College and Career Program Specialist

Our Mission

Fueled by the belief that talent is ubiquitous, the Academy Group unlocks opportunity for young people from the most resilient communities to realize their full potential.

Program Model

The Academy Group is a fourteen-year journey that develops students’ core understanding of wealth creation, business, leadership, and justice topics. We accept rising fourth-grade and tenth-grade students. Their journey begins with summer and school year programming that includes experiential learning, high school, college and career awareness. Also, the students have access to academic acceleration and differentiated enrichment experiences.

The College and Career Program Specialist Summary

The college and career program specialist is an instrumental member of the Academy team. The college and career program specialist provides expert college and career guidance and support to Academy cohort members. In addition, the college and career program specialist helps Academy college cohort members develop career plans, guide them on building a social network, and inform them about the labor market and related trends. Also, the college and career program specialist research and identify companies to match the Academy college cohort members skills and interests.

The college and career program specialist’s approach to work should reflect the core values and habits of the Academy staff: tireless focus on excellence, determination in spite of obstacles, impeccable integrity, willingness to work hard, ability to learn from multiple sources, relentless focus on results, constant reflection and self-awareness, zest, social intelligence, and pertinacity.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Design, coordinate, and deliver a career curriculum to educate all students about career paths; engage them in experiential learning opportunities and career planning; prepare them for their job search; and connect them with potential employers.
• Examine college cohort members’ career-related aspirations and uncertainties throughout the consultation process.
• Inform college cohort members about potential gaps in their skill sets and devise a plan to best prepare them for future career roles.
• Support high school and college cohort members with the process of designing and crafting their resumes.
• Establish and maintain successful relationships with colleagues in order to lead people toward a common vision of supporting student career readiness.
• Manage efforts to deliver inclusive career services to students in order to build a culture of career readiness in each college student. 
• Design and lead innovative career programming by applying knowledge of diverse identities, generational traits, student interests, and unique student needs related to career education.
• Create and deliver effective workshops, presentations, and programming on career-related topics.

Additional shared accountabilities/duties

• Collaborate with team members on solidifying summer internship opportunities.
• Organize job shadowing opportunities.
• Coordinate with staff to help college cohort members make career choices based on their academic majors.
• Facilitate field trips for Chicago Academy cohort members.

Education and experience requirements of the ideal candidate

• Bachelor’s degree; Master’s in counseling or related field preferred.
• Minimum of 3 years of career counseling or coaching experience.
• Successful experience serving African American and Latino students.

Additionally, the College and Career Program Specialist will have a proven track record demonstrating the following capabilities

• Understanding of current trends and best practices in career advising and development.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; a persuasive and passionate communicator with excellent interpersonal and multidisciplinary project skills.
• Ability to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people.
• Passion, idealism, integrity, positive attitude, mission-focus, and autonomous nature.
• Knowledge of current community challenges and opportunities relating to the mission of the organization.
• Ability to work under dynamic, evolving conditions.

Location

This position will be based in Chicago.

Compensation

The Academy offers competitive benefits and salary for this role aligned to senior administrative staff of a top tier education program.

To Apply

Send your resume to gjones@theacademygroup.com