Family and Community Engagement Specialist (Temporary), GEAR UP

Family and Community Engagement Specialist (Temporary), GEAR UP

Classification: Student Services Professional I
Department Name: Early Outreach & Support Pgms
Job Number: FP2022-767
Status: Open Until FilledOpen Until Filled
Priority Screening Date:
Recruitment Status: Open Until Filled

Position Description:
Family and Community Engagement Specialist(Student Services Professional I)Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs(GEAR UP)Seaside High SchoolTemporary Full-time (40 hrs/week). Renewed annually depending upon continued grant funding.
California State University, Monterey Bay is distinctive in serving the diverse people of California, especially the working class and historically underserved communities. The identity of the University is framed by substantive commitment to a multilingual, multicultural, intellectual community which enables students, faculty and staff to cross institutional boundaries for innovative instruction, broadly defined scholarly and creative activity, and coordinated community service.
The University Corporation at Monterey Bay (the “Corporation”) exists to enhance the educational program of the campus; directly serve students, faculty, and staff; and provide services to the public. Although the Corporation is a legally separate 501©(3) nonprofit corporation, it is a fully integrated part of the California State University, Monterey Bay campus. The Corporation is an equal opportunity employer and committed to building a pluralistic university by hiring personnel with competencies and experience related to the regional and State population.
PROGRAM SUMMARY:
The GEAR UP programs are an essential component of the Early Outreach and Support Programs (EOSP) Department. This discretionary grant program is designed to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. GEAR UP provides seven-year grants to states and partnerships to provide services at high-poverty middle and high schools. GEAR UP grantees serve an entire cohort of students beginning no later than the seventh grade and follow the cohort through high school. Services provided by the program include: academic and study skill development; academic, financial, or personal counseling; assistance in securing financial aid; information about career options; an individualized success plan; participation in cultural and social activities; mentoring; and collaborative partnerships with the community.

POSITION SUMMARY:Under the general direction of the School Site Supervisor, the Family and Community Engagement Specialist is the lead to significantly improve the daily involvement of the parents, guardians, caregivers and/or significant adults of GEAR UP students in their child's educational performance, specifically relative to the identified GEAR UP goals of academic performance, college awareness/readiness/access, and drop-out prevention.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Identify and serve parents of eligible GEAR UP students at Seaside High School.
2. Work with the School site to design and deliver Parent and Family services to support the Senior class
3. Coordinate GEAR UP's effort to support parent involvement with the school's parent initiatives and opportunities with school-based personnel.
4. Follow and align to annual work plan of services laid out by grant objectives
5. Provide parents of GEAR UP students with assistance in the areas of academic achievement, college awareness/readiness/access, school success (attendance, behavior, personal, and social issues), and life-skills (e.g., organization skills, time management, individual and social responsibility, and work ethic) to ensure that parents have the necessary understanding and skills to support their child's school performance.
6. Identify appropriate educational, social, and other support services in the school, district, and community for parents and families.
7. Design and implement programs and strategies that help to ensure that parents expect and encourage student participation in GEAR UP and other academic remediation/enrichment programs.
8. Contact and communicate directly with parents/guardians on a regular basis to ensure parent awareness of and involvement in their child's school performance and to secure parent support of student participation in GEAR UP, school, and other activities. Activities may include but are not limited to Saturday Academies, Day/Evening Workshops, School events,
9. Promote, support, and encourage both parent and student participation in appropriate GEAR UP activities and services.
10. Function as a GEAR UP team member by working collaboratively, cooperatively, and effectively with GEAR UP Site Coordinator, Advisor, Tutor Coordinator, and other GEAR UP staff.
11. Coordinate with School Site teams to align content and messaging of services to parents and students.
12. Maintain accurate data, records, and files to document all activities conducted and services provided.
13. Submit accurate, complete, and timely data and performance reports on a weekly, quarterly, semester, and/or annual basis as required.
14. Perform other duties related to GEAR UP Program Targets/Benchmarks and Strategies as assigned.
15. Handle sensitive and/or confidential documents and information where judgement and discretion are essential.
16. Ensure confidentiality of all program records and other sensitive information.
    
    

Other Functions:

• Represent the GEAR UP programs at university functions and at statewide and national meetings, as necessary
• Attends relevant national, regional, and local professional development conferences, workshops and seminars
• Promotes and maintains an atmosphere of excellent internal and external customer service within the department and the campus community
• Performs other duties as assigned

PHYSICAL WORK ENVIRONMENT: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.Primary functions require sufficient physical ability and mobility to work in an office setting; to stand or sit for prolonged periods of time; to occasionally stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, reach, and twist; to lift, carry, push, and/or pull light to moderate amounts of weight; to operate office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination including use of a computer keyboard; to verbally communicate to exchange information; and to occasionally travel to other offices or locations to attend meetings or to pick up or deliver materials.

The campus leadership has committed the resources needed to achieve an engaged, safe, and in-person experience. The health and safety of our community remain our highest priority, and we are confident that existing public health measures provide for a safe environment capable of delivering a complete college experience on the CSUMB campus. Being an Otter means caring for each other and doing your part to protect your community.
All CSUMB/University Corporation employees must be fully vaccinated, including booster (when eligible), against COVID-19, unless they are exempt from this requirement because an exemption has been granted based on a medical contraindication or sincerely held religious beliefs. Fully vaccinated means that an individual has received all recommended doses of a COVID-19 vaccine that has received Emergency Use Authorization or full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and that it has been at least two weeks since the final recommended dose. All students, faculty, and staff who have not been vaccinated and received a booster must test weekly beginning February 4, 2022.
See: The California State University COVID-19 Vaccination Policy

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Strong written and oral communication skills, including public speaking skills and listening skills. Working knowledge of the principles, practices and strategies currently used in improving access to low-income and educationally disadvantaged students. Cultural competency, Working knowledge of research and observation techniques for the purpose of recording, classifying, and interpreting factual information. Ability to rapidly acquire a working knowledge of the specific objectives of GEAR UP, Early Outreach and Support Programs Office and their relationship to the total campus; ability to interpret and apply program rules and regulations. Ability to analyze complex situations accurately and adopt effective courses of action. Ability to gather and analyze data; ability to reason logically, draw valid conclusions and make appropriate recommendations; ability to participate in and contribute to group meetings, conferences, and interviews; ability to present clear and concise information orally and in written reports. Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with faculty, staff, student organizations, and other private and public agencies. Ability to interpret and apply federal, state, and university policies and regulations pertaining to academic achievement. Ability to use initiative and resourcefulness in planning academic pathways, work assignments and in implementing long-range program improvements for program participants. Knowledge and understanding of Title V, E.O. 595, 665, 405, and CSUMB Admissions and Financial Aid policies. Working knowledge of and ability to use a broad range of technology, systems and packages.

Minimum Qualifications:
Education and Experience:

Equivalent to a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college with major coursework in education, communications or related field AND 2 years of professional experience in an outreach or student support program at a secondary and/or post-secondary level.

A Master’s degree or advanced coursework in Education, Counseling, Psychology, Social Work, or directly related field may be substituted for one year of the required experience.

Strong communication and organizational skills. Understanding of partner schools and target populations. Demonstrated ability to interact successfully with a variety of constituencies including middle/high school and college personnel and partnership members. Fluency in spoken and written Spanish.

Specialized Skills:
Must be willing and able to work evenings and weekends and to travel in and out-of-state as deemed necessary to provide services to participants and attend professional development opportunities. Position will require travel between campus offices and off-campus locations. Experience with personal computers including word-processing, spreadsheet, databases, querying software, and email applications. Demonstrated experience that clearly provides evidence of the knowledge and skills required to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements identified above are representative of the knowledge, skills and/or abilities required. Must have own transportation, valid driver’s license, and insurance, and the ability to complete a web-based training in defensive driving. Must continue to meet the established driving standards as a condition of employment.

Preferred Qualifications:
A working knowledge of best practices in K-12 and higher education and academic counseling theoriesAn understanding and analysis of various challenges that impact first-generation college students and low-income students and how to assist these students to college graduationDemonstrated understanding of and commitment to the CSUMB Vision Statement and the core values of mutual respect, collaboration and service orientation, multiculturalism and diversity, community service and institutional excellence. Strong leadership, teambuilding, and group facilitation skillsAny amount of proven work experience in a GEAR UP/TRIO Outreach Program.

Special Conditions of Employment:
The person holding this position is considered a “mandated reporter” under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered a position with the University Corporation. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the application status of applicants or the continued employment of current University Corporation employees who apply for the position.

The University Corporation at Monterey Bay is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, medical condition, disability, marital status, or protected veteran status. All employees must be eligible for employment in the U.S. This position is required to maintain confidentiality as outlined in the Department of Education’s Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and California’s Educational Code Chapter 13 regarding sensitive student issues.

Please note: University Corporation employment is separate and distinct from CSU Monterey Bay or State of California employment. University Corporation employees are not employees of either CSUMB or of the state of California.

All employees must be eligible for employment in the U.S. The University Corporation is not a sponsoring agency for any positions.

University Corporation at Monterey Bay positions are “at-will” employment.

This position requires flexibility in hours that may include working evenings and weekends.

The campus leadership has committed the resources needed to achieve an engaged, safe, and in-person experience. The health and safety of our community remain our highest priority, and we are confident that existing public health measures provide for a safe environment capable of delivering a complete college experience on the CSUMB campus. Being an Otter means caring for each other and doing your part to protect your community.
All CSUMB/University Corporation employees must be fully vaccinated, including booster (when eligible), against COVID-19, unless they are exempt from this requirement because an exemption has been granted based on a medical contraindication or sincerely held religious beliefs. Fully vaccinated means that an individual has received all recommended doses of a COVID-19 vaccine that has received Emergency Use Authorization or full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and that it has been at least two weeks since the final recommended dose. All students, faculty, and staff who have not been vaccinated and received a booster must test weekly beginning February 4, 2022.
See: The California State University COVID-19 Vaccination Policy

Compensation and Benefits:
The University Corporation is committed to providing our employees with a comprehensive program that rewards efforts that are appreciated by your colleagues, students, and the customers we serve. Salary placement is determined by the education, experience, and qualifications the candidate brings to the position, internal equity, and the hiring department’s fiscal resources. The hourly rate for this position is $23. This is a non-exempt position and as such is eligible for the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

How to Apply:
To apply, visit https://csumb.peopleadmin.com/postings/6756

All prospective applicants must apply online. You must complete the entire application for submission. We only accept applications for the open positions listed. Please do not fax or mail in a printed version of the electronic applications or a resume in lieu of an application. If you are having difficulty applying or need assistance, please call (831) 582-3389. All positions are open until filled. The completed online application and resume must be submitted by 5:00 pm PST on the priority screening date. Applications received after this date will be reviewed at the discretion of the Corporation.
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: The Corporation is an Equal Opportunity-Affirmative Action employer seeking to recruit and support a broadly diverse community of faculty and staff. We value and celebrate diversity in all its forms and strive to foster an inclusive culture built on respect that affirms inter-group relations and builds cohesion. We consider qualified applicants for employment for their anticipated contributions and without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, medical condition, pregnancy, marital status, veteran status, or disability.

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