Student Support Counselor

About The Care Center

Founded in 1986, The Care Center is a comprehensive and transformative educational program located in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Our mission is to provide opportunities for young mothers and all women facing systemic barriers to resume their education and acquire the education, resources, and skills for lifelong growth, wellness, and economic stability. We offer three integrated programs. Our award-winning high school-level program pairs HiSET (GED) preparation with athletics, art, poetry, and small classes. Our highly supportive part-time college courses provide continuous opportunities for women to begin or resume college. Our in-house associate degree program, Bard Microcollege Holyoke, provides a supportive environment to earn a college degree. To remove barriers to success, we offer comprehensive support services including childcare, healthcare, transportation, food, counseling, and housing resources.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Director of Student Support Services, the Student Support Counselor provides the delivery of student support services within the HiSET program. This role ensures a coordinated, student-centered approach that supports persistence and progress toward educational goals, while contributing to the overall effectiveness of Student Support Services.

Key Responsibilities

HiSET Counseling and Support:

• Manage an assigned caseload of HiSET participants, providing consistent, relationship-based support to strengthen engagement, attendance, and persistence.
• Support students in accessing resources such as childcare, transportation, DTA paperwork, and community-based services
• Identify, document, and track progress on all individual student goals.
• Conduct exit interviews with all departing students.
• Work collaboratively with other team members on activities related to HiSET or GED testings.

Administrative:

• Maintain accurate, timely, and confidential student records, including data entry and tracking to support program outcomes, reporting, and continuous improvement
• Provide information and documentation for funders, state contracts, billing, and other Care Center processes

Additional:

• Participate in cross-functional meetings to support coordinated, student-centered care.
• Carry out additional responsibilities as assigned by the Director of Student Support Services

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Commitment to The Care Center’s mission and values and to supporting the communities The Care Center serves.
• Demonstrated ability and desire to work in a diverse, multicultural environment, serving non-traditional students.
• Strong relationship-building and active listening skills
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Proficiency with Google Workspace
• Ability to manage a caseload independently while collaborating across teams
• Minimum of 3 years of experience providing counseling, case management, or student support services to young people, preferably in an educational or community-based setting.
• Bachelor’s Degree required, Master’s in Social Work or equivalent field preferred.
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) preferred
• Valid license and clean driving record required

Hours, Compensation & Benefits

The Care Center is located at 247 Cabot Street in Holyoke. This is a full-time exempt position for 35 hours per week. General work hours are 8:30am-3:30pm, with some flexibility required.

The salary for this position is $65,000-$68,500. Benefits include generous paid time off plus three weeks of office closures each year (April, July, and December); health insurance with 75% of the cost covered by The Care Center; dental insurance; life and disability insurance; a 401(k) with a 3% employer contribution and an additional 2% match; tuition reimbursement; and a health and wellness benefit.

To Apply

To apply, email your resume to employment@carecenterholyoke.org along with a brief cover letter stating why you are interested in working for The Care Center and why you are confident that you would be a great fit for this job. Please use the job title as the subject line of your email. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and those without cover letters will not be considered.

Notice of Non-Discrimination and Inclusion

Diversity and inclusion are crucial to our mission and we are committed to cultivating a team that reflects the communities we serve. As an Equal Opportunity Employer The Care Center does not discriminate on the basis of an individual's sex, age, race, color, national origin, alienage, religion, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation or affectional preference, gender identity and expression, accessibility needs, citizenship, veteran or military status and other personal characteristics protected by law. As such, The Care Center strongly encourages people from marginalized communities to apply, recognizing and respecting that diverse perspectives and experiences are valuable to our team and essential to achieving our mission.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $65,000.00 - $68,500.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Tuition reimbursement

Work Location: In person

Salary : $65,000 - $68,500