Jobs

Career Experience and Internships (CEI) Coordinators

Position Overview 

We are seeking two Career Experiences and Internships (CEI) Coordinators to develop and execute our new career experiences and internship programming. CEI coordinators will lead the build out of our year-round school-based career experiences for MPS and SPPS students and the continued coordination of the Step Up Level 2 internship experience for Minneapolis young people. They will play a key role in leading partnerships with Work-Based Learning (WBL) coordinators and Career and Technical Education (CTE) staff at a portfolio of schools that each CEI coordinator will manage, and also maintain key relationships with Step Up program partners. This position requires a student-centered lens and ability to balance the implementation of new career experience programming while maintaining and continuously improving delivery of existing Step Up internship programming. The CEI coordinator reports to the CEI Program Manager.

As a key part of Achieve’s new and evolving programming, these role responsibilities will be re-evaluated and adjusted as needed as our program model and partnership needs become clearer and more defined. Priority is given to applications received by Monday, August 4. 

About Step Up 

The Step Up Youth Employment Program prepares today’s youth for tomorrow’s careers by recruiting, training and placing more than 1,300 Minneapolis young people (ages 14-21) in paid internships each year with over 100 Twin Cities employers, from Fortune 500 companies and small businesses to public agencies and nonprofits. As one of the nation’s leading youth employment programs, Step Up leverages a collective spanning 15 industries and multiple sectors. Step Up has provided over 35,000 internships since 2003, yielding a competitive talent pipeline, a stronger economy and millions of dollars in wages for Step Up interns. Step Up is a partnership of the City of Minneapolis, Achieve Twin Cities, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, and Project for Pride in Living. 

The Young People We Serve 
Step Up supports historically underrepresented Minneapolis youth who are ready to navigate the professional world. Step Up interns are the leaders of tomorrow, the talent that will power our region and reflect the global fluency of our communities. Nearly 86 percent of Step Up interns are youth of color, and more than 50 percent come from immigrant families. Our recent interns were born in over 15 countries and speak more than eight unique languages. 

Duties and Responsibilities 

Lead the youth experience for Step Up Level 2 internships 

  • Inform the design and lead the implementation of the application process for Step Up Level 2 
  • Lead and manage a comprehensive strategy to recruit youth for Step Up Level 2 internships, in close partnership with Career and College Center (CCC) coordinators  
  • Lead the vision and implementation of youth preparation and training for internships, in collaboration with key Step Up program partners 
  • Lead the planning and implementation of key youth experience activities, such as Mock Interviews, Intake Interviews, and Launch Days 
  • Collaborate with Employer and Volunteer Engagement (EVE) Coordinators on matching and placement of eligible youth into internships 
  • Provide ongoing job coaching and support for interns during their internships  
  • Lead the collection of student data related to student experience and program outcomes  
  • Track all data accurately as required within both Achieve and City of Minneapolis data systems 

Create school-based career exploration experiences for young people throughout the school year 

  • Develop an overarching plan and strategy for career experiences (in collaboration with the CEI manager, and other colleagues); support CCC coordinators, school and partner staff in executing that plan 
  • Collaborate with CCC coordinators from a portfolio of schools to plan and execute student-centered career exposure activities at their schools throughout the program year 
  • Collect and maintain an awareness of individual school desires, needs, and interests, as well as district-wide needs and strategy, to inform overall career experience plans 
  • Work with CCC and other CEI coordinators on cross-school and district-wide career experience events and initiatives 
  • Facilitate and lead clear communication between school staff and volunteers and employer partners, helping to streamline and clarify where needed 
  • Track relevant data from career experiences in Achieve and partner databases as required 

Connect employers and volunteers to existing career explorations opportunities in partner high schools 

  • Act as central point person for CCC Coordinators, WBL Coordinators and GEAR UP staff in connecting Achieve volunteers and employers to school-based events 
  • Outline, track and monitor employer-connected career experience opportunities available to young people to inform our collective CEI and EVE strategy 
  • Collaborate with EVE Coordinators to inform recruitment needs and strategy and to facilitate a streamlined process for Achieve volunteers 
  • Utilize volunteer and employer database to identify and connect to individuals or companies who fit different career experiences and facilitate the connection between the event planner and volunteer  
  • Track relevant employer and volunteer constituent data in Achieve and partner databases as required 

Build and maintain partnerships with WBL coordinators, CTE staff, and GEAR UP counselors in portfolio schools and Step Up partner staff, including the City of Minneapolis and Project for Pride in Living (PPL) 

  • Develop trusting relationships with partner staff within portfolio schools, including being physically present on-site as needed to participate in meetings and build a collaborative partnership 
  • Collaborate with partner staff on career experience strategy, ensuring consistency of experience and opportunity for young people across schools  
  • Participate in monitoring and data-to-action conversations with partners in service of collective career experience goals  
  • Attend regular partnership and planning meetings as assigned by CEI manager and director of program innovation 

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 in career-readiness, career and technical education, and youth workforce development  
  • Experience planning and coordinating large scale events, particularly in a school or youth setting 
  • Ability to work collaboratively with school staff, orgs, volunteers, higher ed, etc. 
  • Comfortable taking initiative and building out new areas of work  
  • 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 with Salesforce or similar CRM 
  • Experience working within public school systems 
  • Experience with developing and delivering high school internship programming  

Compensation and Benefits 

  • $59,300 - $66,750 starting salary, depending on experience, with opportunity for compensation increases based on an annual performance review and to reflect pay parity across the organization.  
  • Regular full-time salary exempt position.  
  • 28 holidays per year including 3 floating holidays and 4 summer Fridays, 18 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 has a hybrid work environment that includes multiple schools, Achieve Twin Cities’ main office, and remote work. 

To Apply 

Applications are welcomed from a broad range of applicants. Send letter of interest and resume to HR@achievetwincities.org. Priority will be given to applications received by Monday, August 4. Positions are 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 26 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.