College Access Mentor Specialist

Improve-Your-Tomorrow-; Oakland (CA); On-site; USD 30,000 - 44,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life AD&D

EAP

Job summary

Improve Your Tomorrow seeks a College Access Mentor Specialist to serve as the primary relationship-builder for students in grades 6–8. This full-time, on-site role drives bi-weekly mentorship, identity-centered programming, and open study halls aimed at building a strong Brotherhood and college readiness.

The ideal candidate will lead programs, engage families, document progress in Salesforce, and help prepare 8th graders for the high school transition.

Qualifications

• Commitment to IYT mission and values.
• Ability to self-motivate and achieve results.
• Multi-tasking under pressure with strong prioritization.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Transparency and trust in interactions with youth and families.
• Preferred: tutoring, mentorship, or youth development experience.
• Bilingual in Spanish.

Responsibilities

• Deliver 1:1 mentorship sessions focused on identity, belonging, and college aspirations.
• Lead open study hall, track attendance and progress.
• Coordinate family engagement touchpoints and communications.
• Log mentorship sessions, attendance, and family contacts in Salesforce within 24 hours.
• Support the 8th grade pipeline handoff to high school advising.
• Debrief with the Associate Program Director to plan next steps.

Skills

Mentorship

Relationship building

Communication

Organization

Problem solving

Bilingual in Spanish

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Salesforce

G-Suite

Microsoft Office

Zoom

Job description

Company Overview:Improve Your Tomorrow (IYT) was founded in 2013 with the mission to increase the number of young men of color (YMOC) to attend and graduate from colleges and universities. We envision a world where men of color are overrepresented in higher education, underrepresented in the criminal justice system, and leaders in their communities. By embodying our core values of Character, Service, Teamwork, and Liberation we work to combat academic inequities and build a college-to-community pipeline.Position Overview:The College Access Mentor Specialist is the primary relationship-builder and college-going culture anchor for students in grades 6–8. As a full-time, single-site leader, this role delivers bi-weekly mentorship, identity-centered programming, open study hall, and family engagement designed to build the Brotherhood foundation that sustains students through high school and into college. The Mentor owns the site culture, leads programming, and is the consistent adult presence students expect to see.Key Responsibilities:Mentorship & Student DevelopmentDeliver 1:1 mentorship sessions focused on identity, belonging, brotherhood, confidence, study habits, goal setting, and early college aspiration.Build trusting, consistent relationships with students that set the foundation for long-term IYT engagement.Programming & Study HallLead open and structured study hall by keeping the space open, welcoming, and purposeful; ensure students sign in and identify what they are working on.Prioritize students carrying D/F grades or below a 2.5 GPA during study hall; track who is present, who is absent, and follow up with students who are not attending.Led the structured programming day — facilitate Brotherhood rituals (Brotherhood Clap, Creed, Family Love, announcements, energizer) and support delivery of the Member Development Workshop.Deliver developmentally appropriate Brotherhood programming focused on identity, belonging, confidence, study habits, goal setting, and early college aspiration aligned to the middle school program design philosophy.Support 8th grade transition readiness by incorporating high school readiness conversations and college exposure into programming throughout the year.Debrief with the Associate Program Director at the close of each structured programming day to identify student follow-up priorities for the coming week.Family EngagementConduct family touchpoints after mentorship sessions, centering on student strengths and progress.Led quarterly family engagement touchpoints/moments (Q1 Orientation/Welcome, Q2 Milestone, Q3 Mid-Semester, Q4 Celebration).Data & DocumentationLog all mentorship sessions, programming attendance, and family touchpoints in Salesforce within 24 hours.Own the 8th grade pipeline handoff process: ensure student data, relationship context, and engagement history transfer directly to the High School College Advising Mentor Specialist before end of year.Capture and submit regular site content — photos, short videos, student stories, and impactful program moments to the Associate Program Director, with all required consent and release documentation on file.Additional Duties as AssignedSchedule:Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5pm; some weekends, evenings, and organization-wide events are required.Location:Field-based — This position works out of an assigned local school campus.Pay Rate:$22 - $32/HourlyBenefits:IYT also offers the following Benefits:MedicalDentalVisionLife AD&D (with additional voluntary options)Employee Assistance Plan (EAP)403(b) retirement plan with 3% employer match after one year of employment.Sick Leave2 weeks of accrued paid Vacation Leave8 Paid HolidaysAdditional paid time off during select school breaks (about 3 weeks of additional PTO in total)Must Haves:Commitment to the mission, vision, and values of IYT.Ability to self-motivate to achieve results.A multi-tasker with a solid ability to work under pressure.Ability to prioritize work, meet deadlines, and produce quality results.Excellent communication and management skills that can both inspire and push others to accomplish their goals.Ability to operate with an appropriate, responsible level of transparency and vulnerability, engendering confidence and trust.Experience:RequiredPatience, warmth, and genuine enthusiasm for working with middle or high school-age youth.PreferredTutoring, mentorship, or youth development experience.Bilingual in SpanishEducationBachelor's degree from an accredited university is requiredComputer SkillsG-SuiteMicrosoft SuiteZoomSalesforce