Academic Advisor - Neighborhood Partnership Program

Title: Academic Advisor

Department: Neighborhood Partnership Program

Duration: 12 months - End Date: September 30, 2026 (Possible Extension)

Employment Status: Non-Exempt, Full Time, 40 hours per week

Job Summary

Reporting to the Director, the Academic Advisor’s core focus is to help increase the number of low-income, first-generation students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education, to build persistence in college, and to prepare them for life-long learning. Academic advisors are part of a strong college, academic, and financial counseling team for students and parents. Academic advisors organize college visits and deliver workshops on financial aid, college applications, and peer mentoring activities for students and parents. Central to this role is supporting student outcomes by developing plans to ensure that each student meets college and career-ready benchmarks. The Academic Advisor has to work with the rest of their team and use all available resources to meet grant goals and each student’s academic and longitudinal objectives.

Job Duties

• 70% - Develops positive relationships with GEAR UP students and families and provides individual support to students to ensure access to college and career information and planning tools. Coordinates case management to help ensure retention and grade promotion. Compiles, analyzes, and utilizes data to support target-specific services to individual students. Collaborates with all stakeholders across school site teams and school site personnel to develop an annual work plan that supports GEAR UP students in meeting college and career-ready benchmarks. Works collaboratively with other GEAR UP staff, school personnel, families and local community to advocate for the benefits of postsecondary education and the GEAR UP program. - (Essential)
• 20% - Networks and develops partnerships with postsecondary institutions and support programs to provide students with post-secondary exposure and experiences to help ease the transition from high school to college and to build sustainability. Works with the Site Coordinator and GEAR UP team to provide comprehensive college access and success services and programs for middle and high school students, including academic planning and preparation, career exploration, tutoring, mentoring, college visits, financial planning, summer enrichment activities, annual orientation events, and college application completion. - (Essential)
• 10% - Maintains accurate, ongoing data collection and documentation for GEAR UP student, family, and teacher service participation using an online database, as required by federal program requirements. Participates in grant-wide professional development opportunities such as all-staff meetings, workalike groups, and other conferences. - (Essential)
  
  

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in education, counseling, communication, sociology or other fields of studies related to position duties.
• Valid California driver’s license and access to transportation.
• One year experience working with low-income, first-generation students from diverse backgrounds.
• Candidates must be willing to learn about secondary and post-secondary education requirements and options as well as financial aid and scholarship opportunities and application processes.
• Ability to analyze, synthesize and organize data, and present findings in a comprehensible manner for different audiences.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Google drives/folders/forms, Adobe Acrobat, Web Editing, and social media applications or any combination of productivity programs applicable to position responsibilities.
• Demonstrated ability to be detail-oriented and thorough; skilled at anticipating and preventing potential problems and handling a wide variety of tasks with efficiency and accuracy. Strong commitment to a quality work product.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate verbally, in writing and electronically.
• Effective interpersonal skills as evidenced in the ability to collaborate with a variety of constituencies. Demonstrated commitment to justice, equity, inclusion & diversity.
• Demonstrated skill in adapting to and performing work effectively in high-volume, high accountability, confidential environment with multiple and changing priorities.
• Effective organizational, logistical, time management and planning skills with the ability to manage and prioritize multiple tasks/projects simultaneously, prioritize and fulfill the functions of an office in a timely manner.
• Ability to self-motivate and work independently.
• Ability to provide effective leadership and training, and to work effectively and professionally across functions, disciplines, levels, and with diverse groups.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in education, counseling, social work or related field.
• Bilingual in Spanish.
  
  

EXPECTED HIRING RANGE: $24.00/hr-$28.00/hr

If you are offered this position at Occidental College, your final base salary compensation will be determined based on factors such as skills, education, experience, and/or geographic location. In addition to those factors, Occidental complies with applicable pay equity laws and considers internal equity among current employees when developing the final offer. Please keep in mind that the range mentioned above is the base salary range for the role. Hiring at the maximum of the range would not be typical in order to allow for future and continued salary growth. We also offer a generous compensation and benefits package.