College & Career Readiness Advisor

Location : Heights High School

Department : Heights HS

Area : Central

Contract Months : 12

Salary Range : $50,748.00 $83,734.00

Academic Year : 24-25

JOB SUMMARY

Works under a College and Career Manager / Senior Manager to assist students in accessing and completing a post-secondary education.

Engages students, parents, teachers, counselors, administrators, and other key stakeholders to accomplish such goals. Coordinates and delivers after-school / summer programming and events that supplement school-day programming and further prepare students for post-secondary success.

MAJOR DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

List most important duties first

1. At the campus level, advisors assigned to support seniors will provide students and parents with guidance and support through the college application, financial aid and matriculation process.

Advisors assigned to middle schools, grades 9-11 and those to post-secondary work will support the above efforts.

2. Advisors will build, support and strengthen a campus culture that promotes college and career degree and certificate programs by providing students and their families with relevant college and career information, leading college and career exploration activities and highlighting and promoting the value of a post-secondary education.

3. Advisors assigned to seniors will operate a college and career exploration center at their campus where students and family members can learn & research about college / career options;

learn about scholarships & financial aid, and receive additional advising support. Advisors assigned to grades 9-11, grade 12 and post-secondary transition will support the campus college and career exploration center they are assigned to.

4. Ensures that students and their parents are aware of and can effectively utilize available resources, including online college and career exploration platforms and PSAT and SAT preparation tools.

5. Will support, promote, and assist with campus, community and district-wide college and career events; and collaborates with individuals with similar roles at other campuses to share best practices and resources that will maximize student outcomes.

6. Will analyze weekly District College Readiness benchmarks to develop, drive, and evaluate campus wide college and career readiness programs, initiatives and outcomes.

Additionally, will work collectively with campus and district staff along with community college access organizations to meet district and campus goals.

7. Advisors will support their caseload students with one-on-one advising and provide additional college and career supports, such as invitations to college visits, assistance with scholarship applications, and connecting them with first generation college support programs.

8. Advisors will document student interactions (journal notes), following department protocols for entries; advisors will utilize department mandated college readiness platforms for managing college access data and information, such as posting & disseminating scholarships, tracking financial aid awards, and managing e-documents.

9. Attends Professional development to develop industry awareness and stay abreast of changes in careers and college admission requirements.

MAJOR DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES CONTINUED

10. Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

EDUCATION

Bachelor’s Degree

WORK EXPERIENCE

3 to 5 years

3 to 5 years of professional experience in an academic setting strongly preferred. Experience in student counseling, teaching, and / or college advising highly preferred.

SKILL AND / OR REQUIRED LICENSING / CERTIFICATION

• Microsoft Office, office equipment (e.g., computer, copier)
• Strong familiarity with college and financial aid processes
• Bilingual (Spanish, Vietnamese or other) highly valued
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, able to relate one-on-one and in groups with confidence and poise
• Ability to provide critical and constructive feedback to effect immediate change
• Highly analytical, able to interpret data and weigh multiple options
• Strong communicator, ability to write clearly and analytically
• A problem solver, able to prioritize multiple scenarios
• Ability to model research-based college advising strategies
• Self-starter, flexible, able to adapt and adjust quickly to changing situations and needs

LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES

Leading and directing is restricted to monitoring personal work and providing feedback to a direct report on escalated issues.

Most of work time is spent performing many of the same duties they are leading.

WORK COMPLEXITY / INDEPENDENT JUDGMENT

Work involves the application of moderately complex procedures and tasks that are quite varied. Independent judgment is often required to select and apply the most appropriate of available resources.

The job receives frequent, ongoing supervision.

BUDGET AUTHORITY

No budget development activity is required.

PROBLEM SOLVING

Decisions are made on both routine and non-routine matters with some latitude but are still subject to approval. Job is occasionally expected to recommend new solutions to problems and improve existing methods or generate new idea.

IMPACT OF DECISIONS

Decisions have minor, small and possibly incremental impact on the department or facility. Errors are usually discovered in succeeding operations where most of the work is verified or checked and is normally confined to a single department or phase of the organizational activities resulting in brief inconvenience.

COMMUNICATION / INTERACTIONS

Information sharing - gives and receives information such as options, technical direction, instructions and reporting results.

Interactions are mostly with customers, own supervisor and coworkers in own and other departments.

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS

Takes routine or required customer actions to meet customer needs. Responds promptly and accurately to customer complaints, inquiries and requests for information and coordinates appropriate follow-up.

WORKING / ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

Work is normally performed in a typical interior work environment which does not subject the employee to any hazardous or unpleasant elements.

Ability to carry and / or lift up to 45 pounds.

Houston Independent School District is an equal opportunity employer.