Success Coach

An established leader in the Northeast Ohio civic landscape, College Now has been changing the lives of students in our region since 1967. We do this by providing college and career access advising, financial aid counseling, and scholarship and retention services to students from middle school through adulthood with a special focus on supporting those from low-income backgrounds and first-generation college students. An individual filling this position can expect to have a direct impact on Northeast Ohio students and families.

When you work for College Now, you are part of an innovative and visionary team, committed to College Now's mission, vision and values as we are committed to creating a collaborative, inclusive workplace for team members.  Offering superior benefits, ample opportunities for professional growth and development, and the chance to make an impact on the community, College Now is where careers are made and grown.

POSITION TITLE:  Success Coach, Full Time
STATUS:  Non-Exempt
STANDARD HOURS: 8 hours per day
REPORTS TO: Director, Advising Programs and Services
SALARY:  Starts at $43,000 and increases with relevant experience

Position Description: The Success Coach works with college students, guiding them through the transition from high school to their selected postsecondary institution. The role involves helping students to enroll in, persist, graduate, and earn a postsecondary certificate or degree. Primarily focused on freshmen in their inaugural year of college, the Success Coach operates either on-site at diverse college campuses or at the downtown office of College Now Greater Cleveland.

Responsibilities:

• Deliver comprehensive, proactive success coaching to an assigned cohort of students during their first year of college.

• Provide group and individual services to students at assigned institutions. 

• Work with Director to establish program indicators and goals that contribute to improved student persistence and completion (i.e. number of credits completed, etc.)

• Work with coaching team to identify and implement strategic interventions to push program toward established milestones (persistence, retention, graduation, etc.)

• Assess students’ barriers to academic success and, in collaboration with students, develop and implement strategies to meet their educational goals.

• Advise and support students in all areas of life skills, including (but not limited to): assistance with housing, employment, education, budgeting/financial management, identifying/maintaining appropriate relationships, career planning, parenting, medical/mental health, finding community resources/funding.

• Plan, execute and evaluate special events and programs for students.

• Maintain files and records on student academic progress by documenting each contact and pertinent information.

• Utilize early alert technologies and strategies for individualized outreach and tracking student academic progress.

• Ensure student data is accurately represented in the data tracking software.

• Regularly review student data with the Director and develop strategies for improving program operation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree

• At minimum 2-3 years of experience in the following fields: teaching or counseling students in schools that serve large numbers of first-generation college students; academic support services such as advising, tutoring, peer mentoring; student programming or student services in a college/university setting; or the like.

• Strong customer service orientation.

• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, written, and verbal communication skills. The ability to communicate complex issues to a variety of audiences.

• Experience working effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team and with persons and communities from diverse cultural, social, and ethnic backgrounds. The ability to work in a complex environment requiring significant collaboration.

• Flexibility and promptness in responding to requests and outreach by students and colleagues. Ability to think and respond quickly and compassionately.

• Proficient in word processing, spreadsheet, database, and presentation software.

• Experience with successful college access programs is desired.

• Must be available to work outside of traditional work hours (i.e. evenings and weekends) as needed.

 Disclaimer: “Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.”