College Access and Persistence Advisor

Who We Are

The Academy Group (AG) is a unique social enterprise that leverages earned revenue from financial investments to create world-class opportunities for young people from the nation’s most resilient communities. The Academy Group demonstrates the promise of a new model for identifying, developing, and sustaining a diverse national pipeline of future leaders, employers, and change agents. We were founded based on a unique model. One that creates pathways for black and brown students, if they demonstrate relentless pertinacity, to build wealth and become socially just change agents, ideally through careers and leadership positions in our portfolio companies. No other organization in the world is built to do this.

The Role

Under the guidance of the Director of College Access and Persistence, the College Access and Persistence Advisor provides a broad range of academic support services to a caseload of exceptional high school and undergraduate students. These services include but are not limited to developing goals, academic plans, summer enrichment pathways, and other strategies designed to enhance students’ readiness for college access and persistence.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Personal Characteristics:

• Facilitate the college planning process for a caseload of students.
• Assist students with developing personal, academic, and career goals.
• Provide guidance with academic planning specific to the selection of high school and college courses and enrichment programs.
• Build strong relationships with an assigned caseload of students.
• Guide and support students through the summer pre-college program application process.
• Where applicable, assists with the dual credit admissions and registration process.
• Facilitate one-to-one and small group advisory lessons and large group workshops.
• Design and facilitate college awareness modules for students and parents.
• Organize and facilitate local and national college tours.
• Coordinate college representative visits.
• Monitors student progress, maintains student records and develops applicable academic intervention plans.

Family and Stakeholder Engagement:

• Support with the annual parent orientation sessions
• Support with the high school and college awareness parent engagement sessions
• Support with the distribution of annual student stipends

Professional Responsibilities & Other:

• Foster an adult culture of professional and operational excellence
• Foster a culture of adult collaboration and professional development
• Promote individual student success
• Ensure all compliance (fiscal, academic, safety, local/state/federal) guidelines are satisfied)
• Collaborate with the Advising Manager and Director of College Access and Persistence on the program model design and delivery of school-year programming and summer boot camps

Demonstrated Attributes

• Demonstrated evidence of relentless pertinacity in both their professional and personal background.
• Evidence of successful leadership experience
• Knowledge of current community challenges and opportunities relating to the mission of the organization.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; a persuasive and passionate communicator with excellent interpersonal and multi-disciplinary project management skills.
• Demonstrated analytical skills; must be highly efficient with strong attention to detail.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in professional school counseling or related practitioner.
• 10+ years experience of successful high school-based experience and/or experience advising/counseling students through a college access program or 3+ years of experience in such with a Master’s Degree.
• Minimum of three years Background in academic or college advising.
• Understands the obstacles faced by students from under-represented backgrounds, including first-generation and Pell Grant-eligible families.
• Experience with designing and facilitating advisory lessons.
• Demonstrated success with organizing and facilitating college tours.

Location

This position will be based in Chicago, IL.

Compensation and Benefits

The Academy Group offers a competitive salary and comprehensive medical, vision, dental, and 401k package. The annual salary for this position is up to 80k per year.