JMG is looking to fill our opening at Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) and York County Community College (YCCC) for our next JMG College Success Specialist.
This position is a full-time employee of JMG based at the SMCC South Portland Campus and the YCCC campus. This role works in collaboration with the College’s admissions and student support services and the JMG Postsecondary Team.
The JMG College Success Specialist with Pathway Navigation Support will have a leadership role in the design, facilitation, and implementation of direct services to ensure students are supported during critical transition periods, including from high school into college and college into the career world. This position is a full-time employee of Jobs for Maine’s Graduates (JMG), based at a specific campus, and working in collaboration with the College’s admissions and student support services and the JMG Postsecondary Team.
The fundamental purpose of the College Success Specialist (CSS) with Pathway Navigation Support is to teach and empower students, especially first-generation college students, to make informed decisions about their continued education plans and to ensure students make a successful transition. The objective of the College Success Program is to provide seamless, student-centered support through the completion of a postsecondary Degree or Credential of Value. The CSS will identify, solidify, and create sustainable communication and process systems supporting workforce development pathways for vulnerable youth as they transition into adulthood. This position will require extensive relationship building with continued education providers and employers; and, a focus on bridging the worlds of education (both secondary and post-secondary) and private employers.
Essential duties and responsibilities include:
Bridging the Transition to College Support
- Collaborate with JMG HS Specialists at high schools regarding JMG students who plan to attend SMCC/YCCC to ensure students in senior years bridge the process of transitioning to post-secondary education readiness.
- Provide early outreach to students and their adult support networks to aid and encourage the completion of important paperwork and onboarding steps prior to the postsecondary start. Provide information about career options, continued education pathways, educational requirements, and existing supporting resources (such as college application support, financial aid seminars, etc.)
- Coordinate postsecondary classroom or campus visits with JMG Specialists, school personnel and/or college access teams.
Direct College Student On-Campus Support and Pathway Navigation Services
- Ease the transition of students from high school to post-secondary training and education.
- Provide high-quality relationship-based instruction to a cohort of enrolled students from matriculation until completion of a credential of value or the student has aged out.
- Facilitate the development of individual graduation and/or continued education plans to include the best options to meet individual academic and post-secondary goals.
- Create a learning community among the students on each campus being served through CSP, that builds a sense of belonging and offers peer-to-peer mentoring and leadership development opportunities.
- Help students navigate the supports and resources on campus, including the Office of Financial Aid, Advising Center, counseling services, work-study, tutoring services, etc.
- When applicable, teaching courses like “First Year Essentials” or similar courses
- As necessary, help students complete the paperwork in order to continue to pursue a COV/college enrollment (Applications, scholarship applications, FASFA, student loan entrance and exit counseling, course registration, etc.).
- Connect/refer students to academic enrichment activities such as study groups, tutoring and workshops on effective study skills as appropriate.
- When students take a pause from school or change their postsecondary plans prior to the completion of earning a credential of value, pathway navigation services continue. These services may help a student reenroll in postsecondary education and assist students’ job, career, and training opportunities.
Career and COV Supports
- Working with employers, community agencies, and organizations to identify their workforce needs and potential resources to ensure there are clear next steps and pathways providing opportunities for students to identify and understand the appropriate skills needed in the region’s job market.
- Identify relevant Extended Learning Opportunities for on-campus students and those who transition out of higher education. These include but are not limited to career and education fairs, job shadows, internships, and employment.
- Develop career exploration/preparation tools as needed based on extensive JMG resources, but also include other best practices and current opportunities.
Administrative and General
- Comply with all documentation and data requirements in a timely fashion including contacts and activities involving students, employers, and other groups; develop and maintain a well-organized data system or systems as needed to provide appropriate levels of evaluation and assessment to this initiative.
- Provide and/or submit reports and data as scheduled/requested.
- Participate in JMG and host College activities and events including meetings, professional development as required etc.
- Serve on project teams, and work groups as assigned.
- All other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications, Experiences, and Abilities
- Bachelor’s degree; two+ years of experience working with students who face barriers to success in education
- Must have the ability to communicate effectively with youth, adults, and members of the community; ability to analyze, develop, implement, and track intervention plans and strategies; knowledge of and the ability to analyze data.
- Must have Maine CHRC approval or the ability to obtain Maine CHRC approval
- The position requires significant project management/multi-tasking experience and the ability to oversee progress on specific project components, including responsibilities that may be assigned to others.
- This position does not currently have direct supervisee(s).
