College Persistence Advisor

Company: SEO (Sponsors for Educational Opportunity)
Department: SEO College Scholars
Report to: Assistant Director, College Persistence & Advising
Compensation: $66,300 - $73,000
Location: Hybrid – 3 days/week in office (New York, NY)

About SEO

Founded in 1963 during the Civil Rights Movement, SEO (Sponsors for Educational Opportunity) is dedicated to closing educational and career opportunity gaps for ambitious young people. The SEO Scholars program is a free, eight-year academic initiative that supports public high school students in New York City, San Francisco, North Carolina, and Miami, guiding them through college and towards graduation. 100% of Scholars are accepted into four-year colleges, 85% graduate with a Bachelor’s degree, and 80% are first-generation college graduates.

Position Overview

College Persistence Advisors (CPAs) are instrumental in supporting the success of College Scholars through the advising model. CPAs provide comprehensive support in personal, academic, and career development, tailoring their guidance to each Scholar's unique needs. They also lead and support workshops and programming on topics ranging from career development to academic strategies and support groups. In addition to direct student engagement, CPAs manage administrative tasks such as documenting advising sessions, tracking Scholar submissions, analyzing engagement data, and identifying trends across school clusters.

Direct Student Management (80%)

• Manage and engage a cohort of approximately 70 Scholars remotely and in person, ensuring equitable support.
• Advise Scholars on college preparedness, academic support, personal development, and career exploration.
• Provide case management services for Scholars needing support with basic needs.
• Apply the College Scholars Advising model, utilizing intentional skills and tools that uphold advising pillars.
• Reinforce connections between Scholars’ instructional programs and their desired occupations/careers.
• Assess Scholar well-being and safety as needed.
• Foster rapport through consistent, non-judgmental communication and proactive identification of supports for first-generation and low-income students.
• Maintain student confidentiality.

Indirect Student Management (10%)

• Advocate for students with universities and other stakeholders.
• Maintain, collect, and report student data (degree audits, resumes, transcripts, financial aid completion) for reporting, research, and institutional effectiveness.
• Assess cohort engagement and implement outreach and re-engagement strategies.
• Document student case notes promptly and accurately in the Salesforce database.
• Utilize Salesforce systems for advising service delivery and reporting.
• Foster rapport through consistent communication in outreach efforts and proactive identification of supports for first-generation and low-income students.

Scholar Programming (10%)

• Actively participate in the College Scholar’s CPA Professional Development Plan.
• Engage in internal professional development opportunities and coaching for continued growth.
• Contribute to a safe educational and working environment through training and preparedness.
• Facilitate and co-facilitate programming workshops designed to increase student success and the high school to college transition.
• Participate in occasional evening and weekend work as required by program needs.
• Support program initiatives contributing to College Scholar success.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree required, preferably in Social Work, Counseling, School Counseling, School Psychology, or a related field from an accredited university.
• 2-3 years of graduate school field placement or work experience in education or a related field.
• Prior experience working with college students is essential.
• Understanding of the unique needs of first-generation and low-income students.

Competencies & Skills

• Demonstrated passion for closing the opportunity gap and driving student achievement.
• Highly detail-oriented and organized, with the ability to meet competing deadlines.
• Exceptional communication skills: verbal, written, and interpersonal (phone and in-person).
• Self-starter who can work independently and collaboratively, is team-oriented, possesses a growth mindset, and is willing to do what it takes to get the work done.
• Ability to delegate tasks.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Google Drive.
• Data-driven experience using a Database/CMS program preferred (e.g., Salesforce).
• Spanish speaking strongly preferred.

Compensation & Benefits

SEO offers a competitive compensation package and comprehensive benefits plan, including low-cost health, vision, and dental options, a generous holiday schedule and PTO policies, disability coverage, fully paid time off for new parents, and employer contributions to health reimbursement and retirement accounts. SEO continuously works to improve benefits based on employee needs and values wellness.