College Access and Transition Coordinator

Location: New York, NY (Harlem)

Type: Full Time, Exempt

About StreetSquash

StreetSquash was founded in Harlem in September 1999 as the second squash and education program in the United States. A comprehensive youth enrichment program, StreetSquash combines academic tutoring, squash instruction, community service, college preparation, leadership development, and mentoring for young people ages 11-24. What began as an after-school program with 24 middle school students and two staff members has expanded to serve 400 participants from 6th grade through college graduation and entry into the workforce. Learn more about us at www.streetsquash.org.
 

About the Position

StreetSquash is seeking a driven and innovative College Access and Transition Coordinator position. An ideal candidate will possess a passion for working with young people and driving an organization that supports participants on the path to high school graduation, post-secondary education, and completion and securing meaningful, self-sustaining employment. This position will report to the Manager of College Access and Success and Alumni Support (CASAS).
 

Position Responsibilities 
 

College Access Programming 

• Support planning and implementation of College Access curriculum for 9th – 11th-grade students.
• Organize and chaperone college visits
• Collaborate with the Career Development Coordinator to support high school students navigating their post-secondary pathways and internship and summer opportunity applications 
• Organize workshops and presentations on college access, financial aid, and the college application process for students and families.

College Application Counseling 

• Provide individualized support for high school seniors and their families throughout the college application and financial aid process, including helping them to build balanced college lists, complete college, and financial aid applications, develop personal and well-written essays, and submit all necessary paperwork to colleges and universities that they choose to apply for. 
• Coordinate with guidance counselors in partner high schools, parents, mentors, and others in each student’s support system to ensure all students get the support needed.
• Manage test prep and application, mentor training, and support throughout the year.
• Communicate regularly with college admissions officers to advocate for seniors throughout the admissions process.

College Transition Alumni Support 

• Coordinate and facilitate College Transition Senior Seminar and Beginning College Program for rising college students.
• Maintain regular student communication (care packages, calls, texts), track academic progress, support with financial aid applications and challenges, disburse StreetSquash scholarships
• Identify possible barriers to completion and work with students and college counselors to create and follow up with action plans
• Plan, schedule, and visit all StreetSquash residential and commuter students entering their first semester on-site at their college campuses
• Collaborate with the Career Development Coordinator to discuss fields of interest and pair students up with employers or training programs for internships.
• Collaborate with the other alumni support staff, caregivers, or outside post-secondary support staff as needed

Other CASAS and Administrative 

• Collaborate with a team to support College Access, Success & Alumni Support (CASAS) programs and events.
• Maintain records of all students’ students’ college applications, academic progress, student interactions, and event attendance on Salesforce
• Support with any CASAS department evaluations and fundraising reports
• Participate in college access/trends, post-secondary success, and youth development training or conferences as needed
• Assist with collaborations with outside career access partners (i.e., CACNY, Squash, and Education Alliance, CUNY Network for College Success)

Other Administrative

• Support other StreetSquash departments and StreetSquash-wide events as needed

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required in a related field
• 2-3 years of professional work experience in college counseling, post-secondary success counseling, or related fields
• Experience with developing and maintaining relationships with high school and college students and providing individualized support and coaching
• Knowledge of the college application and financial aid process, including CUNY, SUNY, and New York State opportunity programs
• Experience with lesson planning, curriculum development, and facilitation a plus
• Excellent organizational and time management skills
• Sensitivity to different cultures and communities; demonstrated ability to work well with diverse or marginalized populations; can bring in allies across diverse communities 
• Clear and compelling in both verbal and written communications
• Valid driver’s license for travel

Qualifications & Experience

• Commitment to a mission geared towards career readiness, post-secondary success, and the acquisition of academic, professional, social-emotional, and self-efficacy skills and competencies for young adults 
• Must have a commitment to work from a strength-based, youth and family development perspective
• Passion for young people and enjoyment of spending time with them, coaching or tutoring them, and pushing them to set and achieve goals in all aspects of their lives
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to multitask, problem-solve, meet deadlines, maintain all and pay close attention to detail 
• Spanish proficiency is a plus
• Google Suite, Zoom, and Salesforce experience a plus or demonstrated experience to learn new systems

Commitment: StreetSquash values long-term, deep, impactful work with students. It takes years to cultivate relationships, and staff retention is a critical component of organizational success. This is not a transitional role or a temporary stepping stone. Candidates should be prepared to commit for the long haul, just as we are committed to supporting our staff to develop and grow.  

Compensation & Benefits: StreetSquash offers competitive compensation commensurate with experience. Salary is $52k-$55k. Full benefits include employer-supported health coverage, monthly MetroCard or equivalent transit stipend, monthly cell phone stipend, FSA, paid federal holidays, 20 days of paid vacation plus a 5-day holiday break, 40 hours of sick time, 3 personal days (after 3 months of employment), and 401k contributions (after 3 months of employment).

Application Process: Only complete applications will be reviewed, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Final applicants will be requested to consent to a pre-employment background check and employment verification. A background check is required to extend a job offer.

StreetSquash is an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply. No knowledge of squash is necessary for this position.