Academic Counselor

Position Overview:

Coordinates program or services activities to ensure relevant guidelines, specifications, policy and/or procedures are followed for academic related programs, groups, and/or services. Assess to make sure the educational needs and goals are being met. Facilitates communication between administrators, faculty, staff, and students concerning program and/or services. Maintains relevant databases to ensure accurate and accessible records. Prepare reports summarizing statistical data or describing program objectives and accomplishments.

Department Specific Essential Job Functions:
This position is a multi-year grant funded position and continued employment is contingent upon grant renewal. Establish, coordinate and maintain contact with all target schools, colleges, universities, and community partners. Establish and maintain positive relationships and partnerships with all grant program internal and external stakeholders. Ensures program staff is up-to-date with all changes in academic requirements at the local and state level. Develop and maintain individualized interrogative knowledge portfolios for all participants. To include but not limited to academic and career plans and support services. Advises and educates students on program requirements, academic goals while evaluating students academic history, standardized tests, and academic progress via transcripts on a continual proactive basis. Coordinate and serve as staff chaperone during college visitations, service learning, cultural enrichment activities, and summer academies provided for program participants. Creates and maintains participant files and enters data into the project database. Coordinate workshops and seminars for advising participants on gaining skills and knowledge in the areas of leadership, character development, financial literacy, lifelong learning, cultural diversity, soft skills, career planning, and college preparation/readiness. Develops curriculum, facilitates and delivers classroom instruction on these topics or schedules guest speakers with the requested expertise. Advises and assists students and their parents in accessing needed counseling services, support networks, and/or community health services. Assist the project director in planning, facilitating, and implementation of all program services and objectives for participants as outlined in grant and any other duties as required by management. Work with department, target schools, and community to recruit, interview, evaluate and select qualified students for the program. Assist in managing the student filing system/database system and documentation for target schools. Provide direct services to participants on college access and success processes that promotes high school completion and post-secondary enrollment. Manage and create all TRIO Talent Search social media accounts and informational publications. This includes but is not limited to research, content creation, execution, monitoring and reporting. Will train and update TRIO staff in the use of Lacai Database for student information. Must be able to drive 12 or 15 passenger vehicles.

Job Level:

Scope & Impact: This position is an intermediate-level independent contributor whose actions may have a significant impact on a department's operations. This position may also affect operations of multiple work areas.

Communication & Interaction : Interacts with various levels within or outside the University to provide service, interpret and explain ideas and concepts, as well as resolve issues.

Effective Knowledge: Demonstrates functional expertise in a particular domain. Demonstrates ability to operate independently and without supervision for day to day operations.

Problem Solving & Judgement : Maintains a working knowledge of policies and procedures, generally accepted principles, and methods. Resolves day to day operational issues by collecting and interpreting information. Solutions may include modifying procedures and methods to address new conditions and may incorporate advice and input as needed from supervisor. This role includes broad responsibilities requiring the application of policies to dynamic and complex conditions.

Budget Authority: May provide input into budget development by identifying operational needs and requirements. May assist with research, requirements gathering or other related efforts to develop budgetary requirements.

Policy & Procedure Authority: Primarily responsible for applying organizational policies and procedures and/or determining appropriate process to follow.

Reporting Relationships : Generally reports to manager or higher but may receive basic operational direction and guidance from senior level staff members.

Supervisory & Team Leadership Responsibilities : May provide functional subject matter expertise and guidance to junior staff.

Qualifications

Qualifications Required:

Requires a Bachelor’s degree in job related field plus 3+ years of relevant experience in the chosen field or 7+ years of equivalent work experience that provides knowledge of and exposure to fundamental theories, principles, and concepts. Requires the application of expertise in a chosen field to achieve results.

Qualifications Preferred:

Bilingual preferred; at a minimum, the ability to understand and to make oneself understood to all Spanish speaking individuals. Knowledge in higher education attainment process. Minimum of three (3) years of experience with federal TRIO programs, academic support programs, or similar programs for disadvantage youths.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities: Ability to serve as a mentor to program participants. Demonstrated ability to work effectively with target population, officials in post-secondary education institutions, community agencies, community organizations and community centers. The ability to cooperate and communicate with colleagues, participants, parents and community members involved with the program. Knowledge of current educational resources and information in testing, career planning, college admissions, and financial aid resources. Experience in coordinating and implementing counseling sessions, workshops, seminars, campus visits, and group activities. Ability to work independently and comply with program guidelines. Ability to coordinate various components of program goals. Demonstration of excellent written, oral and interpersonal skills. Commitment to the target population and the principles of equal educational opportunity.

Will this employee supervise others?

No

Physical Demands:

Reasonable accommodations (in accordance with ADA requirements) may be made, upon request, to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.