Program Coordinator
Program Coordinator Job Description May 2017
About One Million Degrees: In 2006, a group of social entrepreneurs came together to address the challenges facing a uniquely overlooked population – community college students. Recognizing that low degree completion rates and a lack of employability skills stacked the deck against these students, One Million Degrees' (OMD) founders developed a unique model based on providing the kind of personalized, sustained support that would make a meaningful difference. OMD empowers low-income, highly motivated community college students to succeed in school, in work, and in life. The unique scholar development model combines mentoring, tutoring, advising, professional development, personal supports, leadership development, and financial assistance to help OMD scholars graduate at a rate twice that of traditional college students. With comprehensive academic, professional, personal and financial support, One Million Degrees scholars are persisting and excelling in college, earning their degrees, and entering the workforce in high-demand occupations or transferring to four-year universities. They are entering high-growth fields, strengthening the economy, and contributing to a robust and diverse talent pool. Position Summary: One Million Degrees is seeking a talented, energetic, and creative Program Coordinator to join a team of dedicated student support professionals. The Program Coordinator is responsible for effectively managing a caseload of 50-60 community college scholars and ensuring their successful persistence and completion in college and the OMD Program, as well as a successful transition to a bachelors program or career. As part of the program team, the Program Coordinator will play a key role in implementing OMD’s dynamic program model including scholar engagement and management, leading and facilitating monthly workshops and other scholar development events, fostering community- building, and ensuring scholars’ academic needs are met by working with the OMD Operations Coordinator. OMD Program Coordinators may be embedded within a particular partner college or may work with a caseload of scholars across multiple colleges in the Chicago area. The role requires both a high level of interpersonal communication skills and emotional intelligence AND the ability to be attentive to detail and to keep track of multiple data points across the caseload of scholars. The successful candidate is a positive, goal-oriented, high-energy team player with a passion for people and the transformative power of education and opportunity. Creative thinking, problemsolving skills, and a can-do attitude are highly valued. One Million Degrees is a friendly, diverse office with ambitious goals and a relentless drive to achieve them.
Specific duties and responsibilities include: Scholar Engagement and Management
Implement OMD’s high-touch student support model with fidelity to ensure scholar academic, personal, and professional needs are being met and that they are on-track to graduate within three years.
Build rapport with scholars and continuously engage and hold scholars accountable to personal, professional, and academic goals, as well as OMD program expectations and requirements.
Assist scholars in meeting personal, academic, and career development goals utilizing OMD’s program tools and resources.
Promote scholar registration and attendance at relevant OMD and partner college programming.
Coordinate with other stakeholders, such as college staff members and OMD Coaches, leveraging and strengthening scholars’ networks of support.
Program Implementation & Data Collection
Implement high quality, engaging programming aimed at building scholar community and reinforcing and strengthening scholar mindsets and non-cognitive skills.
Facilitate group workshops, scholar orientation sessions, and other scholar development events and activities.
Plan and execute monthly scholar development sessions, scholar orientation, and other scholar development events and activities in collaboration with OMD staff and campus partners.
Facilitate workshops and small group activities.
Maintain awareness of the type and availability of college and community resources and efficiently connect scholars to the appropriate resources or college contact to meet needs.
Serve as a thought partner to assist scholars in exploring solutions to problems and ensuring persistence in the face of challenges or obstacles that could derail progress toward goals.
Maintain accurate and timely data on regular scholar interactions, grades and program participation to identify patterns in the scholar population and program performance.
Outreach & Admissions
Support OMD outreach activities by representing OMD at schools, community organizations, and at college and scholarship fairs.
Facilitate information sessions for prospective scholars and provisional admission meetings and workshops.
Collaborate with Manager of Scholar Recruitment to support recruitment targets and application processing.
Qualifications and Requirements: Qualified candidates must have excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, and the desire to work collaboratively in a fast-paced environment. This position is ideal for a highly-motivated, entrepreneurial individual who wants to play a pivotal role in strategy and organizational development.
Bachelor’s degree required
2+ years experience coaching, mentoring or advising others in an academic setting desirable
Demonstrated ability to effectively manage own time across multiple competing priorities
Proven track record of independently achieving goals in a fast-paced environment
Strong interpersonal and communication skills; a proven ability to effectively communicate with diverse audiences, especially adults and older youth Experience facilitating meetings or workshops with large groups
Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a diverse group of stakeholders and quickly adapt to the culture or situation
Demonstrated ability to maintain an optimistic attitude in the face of obstacles and independently resolve problems Experience working in a fast-paced environment and prioritizing multiple tasks with limited time Proven ability to make data-driven decisions Excellent attention to detail Highly proficient with technology and preferably CRMs, including a willingness to learn to use Salesforce
Compensation and Benefits: Salary – Commensurate with experience. Health Benefits – Full health benefits provided for full-time employees, including medical, dental, and vision. Retirement Benefits – For full-time employees, OMD offers a Simple IRA plan and matches retirement contributions up to 3% of total salary. Professional Learning Opportunities – OMD supports employees’ continued learning in areas relevant to his or her professional growth and organizational goals and will pay for training such as workshops and conferences as agreed to by employee and supervisor. Paid Time Off – 3 weeks paid vacation plus 9 paid holidays. To apply, submit cover letter and resume to [email protected]. Write “OMD Program Coordinator” in the subject line of the email. One Million Degrees is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from all individuals regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation, and evaluate all candidates based on merit.
About One Million Degrees: In 2006, a group of social entrepreneurs came together to address the challenges facing a uniquely overlooked population – community college students. Recognizing that low degree completion rates and a lack of employability skills stacked the deck against these students, One Million Degrees' (OMD) founders developed a unique model based on providing the kind of personalized, sustained support that would make a meaningful difference. OMD empowers low-income, highly motivated community college students to succeed in school, in work, and in life. The unique scholar development model combines mentoring, tutoring, advising, professional development, personal supports, leadership development, and financial assistance to help OMD scholars graduate at a rate twice that of traditional college students. With comprehensive academic, professional, personal and financial support, One Million Degrees scholars are persisting and excelling in college, earning their degrees, and entering the workforce in high-demand occupations or transferring to four-year universities. They are entering high-growth fields, strengthening the economy, and contributing to a robust and diverse talent pool. Position Summary: One Million Degrees is seeking a talented, energetic, and creative Program Coordinator to join a team of dedicated student support professionals. The Program Coordinator is responsible for effectively managing a caseload of 50-60 community college scholars and ensuring their successful persistence and completion in college and the OMD Program, as well as a successful transition to a bachelors program or career. As part of the program team, the Program Coordinator will play a key role in implementing OMD’s dynamic program model including scholar engagement and management, leading and facilitating monthly workshops and other scholar development events, fostering community- building, and ensuring scholars’ academic needs are met by working with the OMD Operations Coordinator. OMD Program Coordinators may be embedded within a particular partner college or may work with a caseload of scholars across multiple colleges in the Chicago area. The role requires both a high level of interpersonal communication skills and emotional intelligence AND the ability to be attentive to detail and to keep track of multiple data points across the caseload of scholars. The successful candidate is a positive, goal-oriented, high-energy team player with a passion for people and the transformative power of education and opportunity. Creative thinking, problemsolving skills, and a can-do attitude are highly valued. One Million Degrees is a friendly, diverse office with ambitious goals and a relentless drive to achieve them.
Specific duties and responsibilities include: Scholar Engagement and Management
Implement OMD’s high-touch student support model with fidelity to ensure scholar academic, personal, and professional needs are being met and that they are on-track to graduate within three years.
Build rapport with scholars and continuously engage and hold scholars accountable to personal, professional, and academic goals, as well as OMD program expectations and requirements.
Assist scholars in meeting personal, academic, and career development goals utilizing OMD’s program tools and resources.
Promote scholar registration and attendance at relevant OMD and partner college programming.
Coordinate with other stakeholders, such as college staff members and OMD Coaches, leveraging and strengthening scholars’ networks of support.
Program Implementation & Data Collection
Implement high quality, engaging programming aimed at building scholar community and reinforcing and strengthening scholar mindsets and non-cognitive skills.
Facilitate group workshops, scholar orientation sessions, and other scholar development events and activities.
Plan and execute monthly scholar development sessions, scholar orientation, and other scholar development events and activities in collaboration with OMD staff and campus partners.
Facilitate workshops and small group activities.
Maintain awareness of the type and availability of college and community resources and efficiently connect scholars to the appropriate resources or college contact to meet needs.
Serve as a thought partner to assist scholars in exploring solutions to problems and ensuring persistence in the face of challenges or obstacles that could derail progress toward goals.
Maintain accurate and timely data on regular scholar interactions, grades and program participation to identify patterns in the scholar population and program performance.
Outreach & Admissions
Support OMD outreach activities by representing OMD at schools, community organizations, and at college and scholarship fairs.
Facilitate information sessions for prospective scholars and provisional admission meetings and workshops.
Collaborate with Manager of Scholar Recruitment to support recruitment targets and application processing.
Qualifications and Requirements: Qualified candidates must have excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, and the desire to work collaboratively in a fast-paced environment. This position is ideal for a highly-motivated, entrepreneurial individual who wants to play a pivotal role in strategy and organizational development.
Bachelor’s degree required
2+ years experience coaching, mentoring or advising others in an academic setting desirable
Demonstrated ability to effectively manage own time across multiple competing priorities
Proven track record of independently achieving goals in a fast-paced environment
Strong interpersonal and communication skills; a proven ability to effectively communicate with diverse audiences, especially adults and older youth Experience facilitating meetings or workshops with large groups
Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a diverse group of stakeholders and quickly adapt to the culture or situation
Demonstrated ability to maintain an optimistic attitude in the face of obstacles and independently resolve problems Experience working in a fast-paced environment and prioritizing multiple tasks with limited time Proven ability to make data-driven decisions Excellent attention to detail Highly proficient with technology and preferably CRMs, including a willingness to learn to use Salesforce
Compensation and Benefits: Salary – Commensurate with experience. Health Benefits – Full health benefits provided for full-time employees, including medical, dental, and vision. Retirement Benefits – For full-time employees, OMD offers a Simple IRA plan and matches retirement contributions up to 3% of total salary. Professional Learning Opportunities – OMD supports employees’ continued learning in areas relevant to his or her professional growth and organizational goals and will pay for training such as workshops and conferences as agreed to by employee and supervisor. Paid Time Off – 3 weeks paid vacation plus 9 paid holidays. To apply, submit cover letter and resume to [email protected]. Write “OMD Program Coordinator” in the subject line of the email. One Million Degrees is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from all individuals regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation, and evaluate all candidates based on merit.
