College Access Senior Manager

Community Initiatives; Los Angeles, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully paid medical, dental, and vision

401k with 5% employee match

Paid vacation, sick leave, holidays

Travel opportunities between sites

Job summary

Building College Access (BCS), a program supported by Community Initiatives in Los Angeles, seeks a College Access Senior Manager to guide high school students toward postsecondary opportunities. The role emphasizes direct advising, school partnerships, curriculum delivery, and data tracking across multiple sites.

Occasional travel and in-person office support are required. The role includes mentoring staff, contributing to organization-wide planning, and hosting college access workshops to

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in education, counseling, or related field.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in student support or education, ideally in high schools.
• Strong advising, workshop facilitation, and data management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with schools and community partners.
• Must have access to a reliable car and travel between sites and events in the LA area.
• In-person office support, occasional Saturday programming, and late-night programming may be required.
• Commitment to student success and strong organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct college access advising to high school students.
• Maintain accurate records of student interactions and outcomes.
• Coordinate and facilitate college access workshops and family nights.
• Build relationships with school partners to strengthen programming.
• Lead site-based events and contribute to strategic initiatives.
• Support recruitment and track attendance for STEAM programs.

Skills

Advising

Workshop facilitation

Data management

Public speaking

Collaboration

Organizational skills

Multitasking

Education

Bachelor's degree in education, counseling, or related field

Master's degree in education or related field (preferred)

Tools

Naviance

Salesforce

Google Workspace

Job description

Description

Organization Summary

Building College Success (BCS) is dedicated to expanding access to college, career, and workforce opportunities for students throughout Los Angeles. Through college access, college success, STEAM, and workforce readiness programming, BCS equips students with the knowledge, skills, experiences, and networks needed to successfully navigate their educational and career journeys.

BCS serves high school and college students through a range of programs, including the BS³ STEAM Academy, which provides culturally responsive, hands‑on STEAM learning, career exploration, and exposure to college and industry pathways. Through partnerships with schools, colleges and universities, employers, and community organizations, BCS connects students to meaningful academic, professional, and career‑building opportunities.

BCS is fiscally sponsored by Community Initiatives (CI), a nonprofit fiscal sponsor that provides administrative and operational infrastructure to support BCS's mission and programs. As a fiscally sponsored project of CI, BCS operates in partnership with CI while maintaining its distinct programmatic mission, leadership, and community impact.

Position Summary

The College Access Senior Manager is a key leader on the Building College Access (BCS) team, focused on guiding high school students toward postsecondary opportunities. This role supports assigned school sites and is responsible for direct student advising, school partnership development, curriculum implementation, programming, data and outreach coordination, and supporting a culture of college readiness. The Senior Manager partners with school personnel and BCS leadership to ensure students and families are engaged, informed, and supported throughout the college access process. This role also mentors early‑career staff and contributes to BCS‑wide initiatives and planning.

The candidate must be comfortable commuting to assigned campuses at least two times per week per site. The Senior Manager is also expected to support and attend all major organization‑wide events, including community celebrations, conferences, and college access/success programs.

Breakdown of Responsibilities

Student Advising, Data, and Program Operations – 60%

• Manage a caseload of high school students and provide individualized college access advising
• Conduct one‑on‑one and small group meetings to assess students' academic goals and support college planning
• Maintain accurate records of student interactions, progress, and milestones using tracking systems
• Serve as a point person for Access operational functions and data management, including running and reviewing Access reports, identifying trends or gaps, and providing regular updates to the Director of College Access
• Support Access Fellows with data tracking, caseload management, reporting expectations, and follow‑up on student progress and program deliverables
• Coordinate and facilitate college access workshops, application and financial aid sessions, and family nights
• Collaborate with school counselors, teachers, and community partners to align programming
• Plan and execute site‑based events and initiatives that promote a college‑going culture
• Support recruitment efforts and track attendance of college access students in STEAM programs

Mentorship & Training – 10%

• Mentor and support BCS Success Fellow and early‑career staff
• Provide support with onboarding, site coordination, and advising strategies
• Help cultivate a positive, accountable team culture
• Support team updates for internal and external meetings

Strategic Planning & Thought Partnership – 10%

• Work closely with the Director as a thought partner to shape BCS's access strategy
• Participate in school‑based planning meetings and broader BCS strategic development
• Provide insights to improve student outcomes and program delivery

Cross‑Departmental Support – 10%

• Collaborate with other BCS departments (e.g., Success, STEAM, Alumni, Data & Evaluation)
• Support organization‑wide initiatives, communications, and programming as needed

School Partnership, Curriculum & Facilitation – 10%

• Serve as the primary BCS representative for assigned school site(s), including a site focused on providing college access programming and advising for underclass students
• Build and maintain strong relationships with school administrators, counselors, teachers, and other key campus partners to strengthen BCS visibility, student recruitment, and program implementation
• Develop, adapt, and implement age‑appropriate college access curriculum and advising strategies for 9th‑ and 10th‑grade students that build early awareness, preparation, and readiness for future participation in BCS programming
• Facilitate presentations and workshops for students, families, and school partners related to college access, postsecondary preparation, and BCS programming
• Identify student and school needs and provide recommendations for workshops, curriculum, engagement strategies, and site‑based programming
• Lead designated BCS workshops, programs, or special initiatives, such as Access Day, in coordination with and upon approval of the Director of College Access
• Support the development and refinement of curriculum, presentations, and facilitation materials that may be utilized across BCS Access sites

Additional Duties (As Needed)

• Support assigned projects or tasks related to program operations and student services as needed
• Assist with creating basic outreach and program materials, including flyers, presentations, and digital content to support student engagement and recruitment efforts
• Perform other duties as assigned that align with the organization's mission and college access programming.

Requirements

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in education, counseling, or related field
• Minimum 3 years of experience in student support or education, ideally in high schools
• Strong advising, workshop facilitation, and data management skills
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with schools and community partners
• Must have access to a reliable car and be able to travel between sites and to events in the Los Angeles area
• Role may require in‑person office support, occasional Saturday programming, and late‑night programming
• Commitment to student success
• Strong organizational skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities
• Comfort with public speaking and presentations
• Cultural competence and humility

Preferred

• Master's degree in a related field
• Experience mentoring or training staff
• Familiarity with platforms like Naviance, Salesforce, or Google Workspace

Work Schedule

• 1–2 days remote (work from home) – for documentation, outreach, and virtual student meetings
• 1–2 days in‑office – for collaboration, supervision, and planning
• 2–3 days in the field – meeting students on high school campuses or at community sites

Compensation & Benefits

This is a full‑time (1.0 FTE), salaried, exempt position with comprehensive benefits package including:

• Salary: $75,000 – $80,000, commensurate with experience
• Fully paid medical, dental, and vision
• 401k and 5% employee match
• Basic Life Insurance, AD&D, STD, LTD
• 4 weeks of paid vacation
• 12 days of paid sick leave
• 14 paid holidays
• 4 floating holidays

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Community Initiatives is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We value a diverse and inclusive workplace and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.

Application window will close September 9. We’ll begin reviewing applications and reaching out after the deadline.