Job Title:
Department:
Reports to:
FLSA Status:
College Access Program Manager (Houston)
Programs
Houston Site Director
Professional – Exempt
Requisition Number: 14-08
SUMMARY:
For the position of College Access Program Manager, College Forward seeks a proven leader with strong planning and management skills to administer after-school college access programming at multiple high school sites.
Candidates should demonstrate professionalism, previous supervisory success, and a record of delivering the highest quality client services through supervisees. This position requires a proven ability to plan individual work goals in order to meet organizational objectives in a timely manner, the ability to closely monitor progress towards these goals, and the ability to take appropriate remedial action when necessary. Applicants should possess a sincere interest in empowering youth and a passion for higher education.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
 Provide daily supervision and regular evaluation of approximately 10-15 full-time AmeriCorps members, who serve as college coaches to high school juniors and seniors in multiple school districts
 Ensure that students consistently receive the highest quality of services, that client needs are met individually and severally, and that each student makes satisfactory progress towards personal and program goals
 Build and maintain positive, professional relationships with school personnel, exhibiting courtesy in all transactions, and provide frequent reports on the status of each students’ activities and progress
 Coordinate project teams on the following subjects, including but not limited to: program events, student communications, financial aid and literacy, parent services, curriculum revision, and community service activities.
 Recruit, interview, evaluate, and place qualified AmeriCorps members as college coaches and program specialists, in cooperation with Human Resources
 Plan and implement frequent training sessions for supervisees
 Plan and execute annual student recruitment presentations at each high school site
 Ensure that graduating seniors successfully transition to College Forward’s college completion program
 Monitor, organize and maintain up-to-date student files and databases
 Gather, maintain, analyze, and submit frequent statistical data and reports related to high school program activities for the staff, Executive Director and Board of Directors; prepare comprehensive quarterly reports of program activities and progress

ANCILLARY FUNCTIONS:
 Conduct extensive research to ensure clients receive highest quality of services and resources
 Represent the organization to school personnel, professional organizations, educators, funders, volunteers, and the public
 Monitor program calendar for progress toward program milestones, event implementation, and on-time task completion
 Coordinate with the appropriate staff member(s) to order, maintain, publish, and inventory high school program supplies
 Ensure the recognition of students and program staff through appropriate venues and opportunities
 Monitor strict program compliance with administrative policies and procedures, including the Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
 Plan, orchestrate, and attend programmatic special events, including but not limited to student workshops, college visits, student award ceremonies, conferences and community service days
 Oversee volunteer classroom aides assigned to high school sites
 Assist with the revision of high school program curriculum annually as needed
 Perform follow-up client phone calls and/or home visits as required
 Maintain excellent working relationships with, and serve as a central point of contact between, College
Forward staff members, school district and college personnel, students and families, and the community
 Ensure that the organization’s programmatic goals are being met
 Maintain tight budgetary controls, ensuring that program expenditures do not exceed budgeted levels
 Assist with special projects as assigned
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Directly oversee approximately 10-15 full-time AmeriCorps members and/or part-time college work/study students and up to fifteen volunteers. Carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies, AmeriCorps policies, university and school district policies, and all applicable laws. Responsibilities include recruiting and training program staff/team members; planning, assigning, directing, and monitoring work to ensure that the organization's goals are met; evaluating performance; providing guidance; rewarding and disciplining supervisees; addressing complaints and resolving problems; overseeing the revision and implementation of the high school program curriculum; coordinating resources and supplies for all high school program events; maintaining program databases and files in order to produce frequent reports.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
College Forward is a dynamic, progressive and youth-focused working environment. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud. Responsibilities may frequently require an adjusted work schedule and/or evening/weekend hours in order to meet deadlines or satisfy program requirements.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The College Access Program Manager must also submit to and pass a comprehensive criminal background check before a final offer of employment can be made, and annually thereafter.
 EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE: This position requires at least a baccalaureate degree from an accredited, academically-recognized four-year college or university; two years’ related supervisory and/or AmeriCorps college access experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Experience with AmeriCorps program and/or member management is strongly preferred.
 PHYSICAL DEMANDS: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to communicate with and present information to others and access information using a computer for several hours at a time.
Employees must have mobility throughout the office and must frequently drive or ride up to 30 miles to high school campuses and other service locations to monitor service delivery. Employees may infrequently be required to drive or ride distances of up to 250 miles, with occasional air travel necessary.
 EMOTIONAL DEMANDS: The employee must be emotionally mature and be able to handle difficult and complex team member and student situations. Candidates must demonstrate an ability to solve practical problems and deal with frequently changing variables. The employee must demonstrate strong interpersonal and coaching skills.
 INTELLECTUAL DEMANDS: Excellent writing and communication skills are essential; English/Spanish bilingualism is strongly preferred. Candidates must be able to read, analyze, and interpret general educational and business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures and governmental regulations. They must exhibit an ability to professionally write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. They must be able to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form. They must be able to effectively present information and respond to questions from the general public, clients, students, partners, and managers. Candidates must demonstrate the ability to understand and apply standard, high school-level mathematical concepts for the purposes of monitoring the program’s ACT and SAT test-preparation component and measuring program statistics.
College Forward provides equal employment opportunities to all team members and/or applicants for employment or service, without regard to race, color, class, religion/creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, weight, height, disability, political affiliation, marital or familial status, partnership status, citizenship status (except as required by law), veteran status, or status in any group protected by federal law, state law, or local ordinance. We provide reasonable accommodations upon request in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act. We encourage and support diversity and tolerance in our workplace.