Careers

General Summary: 

Two of UMass Boston’s TRIO pre-collegiate programs, Talent Search/Project REACH and Talent Search—TBA/CHS provide participants with the skills and motivation necessary for successful completion of high school and entry into and completion of post-secondary education. Programming includes academic courses, tutorials, college advising, and career awareness activities, social-emotional skill-building, and cultural enrichment. Combined, the two programs are currently funded to serve 1,452 students enrolled at the following partnering Boston Public Schools: Albert Holland 7-12 School of Technology, Dearborn 7-12 STEM Academy, Charlestown High School, Madison Park Technical Vocational High School, Ruth Batson 7-12 Academy, and TechBoston 7-12 Academy. 

A significant component of this position is collaboration with the university's Pre-collegiate TRIO programs and its Early College program. Because Talent Search serves the same and often overlapping populations of students, the Talent Search Program Coordinator works closely with Pre-collegiate TRIO and Early College staff to coordinate student services, outreach, recruitment strategies, advising, college-success programming, workshops, and professional development. This collaboration is designed to provide students with a cohesive and comprehensive college access and success experience across programs.

The Program Coordinator is responsible for scheduling, logistics, and communication with school staff, partners, and students; promoting and reporting on program events; tracking student participation, progress, and outcomes; maintaining accurate program records including services provided; and supporting recruitment and outreach efforts for student engagement. The incumbent facilitates workshops for program participants and works directly with a caseload of 175-200 Talent Search participants, monitoring their academic progress and academic planning and supporting them in college or apprenticeship admissions, financial aid, and career exploration. With the Director of Programs and five Talent Search Counselors, the Program Coordinator plans and implements academic, college, and career field trips and activities.

Examples of Duties: 

Data Management and Reporting

• Manage student records for two Talent Search grants in each program’s database and ensure data integrity.
• Work with the Director of Programs, the Senior Director of Programs & Initiatives, and the SEAS Director of Information Technology to streamline data management practices and processes to improve user experience and operational efficiency.
• Maintain cumulative participant records in accordance with annual performance report (APR) record structure, as well as federal audit guidelines.
• Assist the Director of Programs with completing the federal APR and other department data reports. 
• In collaboration with the Director of Data and Assessment and the Senior Director of Programs & Initiatives, assist the Director of Programs with regularly assessing program compliance and student outcomes and evaluating practices and systems to ensure continuous improvement in the quality of program services and the attainment of program outcome objectives.
• Provide monthly and/or quarterly program reports to appropriate school staff, as assigned by the Director of Programs.

Student Recruitment, Advising, and Engagement

• Ensure participant applications are complete and meet federal eligibility requirements for the program.
• Recruit and maintain a caseload of 175-200 students, conduct workshops for participants and families, such as financial aid, making a successful campus visit, choosing academic major, and the college application process.
• Maintain contact with program alumni to ensure progression through post-secondary education, develop and administer annual alumni follow-up survey, and prepare report detailing the results.  Track alumni progress in post-secondary education via the National Student Clearinghouse and social media platforms.
• Assist in providing support to Director of Programs and TS Counselors with on and off-campus program activities, such as leading program workshops, field trip support, reserving campus space, and transportation for college tours, and other program activities.
• Collaborate closely with the University's precollegiate TRIO programs and Early College program to coordinate recruitment strategies and services for students served by both programs.
• Support Pre-collegiate TRIO program and Early College student recruitment and outreach strategies and provide individual and group advising, college-success curriculum, workshops, and other student-support activities.
• Participate in joint planning, student-support meetings, and professional development with Pre-collegiate TRIO and Early College staff to strengthen coordinated services and shared approaches for recruiting and serving the same student population.
• Work closely with SEAS Business Center to coordinate activity planning, logistics, and payments.

School Community and Program Partnerships

• Manage the programs’ social media platforms, website, and newsletters.
• Maintain strong relationships with partner-school administrators, counselors, teachers, community organizations, University departments, and other stakeholders.
• Build relationships with Undergraduate Admissions, Financial Aid, and other academic support staff at the university to facilitate the admission and success of program participants.

Other

• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree, including courses in Counseling, Career Development, Human Services, Special Needs, or related subject area;
• Three to five years of experience within a secondary school or post-secondary institution, preferably in an urban K-12 or higher education institution setting;
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with low-income, first-generation students;
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with TS-eligible students and families; experience with persons with disabilities;
• Knowledge of the postsecondary financial aid application processes and demonstrated experience with academic and/or postsecondary education and financial aid advising;
• Ability to conduct workshops or training sessions;
• Strong knowledge of developmental issues facing middle and high school students and the transition issues students face from middle school to high school to postsecondary education;
• Proficiency with office and database software; social media and web conferencing platforms;
• Demonstrated success in serving students who have faced similar obstacles as those faced by target students;
• Demonstrated knowledge of and experience with event planning, promotion and implementation;
• Ability to analyze data and other information utilizing and maintaining spreadsheets and databases;
• Ability to develop and bring to completion multiple assignments concurrently;
• Ability to work independently and to respond flexibly to changing events;
• Excellent written, oral communication and interpersonal skills;
• High level of initiative and organization, good judgment, and discretion.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with CTE pathways, including early college and dual enrollment; workforce opportunities such as apprenticeships, internships; and digital credentialing;

• Bilingual skills in Spanish, Vietnamese, Cape Verdean Creole, or Haitian Creole, or other prominent language spoken by students in the programs’ partner school.

Application Instructions: 

Please apply online with your resume, cover letter and list of three professional references.

Review of candidates will begin following the application closing date. 

Only Internal candidates in the Professional Staff Bargaining Unit will be considered during the first 10 business days of the posting.  All other candidates will be considered after that period. 

Salary Ranges for the appropriate Pay Grade can be found at the following link: 

Grade: 31             

Salary Ranges

This is an exempt union position. This is a grant funded position with a current end date of Aug 31, 2031, subject to renewal contingent on funding and university needs.

All official salary offers must be approved by Human Resources.