POSTING DATE: March 3, 2023
RESUME AND COVER LETTER REQUESTED BY 04/03/23 VIA EMAIL TO employment@cambridgema.gov POSITION WILL REMAIN OPEN UNTIL FILLED

 

Cambridge residents are especially encouraged to apply.

 

Department:Human Service Programs

Job Title:Education Advisor and Bridge to College Program Coordinator, Community Learning Center

Job Code:K016-704

Civil Service Position:Non Civil Service position

Union Affiliation:None

Hours Per Week:37.5 hours/week, evening, and day hours, onsite

About The City of Cambridge:

The City of Cambridge is a diverse and vibrant community that people of different ethnic, racial, religious, national, and other backgrounds call home. We take pride in our city's diversity and strive to create a workplace that is reflective of the community we serve. The city is also deeply committed to creating an environment in which all our employees are treated equitably and feel included. We seek to hire, develop, and advance individuals who value antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ADEI), and are committed to embedding ADEI best practices and tenets in all aspects of our work.

About The Department of Human Service Programs:

The Department of Human Service Programs (DHSP) creates and coordinates services that enhance the quality of life for Cambridge residents. Driven by the needs of residents, DHSP's extensive services and programs touch almost every sector in the city: from newborns to senior citizens, from school-aged children to homeless families, from non-profit organizations to local employers.

About The Community Learning Center:

The Community Learning Center (CLC) empowers a diverse community of adult learners to transform their lives and realize their potential through education, skills development, and community participation. Students are predominantly low-income Cambridge residents; come from a variety of ethnic, linguistic, and racial backgrounds; and are currently enrolled in English or Adult Basic Education classes or training.

About The Role:

The CLC's Bridge to College Program prepares adult learners to transition to college and succeed in college-level courses. The Adult Basic Education Program prepares adult learners from basic to high school level for achieving high school equivalency. This is an onsite full-time position with two primary roles. The Bridge Coordinator is responsible for overseeing, strengthening, and coordinating the program activities and external and internal collaborations; the Education Advisor is responsible for advising students in our core ABE Program, as well as the Bridge to College program.

We are looking for a dynamic individual who will flourish in these roles:

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Bridge to College Coordination

• Overall planning and management of the Bridge to College Program.
• Manage recruitment and admissions process of program including outreach and assessments.
• Teach the monthly advising class and advise Bridge students on college and career readiness and persistence.
• Support students in applying for college, financial aid, and scholarships.
• Supervise part-time Bridge Reading and Math teachers.
• Oversee implementation of curriculum development and its alignment with program goals.
• Strengthen existing collaborations with BHCC and other colleges, as well as city agencies (i.e., College Success Initiative, etc.).

Education Advising

• Advise ABE students in successfully navigating barriers to persistence with their education and make appropriate referrals to agencies and programs for additional assistance when necessary.
• Responsible for enrollment and placement of students in the Adult Basic Education classes.
• Conduct monthly orientations and assessments of prospective ABE students.
• Keep, maintain waitlist, and update student data and records.
• Communicate regularly with teachers on student issues and goals.
• Work as a team with the CLC advisors to continually improve new student orientation and placement and plan learner support/referrals.

General

• Participate in CLC meetings and professional development activities.
• Engage in ad hoc committees (i.e., hiring) and support teams (i.e., Student Support, Staff Support, Outreach Teams) to advance CLC's mission and core values.
• Collaborate with other support teams to develop and implement effective outreach strategies to reach underserved communities.
• Other duties assigned as needed.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

 

 

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor's degree in related field or equivalent combination of education, training and/or experience.
• Experience or training in counseling, case management, or student advising.
• Strong organizational skills; excellent oral/written communication skills.
• Patience, compassion, and empathy.
• Ability to work as a team as well as independently.
• A commitment to racial equity and a desire to understand and interrupt systemic racism and other forms of oppression.
• The City of Cambridge's workforce, like the community it serves, is diverse. Applicants must have the ability to work and interact effectively with individuals and groups with a variety of identities, cultures, backgrounds, and ideologies.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience/knowledge of college and of barriers to education experienced by underserved individuals.
• Experience developing effective outreach strategies to reach underserved communities.
• Bilingual/bicultural identity.
• A passion for collaboration, problem-solving, and learning new things.

 

 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS, WORKING CONDITIONS, WORK FLEXIBILITY AND ACCOMODATIONS

 

• General office and classroom environment with air conditioning and fluorescent lighting; work to be performed onsite.
• Job requires evening and day work. 
• There is extensive computer use.  Ability to access, input, and retrieve information from a computer.  Ability to lift and carry up to five pounds of books and papers. 
• Ability to answer phones and maintain multiple files.
• Ability to travel to meetings within the city.
• Be comfortable to work primarily in a standard office environment with moderate noise level, telephones, personal computers, printers, and other office equipment.

 

Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

Summary of Benefits:

 

• Health, dental and vision insurance
• vacation, personal and sick days
• sick incentive pay eligibility
• management bonus of $2700 /year
• City employee commuter benefits (T-Pass reimbursement, Bluebikes membership, EZRide Shuttle membership)

 

 

RATE: $32.76 per hour. This is an 11-month per year position with salary paid over 12 months with excellent benefits.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:

Internal applicants submit job bidding form and 2 copies of your resume and cover letter; external applicants, submit your resume and cover letter via email to: employment@cambridgema.gov or to the Personnel Department, Room 309, City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge MA  02139. Fax 617-349-4312. Resume and cover letter requested 04/03/23. Position will remain open until filled. 

THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE IS AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF RACE, COLOR, SEX, RELIGION, AGE, NATIONAL ORIGIN, DISABILITY OR ANY OTHER PROTECTED CATEGORY. WOMEN, MINORITIES, VETERANS, MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY, AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY. CITY OF CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS ARE ESPECIALLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY. AUXILIARY AIDS AND SERVICES, WRITTEN MATERIALS IN ALTERNATIVE FORMATS, AND REASONABLE MODIFICATIONS IN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES WILL BE PROVIDED TO QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES FREE OF CHARGE, UPON REQUEST. The City is committed to advancing a workforce culture of antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion.