Jobs

Career and College Center (CCC) Coordinators

Location assignments available: 

  • MPS Contract Alternative Program Schools 

  • MPS Longfellow Alternative High School 

Position Overview 

Our Career and College Center (CCC) Coordinators manage career and college centers on behalf of Achieve Twin Cities inside Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) and Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) high schools. CCC coordinators directly advise and guide students in their career and postsecondary exploration and planning and provide career and college readiness (CCR) programming. They manage the school partnership with Achieve and are key members of their school counseling teams, serving on and coordinating school-level committees. They also support the development and implementation of career and college readiness systems and activities in partnership with school and community-based staff. Achieve is a universal service provider in MPS and SPPS high schools, and CCC coordinators work with all students in their assigned schools and are required to be present in the school full-time. These positions report to a CCC Program Manager. Priority is given to applications received by Monday, August 4. Candidates should indicate in their letter of interest which school location they are applying for. 

Achieve Career and College Readiness Services in MPS and SPPS Schools 

Achieve Twin Cities provides expert, personalized career and college readiness guidance, resources and connections for over 17,000 students each year in 26 MPS and SPPS high schools. Our individualized advising helps students explore and chart their career course, make a plan for success after graduation and pursue postsecondary education opportunities, including two or four-year college, apprenticeships, technical training, military service and other pathways. Our professional staff includes licensed school counselors, social workers, admissions experts, educators and youth workers. We are experts in helping students develop and pursue the best postsecondary plans for their individual career and life goals.  Our individualized advising helps students explore and chart their career course, make a plan for success after graduation and pursue postsecondary education opportunities, including two or four-year college, apprenticeships, technical training, military service and other pathways. Our professional staff include licensed school counselors, social workers, admissions experts, educators and youth workers. We are experts in helping students develop and pursue the best postsecondary plans for their individual career and life goals.   

School Locations 

Contract Alternative Program (CAP) (Minneapolis Public Schools) schools provide opportunities for families to choose the learning environment that meets the specific needs of their students. These choice-based programs are designed to serve students who have not found success in the traditional school model. As a key member of the CAP district team, the Achieve career and college readiness coordinator will support a portfolio of four CAP schools and directly advise and guide students in their career and postsecondary exploration and planning. They will also develop and implement career and college readiness programming in partnership with schools and the CAP district team, including events, workshops and experiential field trips. Strong candidates for this position are highly organized, excellent at building relationships, and passionate about supporting students in alternative schools. Learn more about the MPS CAP schools.   

Longfellow Alternative High School is a MPS community school that serves pregnant and parenting students and their children. It features a personalized, hands-on approach that is relevant to real life, college and careers. Our Career & College Center provides individualized support for these students in developing postsecondary plans that recognize their specific life circumstances and parenting responsibilities. Learn more about Longfellow Alternative High School.  

The Young People We Serve  
Twin Cities youth are our emerging leaders – talented, capable and ready to learn. We believe in the power of career and postsecondary readiness to enable young people to imagine and live rewarding lives, and we prioritize services for our students who face systemic barriers to access. 65% of Minneapolis Public Schools students are youth of color, 58% are eligible for free or reduced priced lunch, and over 100 different languages are spoken in the district. In Saint Paul Public Schools, 80% of students identify as non-white, 70% are eligible for free and reduced priced lunch, and over 110 languages and dialects are spoken in the district.   

Duties and Responsibilities 

Direct and manage the Career and College Center (CCC) space and activities in your partner school: 

  • Set up and manage the physical space and location as a welcoming and informative space, to adequately meet student postsecondary planning needs 
  • Develop and execute systems and strategies in partnership with your school to ensure students are aware of the CCC, its activities, and how to access services 
  • Manage use of the CCC space, including the use by peer program partners and school staff, as a centralized location for career and college readiness activities in the school 
  • Ensure adherence to Achieve Twin Cities branding standards in the CCC space to build program visibility and recognition 

Deliver individualized student-centered advising to foster student self-discovery and agency in their postsecondary transition: 

  • Support students in developing self-knowledge by building decision-making, problem-solving and self-advocacy skills, and identifying interests and strengths 
  • Build student career pathway knowledge by connecting student interests and strengths to potential careers and researching and exploring career fields/clusters/pathways 
  • Lead individualized and group support for students in their postsecondary plan development and completion:
    • Support students in researching and preparing their postsecondary plan, including exploring postsecondary options and determining appropriate postsecondary match and fit
    • Assist students in executing their postsecondary education or training plan, including applying to colleges or universities, apprenticeships, career certificate, military and other programs
    • Support students in developing financial literacy and identifying how they will finance their postsecondary plan, including completing FAFSA/ MN Dream Act and scholarship applications, interpreting financial aid award packages and building a budget 
  • Lead the maintenance of accurate student records and monitor data on students’ postsecondary planning progress 

Lead the planning and coordination of both targeted and universal resources and opportunities for students to increase career and college pathway knowledge: 

  • MPS CCC Coordinators – Execute Step Up Level 2 youth internship recruitment strategy as outlined by CEI team 
  • Connect students to external career and college readiness (CCR) opportunities such as internships, jobs, summer programs, collaborating with the CEI team as needed  
  • Support recruitment for and connect students to college access programs 
  • Assist students in connecting with representatives visiting their school, such as college, military or scholarship representatives 
  • Deliver CCR classroom lessons and workshops on career exploration and postsecondary planning topics 
  • Create, host and facilitate student participation in experiential CCR events (such as college fairs, college tours, family CCR events, broad career exposure opportunities)
    • Career exposure events and activities will be co-led with support from the CEI team 
  • Create and regularly maintain CCR-related communications and resources (newsletter, Google site, etc.) 

Lead in-school partnership development and collaborative career and college readiness (CCR) systems-building: 

  • Lead the development and delivery of high quality, school-wide CCR services, in collaboration with school counseling teams 
  • Manage external college access, postsecondary and other CCR program partnerships  
  • Identify additional school staff to refer students to and collaborate with on school wide CCR initiatives, such as Work-Based Learning (WBL) coordinators, Career and Technical Education (CTE), etc. 
  • Communicate regularly with the school administration, counseling team and building staff on issues related to CCR, including data and progress towards the school’s CCR goals 
  • Support district career and college readiness curriculum 
  • Effectively use the district’s CCR technological systems (Infinite Campus, Xello, etc.) 
  • Attend all relevant professional development related to Achieve Twin Cities and district counseling teams and seek out opportunities for ongoing professional learning and growth 

Qualifications and Experience 

Required: 

  • Ability to work well with people with diverse backgrounds and experiences 
  • Bachelor’s degree in relevant field or reasonable equivalent experience  
  • 2+ years of experience in youth program delivery, ideally with high school youth  
  • Ability to work effectively and build trusting relationships with young people, centering their individual identities and experiences  
  • Commitment to anti-racism and increasing equity in access to all postsecondary opportunities.  
  • Current knowledge and experience with postsecondary advising best practices  
  • Current knowledge of career pathway options, training and degree requirements and college application processes and resources  
  • Ability to work collaboratively with school staff, community organizations, families, college admission staff, business representatives, volunteers and other community stakeholders to support student outcomes  
  • Comfortable taking initiative  
  • Strong communication, time management, and organizational skills  
  • Strong interpersonal skills and experience working collaboratively as part of a team  
  • Experience tracking and monitoring data and using data to inform work 

Preferred: 

  • Experience working within public school systems  
  • Master’s degree in counseling, social work, higher education or related field  
  • Experience with Salesforce or a similar CRM   
  • [For Contract Alternative Program (CAP) schools] Experience working with youth who did not find success in traditional school settings   

Compensation and Benefits 

  • $58,700 - $66,000 starting salary, depending on experience, with opportunity for compensation increases based on an annual performance review and to reflect pay parity across the organization.  
  • This is a regular full-time salary exempt position. CCC coordinators have the month of July as additional holidays and are paid regularly across all 12 months annually (24 pay periods).  
  • ~46 holidays per year including 3 floating holidays and the month of July, 10 vacation days in year one (with increases based on length of employment), up to 10 sick days per year, and additional paid leave options for bereavement, compassionate leave, parental leave, and more. 
  • Other benefits include medical, health savings account option, dental, vision, life insurance and annual professional development funds. 
  • This position is fully in person located at the assigned school location(s) and at the main Achieve Twin Cities’ main office periodically for training and meetings.  

To Apply 

Applications are welcomed from a broad range of applicants. Send letter of interest and resume to HR@achievetwincities.org. Please indicate in your cover letter the skills and background that make you a good fit for Longfellow Alternative high School or MPS Contract Alternative Schools. Priority will be given to applications received by Monday, August 4. Positions open until filled.  

Achieve Twin Cities is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer 

About Achieve Twin Cities   
Achieve Twin Cities rallies community support and delivers best-in-class programs to inspire and equip young people in Minneapolis and Saint Paul for careers, college and life. Our vision is that all young people have full and equitable access to postsecondary education and career opportunities, creating a more just and vibrant community. We direct career and college readiness services in 27 Minneapolis Public Schools and Saint Paul Public Schools high schools, connect students with work readiness training and paid summer internships through Step Up, host Principal Partner Day and other public engagement events, and serve as the nonprofit foundation for Minneapolis Public Schools. Learn more at www.achievetwincities.org.    

Creating a Welcoming Culture   
Achieve Twin Cities is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer that is committed to hiring talented individuals who are passionate about our mission and represent the diverse communities we serve. We acknowledge and honor the fundamental value and dignity of all persons. We do not tolerate discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, culture, religion, ability, veteran status, national origin, age, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, class or any other applicable legally protected characteristics. We seek to build a staff that is reflective of the students we serve and our values of equity and inclusion to embrace differences, eliminate racism and other forms of bias, and create an inclusive workplace where all employees feel valued, heard and respected. 

Applicants’ Rights under Federal Employment Laws