College Persistence Advisor

Statement of Agency:
Commonpoint is a multifaceted community center dedicated to sustaining and enhancing the quality of individual, family and communal life throughout New York City, offering services to people of all ages, ability levels, stages of life and backgrounds. They strive to meet the evolving needs of their community of over 100,000 members ranging from providing in-school and after-school programs, professional and career development, assistance with food insecurity, legal services, financial counseling, mental health services, senior classes, dementia care programs, and tax preparation assistance to name a few. Commonpoint has grown tremendously in the last five years and now has a mission-driven staff of 3,000 and over 80 sites in the five boroughs.

Within our framework of a holistic, strength-focused, and family-supported practice, an individual is hired as a Persistence Advisor in the High School and College Success division and will report directly to the Assistant Director of College Access & Persistence. The Persistence Program provides individual academic and social-emotional support services to our new, continuing, and transfer students. Supports include assisting with transition and enrollment, providing resources and opportunities for students to explore career and degree options as well as self-advocacy skills.

Education & Qualifications:

• Master's degree required, preferably in Social Work, Counseling, School Counseling, School Psychology, or a related field from an accredited university.
• Bilingual - Spanish extension is strongly preferred.
• 2-3 years of graduate school field placement or work experience within either a youth-focused or education-focused agency.
• Prior experience working with high school and college students is a plus.
• Highly detail-oriented and organized approach to tasks, while able to meet competing deadlines.
• Exceptional communication skills: verbal, written, interpersonal (phone and in-person).
• Demonstrates unequivocal passion for closing the achievement and opportunity gap.
• Self-starter who can work independently and collaboratively in a group, is team-oriented, and has a growth mindset.
• Willing to do what it takes to get the work done (whether it is their specifically assigned task or not).
• Proficient in Google Suite, and experience using Database/CMS program preferred (e.g., Salesforce, National Student Clearinghouse).
• Must be able to travel.
• Prior workshop/seminar development and implementation experience preferred; prior college counseling experience strongly preferred.
• Must have excellent organizational, teamwork, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Must have a commitment to work from a strength-based and/or youth development perspective.

Responsibilities:

• Create engaging and relevant activities for students and their families connected to college success.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends.
• May require overnight travel.
• Ability to travel to multiple sites, including CUNY and SUNY college campuses.
• Foster and manage relationships with college personnel, including college administrators, professors, and staff who provide student support services.
• Experience working with a diverse group of students and the ability to support students as a liaison.
• Strong relationship-building and group facilitation capabilities, incorporating cross-cultural sensitivity.
• Deep understanding of positive youth development, education learning standards, and issues facing immigrant and first-generation youth in the U.S.
• College guidance experience and strong knowledge of college applications, opportunity programs (HEOP/SEEK/CD/EOP), financial aid and scholarship process, and college portals.
• Ability to research and develop opportunities for alumni.
• Ability to develop partnerships, work with and in teams.
• Takes initiative and can solve problems.
• Energized by the idea and process of creating and implementing new initiatives.
• Identify gaps in services based on best practices in retention and create programs to improve student success.
• Develop student records and portfolios, including academic monitoring and an early warning system to address risks to retention.
• Maintain a schedule for regular outreach to program students via phone, text, email, virtual, and in-person communications.
• Build positive rapport with students to serve as a person of impact and influence throughout their post-secondary journey.

General Tasks of Commonpoint Staff:

• Promote and implement the Core Values of the Community Center.
• Participation in all staff meetings and staff training seminars.
• Participation in agency-wide programs and program committees, as assigned.
• Active involvement as a supervisee in the supervision process.
• Support the mission of Commonpoint.
• Other tasks appropriate to Commonpoint’s staff, as assigned.

Commonpoint reserves the right to revise or change job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

Commonpoint is an equal-opportunity employers/programs. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

To Apply: Please submit a cover letter and résumé, as a Word or PDF document only, to Sabita Periatambi at [email protected]. Please indicate “Persistence Advisor” in the subject line. Due to the high volume of applicants, only qualified candidates will be contacted.

Salary Range: $50,000-$ 60,000.