Spec.Gear Up Lead

Power Youth•Nashville, TN

6h•Onsite

About The Position

Serves as the working lead over GEAR UP Specialists and Advisors, providing day-to-day functional guidance, peer mentoring, and quality review of program implementation across zone schools while personally delivering comprehensive college access and success services to students and families. Acts as the first-line operational escalation point for program-level issues and deputizes for the GEAR UP Coordinator on defined operational matters.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree education, counseling, higher education, business, or related field Required
4-6 years progressively responsible experience delivering college access, student support, or grant-funded program services in a school or community-based setting Required
2-4 years experience functioning as a working lead, mentor, or senior team member guiding peers and/or new staff Required
Demonstrated ability to functionally lead a team of peers without formal supervisory authority — including coaching, mentoring, quality feedback, and conflict resolution.
Demonstrated ability to manage a program area and align the work of others toward measurable outcomes
Ability to review peer work products for quality and compliance and to provide constructive feedback.
Strong facilitation skills for team meetings and professional development delivery.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Strong analytical skills, including the ability to interpret program and student data, identify trends, and translate findings into operational adjustments.
Working knowledge of federal and state grant administration requirements, with the ability to reinforce compliance expectations with peers.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
Ability to build and maintain positive working relationships with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

Master's Degree Preferred
2-4 years Prior experience with GEAR UP or other Federal/State grant-funded programs Preferred

Responsibilities

Organizes and delivers comprehensive college access and success services — including academic planning, career exploration, tutoring, mentoring, college visits, financial planning, enrichment, orientation, and application support to students and families in assigned schools, and maintains accurate participation and student records in the GEAR UP database.
Provides day-to-day guidance, coaching, and operational direction to GEAR UP Specialists and Advisors in the zone, and serves as the first-line resource for peers navigating complex student, family, or partner situations.
Designs and delivers onboarding for new zone team members, builds how-to guides and reference materials aligned with federal grant requirements, and partners with the Coordinator to identify ongoing professional learning needs for the team.
Reviews peer documentation, participation records, and database entries for accuracy and completeness before they roll up to the Coordinator, and flags risks, gaps, and inconsistencies for corrective action.
Leads development of the annual work plan in alignment with grant and district objectives set by the Coordinator, tracks benchmark progress across the zone, and escalates risks with proposed operational adjustments.
Maintains day-to-day working relationships with school administrators, counselors, community organizations, and postsecondary partners, and plans, promotes, and delivers GEAR UP-sponsored professional development to school and district staff or community partners.
Gathers documentation, consolidates peer submissions, and organizes evidence packages in preparation for federal GEAR UP monitoring events and audits, with the Coordinator representing the district in the actual engagements.
Serves as the Coordinator's operational backup during absences on pre-defined matters, maintains current working knowledge of federal, state, and local grant administration requirements, and reinforces compliance expectations with peers — without assuming supervisory, fiscal, or strategic authority.
May be required to support other grant-funded programs in a similar capacity as needed and directed by district leadership.
May be called upon to serve in a working-lead capacity across other teams or initiatives within the department as operational needs arise.