problem resolution.
Meets with students one-on-one to learn about their individual skills, education, and employment preferences, and to help them identify an educational program as well as other resources to overcome barriers to success and support educational goals.
Discusses re-enrollment options with students including Opportunity Network options, School District of Philadelphia options and other options offered through our community partners.
Communicates clear program expectations to students and supports students through the enrollment process.
Conducts follow up calls to students for retention and additional support.
Connects students to community resources that will increase the chances of successful re-enrollment.
Provides support to Principals, Counselors and other identified staff at SDP comprehensive high schools to help identify, recruit and refer over-aged and under-credited students to Opportunity network programs.
Assists with the development and implementation of appropriate programmatic and administrative policies to address recruitment, attendance and retention for Opportunity Network programs and students.
Acts a liaison with various internal departments to drive collaboration and student success; and responds effectively to urgent requests from multiple internal and external SDP stakeholders.
Stays abreast of best practices in re-engagement and youth development and of the latest educational program options and eligibility requirements for Opportunity Network students.
Maintains and updates student files and records; enters student data into program database and tracks student success.
Assists with the collection and analysis of student data and with the evaluation of Re-Engagement center policies & practices; provides recommendations for improvement.
Attends a number of community events, including a limited number of weekend/evening events, as a REC representative.
Provides all necessary support to the Assistant Director to run an efficient and effective walk-in center.