General Summary: 

With college enrollment and completion at the heart of its mission, the Urban Scholars program serves academically striving high school students (aged 13-19) who attend partnering Boston Public high schools: currently Burke, Dearborn STEM, Excel, TechBoston Academy, and Boston International/Newcomers Academy. The year-round program provides students with the attitudes necessary to achieve their full potential through a structured sequence of after-school and summer academic courses and activities designed to build a strong repertoire of basic and higher-level skills, task commitment and self-motivation. Program activities include academic classes, tutorials, cultural enrichment activities, college advising, and career awareness activities. The most intensive aspect of the program’s programming, the six-week summer institute, is preceded by one week of staff orientation, run by the program’s administrative staff (Director of Programs, Associate Director, College Access Coordinator, and Student Counselor/Recruiter). The summer institute takes place at UMass Boston and runs daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. As they progress through the program, many Urban Scholars students take college courses at UMass Boston and/or participate in paid career internships.

The Associate Director will be responsible for developing and implementing program curricula. The incumbent will be responsible also for the recruitment, screening, selection, and intake of program participants and will meet with a caseload of program participants to provide holistic coaching and academic guidance regarding their secondary school progress, college and career goals, and postsecondary entry. In consultation with the Director of Programs, the Associate Director will plan and implement the summer institute, including selecting, training, and supervising program teachers, tutors, and teaching assistants and facilitating orientations for staff, students, and parents. In the absence of the Director of Programs, the Associate Director will assume responsibility during the summer for program operations, including staff supervision, and for the safety and well-being of student participants. During the summer, the incumbent will teach a course section. The Associate Director will plan, implement and chaperone academic, career, and cultural field trips and activities and in collaboration with other program staff, will promote and report on program events. S/he will assist the Director of Programs with the collection of program data and the submission of regular program reports.

Examples of Duties: 

Curriculum and Program Development

• Develop and implement program curricula and courses offerings; ensure that the federally mandated core curriculum is implemented and that the participants are engaged in college-preparatory courses and activities; secure and coordinate accommodations for students in need of English Learner (EL) and/or special education services;
• Coordinate the internship component of the program: identify employers on and off campus who can offer a valuable internship experience and select and place program participants and alumni into internships; prepare students for success prior to the internship experience and maintain contact with interns and with employers during the internship to support the interns’ performance; ensure that all funder requirements are met;

Staff Supervision

• Recruit, select, onboard, train, and supervise all instructional staff, including program teachers and tutors; ensure that courses are aligned with the Massachusetts Core Curriculum and that course offerings are aligned with program objectives;

Student Recruitment and Selection

• Direct the student recruitment process; work closely with teachers, school counselors, and other school personnel and parents to recruit students for the program; work with the Student Counselor/Recruiter to provide information sessions to new recruits and collect program applications and health forms;
• Manage the program admission process: meet with the Director of Programs and Student Counselor/Recruiter to make student admission decisions based upon the applicants’ need for the program, academic performance, commitment to enrolling in post-secondary education and other decision-making factors;

Summer Institute

• Assist the Director of Programs, College Access Coordinator, and Student Counselor/Recruiter in the planning and implementation of the summer institute; including in planning and implementing orientation for students, parents,and staff;
• In the absence of the Director of Programs, assume responsibility for the safety and welfare of participants and for maintaining program operations, including staff supervision;
• Teach one course section in the summer;

Direct Student Service

• As part of the program’s participation in the Boston After School & Beyond Summer Learning Community, administer various student and program assessments and assist with the collection and entry of attendance and other relevant data into the online CitySpan database;
• Coordinate participant intake, initial needs assessment, and advising for students in grades nine through twelve; Provide academic, career, and personal counseling to participants; meet regularly and individually with a caseload of program participants [approx. 15-20 students] at least quarterly to provide guidance regarding their academic progress, college and career goals, secondary and post-secondary course selection and to provide personal wellness counseling;
• In collaboration with the College Access Coordinator and Student Counselor/Recruiter, plan and facilitate monthly cohort meetings that include presentations, workshops, panels, and guest speakers for advisees;
• In collaboration/consultation with the Director of Programs, College Access Coordinator, and Student Counselor/Recruiter, plan, implement and chaperone academic enrichment, career, service learning/community service, leadership, and cultural field trips and activities, some of which are overnight and/or weekend trips;
• Work closely with the Director of Programs to adjudicate student discipline and code of conduct matters, serving often as the first administrator contact with the student regarding conduct matters;

Program Marketing/Building Relationships with Program Constituents

• In consultation with the Director of Programs, promote and report on program events, via social media, text, phone calls, and other modes of communication;
• In consultation with the Director of Programs, provide updates on program services, student progress, program events and other areas of interest pertaining to the program to school personnel; meet as needed with headmasters, teachers, school counselors, and other personnel from the program’s partner high schools to discuss student performance, program goals and accomplishments, school or program events, and other areas of program interest;
• Assist the Director of Programs in the development of partnerships with families to support academic achievement and the successful pursuit of postsecondary education;
• Prepare and submit activity, evaluation, and fiscal reports to the Director of Programs for the purpose of program management and improvement. Assist the Director of Programs with providing activity reports and regular program evaluation reports to unit leadership for the purpose of program management and improvement;

Data Management and Reporting

• Collect and enter data related to areas of responsibility and maintain integrity of program database containing all relevant student data on an ongoing basis;
• Assist the Director of Programs with the preparation and submission of the annual performance and other progress reports and continuation proposals for all agencies/organizations that have such requirements;
• Assist the Director of Programs in regularly evaluating the program and developing and implementing systems for continuous improvement in the quality of program services and the attainment of program outcome objectives;

Other

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications: 

Bachelor’s degree in Education, Psychology, Sociology, Counseling, or a closely related field, Master’s degree in Education, Counseling, or a closely related field preferred, and a minimum of three to five (3-5) years of professional administrative experience within a primary, secondary school or post-secondary institution, preferably in an urban primary or secondary school or higher education institution setting, is required. Demonstrated experience with academic and/or college counseling skills required. Motor vehicle driver’s license preferred.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience with multi-ethic, multi-racial population highly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with low-income, first-generation urban students, including English Learners (ELs), and their families strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of and experience working with the Boston Public Schools or similar urban district is preferred.
• Bilingual in Vietnamese, Spanish, Cape Verdean Creole or Haitian Creole is preferred.
• Success in overcoming similar obstacles as those faced by target students, preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of MA curriculum frameworks, college and career advising resources and various educational assessments such as SAT, MCAS, preferred;
• Knowledge of instructional practices that support the development of target students;
• Demonstrated knowledge of college counseling, financial aid and post-secondary placement;
• Proficiency with office and database software, social media, and web-conferencing platforms;
• Demonstrated experience with event planning, promotion and implementation;
• 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;
• Ability to supervise the work of instructional staff (part-time program teachers and tutors);
• Ability to teach a summer course (e.g., English Language Arts, STEM)
• 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: 31             

Salary Ranges

This is an exempt union position.

All official salary offers must be approved by Human Resources.