Educational Counselor (Lawrence High School)

Educational Counselor (Lawrence High School)

Job no: 517772 Position Type: Staff Full Time Campus: UMass Boston Department: Project REACH Pay Grade: 30 Date opened: 14 Feb 2023 Eastern Standard Time Applications close: 17 Mar 2023 Eastern Daylight Time

General Summary:

UMass Boston's Talent Search--Lawrence Program is a federally funded (U.S. Department of Education) college and career readiness program that identifies and serves students from first-generation, low-income backgrounds who reside in Lawrence, Massachusetts and/or attend Lawrence High School. The mission of the program is to encourage students to continue in and graduate from high school and to enroll in and complete programs of post-secondary education. High school and post-secondary dropouts are also encouraged to return to school and are assisted in the process. The majority of program services take place during the school year (September through June) and are provided at the students' high school, Lawrence High School, in a classroom or workshop setting. Students may also make appointments to meet with Talent Search staff at our offices after school or during school vacations.

The Educational Counselor provides outreach counseling and educational services and conducts workshops and training sessions for program participants, their parents, and community agencies. The Talent Search program is staffed by a part-time Director of Programs, Upward Bound Math-Science, a part-time Associate Director, and a full-time Educational Counselor. The Educational Counselor works primarily at the Lawrence High School location, with occasional meetings on the UMass Boston campus.

Examples of Duties:

Manage the student recruitment process and service delivery for a caseload of 250-300 students; work closely with administrators, teachers, school counselors, and other school personnel and parents to recruit eligible students for the program.

Conduct workshops and training sessions to high school participants, their parents and community agencies on a variety of topics, including: Financial Literacy, Financial Aid, Making a Successful Campus Visit, Choosing Academic Majors, Career Exploration, Career Inventories, Resources and Support at the Postsecondary Level, Test Preparation, Student Success Strategies, Developing and Maintaining Parental Involvement in your Education and Career Plans, Rights as an Individual with a Disability and more.

Conduct individual and group counseling that aligns with the mission and goals of the program and partner school, Lawrence High School;

Assist the Director of Programs and Associate Director in the planning, implementation and chaperoning of college visits and college fairs, including the annual TRIO Day trip (overnight); plan and chaperone cultural, career, and enrichment fieldtrips, some of which are overnight and/or weekend trips;

Work with the rest of the Talent Search staff to develop enrichment and recreational programing, guest speakers, and workshops;

Collaborate with community-based organizations/agencies to coordinate, design, and/or implement program activities and support students;

Provide outreach to students and parents/guardians to share information about the program and supports provided, to obtain documentation such as program application materials, to help students and parents with paperwork relating to the college application process (college application and/or Free Application for Federal Student Aid FAFSA or CSS Profile, etc.);

Collect and enter data related to areas of responsibility, and maintain integrity of program database containing all relevant student data on an ongoing basis;

Prepare and submit activity, evaluation, and related reports to the Director of Programs;

Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in Education or a closely related field with coursework in Counseling, Human Services, Special Needs or a related area. A minimum of three–five years of experience within a secondary school, post-secondary institution or community-based organization, preferably in an urban secondary school or higher education institution or community based organization serving marginalized communities, is required. Demonstrated experience with academic and/or college counseling skills required. Demonstrated ability to work effectively with low-income, first-generation urban students and their families strongly preferred. Demonstrated experience with multi-ethnic, multi- racial population strongly preferred. Knowledge of and experience working with the Lawrence Public Schools or similar large, urban district preferred. Bilingual in Spanish strongly preferred; Vietnamese, Khmer, or other language proficiency preferred. Demonstrated success in overcoming similar obstacles as those faced by target students, preferred. Motor vehicle driver's license required.

Demonstrated knowledge of the college and financial aid application processes and post-secondary placement;

Strong knowledge of developmental issues facing middle and high school students and the transition issues students face from high school to postsecondary education

Knowledge of and experience with various software applications, including Microsoft Office and database management;

Knowledge of and experience with social media channels, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn;

Demonstrated experience with event planning, promotion and implementation;

Ability to conduct workshops or training sessions.

Ability to communicate effectively and work cooperatively with university and/or school personnel;

Ability to effectively and efficiently work in a team capacity with a broad range of staff to accomplish departmental and program goals;

Ability to work independently and efficiently;

Strong oral and written communication skills;

Strong presentation and interpersonal skills, including the capacity to work cooperatively with a wide range of individuals;

Strong organizational and problem-solving skills;

Strong attention to detail;

Good judgment, discretion and ability to maintain confidentiality;

Strong commitment to customer service.

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: 30

Salary Ranges

This is an exempt union position. This is a grant funded position with a current end date of Aug 31, 2026, subject to renewal contingent on funding and university needs.

All official salary offers must be approved by Human Resources.

UMass Boston requires all employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and to confirm proof of their vaccination status. Exemptions from the vaccine requirement will be permitted only for qualifying religious or medical reasons.

Applications close: 17 Mar 2023 Eastern Daylight Time