Head Counselor

Valid8 Financial, Inc.; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 34,440 - 38,572; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Sick and vacation time

Retirement plan

Job summary

Valid8 Financial, Inc. seeks a Head Counselor in San Diego to oversee the ETS County program, ensuring compliance with funding regulations and TRiO guidelines. Responsibilities include participant recruitment, in-person counseling at schools, and coordinating information sessions.

This full-time position emphasizes community engagement and student support, requiring a bachelor’s degree and bilingualism in Spanish strongly preferred. The role is on-site, with competitive pay and benefits offered.

Qualifications

• Ability to work with diverse populations and maintain appropriate boundaries.
• Demonstrated leadership and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to prioritize and multi-task in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Recruit new participants and achieve enrollment goals.
• Provide counseling and advising services to students.
• Coordinate and implement information sessions on college readiness.

Skills

Bilingual in Spanish

Cultural sensitivity

Public speaking

Education

Bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, or related field

Tools

Office 365

Job description

Location: South Bay / Mid-City San Diego (on-site, no remote)

Status: Full-time, non-exempt

Hourly rate: $25-$28 per hour

Schedule: Monday – Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Need: Bilingual in Spanish strongly preferred

Summary: The Head Counselor will assist in the oversight and administration of the ETS County program by serving as a team lead. Provide the development, implementation, and execution of program services, ensuring compliance with funding regulations and TRiO guidelines. Meeting the grant goals and objectives.

About You: An advocate and champion of underrepresented youth where they can pursue their educational dreams and fulfill potential. You are committed to engaging directly with individuals, families, and education and community partners. You care deeply about the well‑being and prosperity of all youth.

You want to become a part of an energetic and effective team and contribute your expertise and creativity to enroll students for counseling and college/​career support services.

Responsibilities

• Active and ongoing recruitment of new participants, achieving enrollment goals in order to fulfill grant requirements.
• In‑person services at schools, providing 2 or more services to all participants.
• Positive communication with school personnel to provide counseling and advising services to a caseload of students.
• Coordinate, develop, and implement information sessions related to counseling and advising services (e.g., study skills, financial literacy, graduation requirements, course selection, college enrollment, financial aid information, and college admission test preparation).
• Foster and promote parent/guardian involvement. Facilitate training and communication to parents regarding college and career readiness topics.
• Large and small group presentations, workshops, and sharing materials.
• Accurately input and maintain counselor annotations in database. Update digital files with academic/career progress.
• Support the Program Director in meeting grant reporting requirements; including but not limited to the Annual Performance Report (APR), applications, service logs, vouchers, and other tasks necessary for the program evaluation and operation.
• Additional duties as necessary to meet and complete grant objectives, which may include: an additional caseload, delegating duties, scheduling and attending meetings outside of regular work hours, and working collectively with others to ensure all program needs are met.

Ability to:

• Effectively manage time and prioritize tasks to meet timelines.
• Follow instructions and communicate professionally.
• Work independently with minimal direction.
• Ensure confidentiality.
• Establish and maintain positive working relationships and work cooperatively with staff, parents, students, and community members.
• Effectively facilitates one‑one one and presentation advising sessions.
• Manages time & calendar to ensure accessibility to students.
• Maintains accurate records.
• Very responsive to all student queries.
• Identifies and shares resources related to career development.
• Ability to relate to parents and students of low‑income and diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to work positively and cooperatively with coworkers and school personnel to build and maintain partnerships.
• Understandings of financial aid systems and forms, college acceptance procedures, and college readiness, and recruitment/retention strategies.
• Experience in overcoming the disadvantages of circumstances like those of the population of the target area is preferred.
• Able to work occasional evenings and weekends to support program initiatives and services, including overnights, field trips, and conferences.
• Reliable transportation with a clean driving record.
• Proficient in Office 365.

Work setting

• In‑person at school sites. As requested at office.

Schedule

• Monday to Friday

Employee Pay Package

Wahupa offers competitive pay and benefits for FT staff including sick and vacation time, holidays, health, vision, dental, flexible spending accounts, an employee assistance program, and retirement plan.

Educational Talent Search (ETS): Assists HS students (9‑12th) from disadvantaged backgrounds to succeed in HS and higher education. Academic, career, financial aid guidance, postsecondary application support.

Educational Opportunities Center (EOC): Serves adults (18+) by providing counseling on postsecondary education, financial aid guidance, and financial literacy.

Upward Bound (UB): Serves high school students from low‑income families; and students from families in which neither parent holds a bachelor's degree. UB provides opportunities to succeed in pre‑college performance and ultimately in their higher education pursuits.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, or related field.
• Ability to work with a diverse population, possess cultural sensitivity, and maintain appropriate boundaries with clients.
• Demonstrated leadership and problem‑solving abilities, training skills, creativity, and public speaking.
• Ability to prioritize and multi‑task.
• Ability to work with a diverse population, possess cultural sensitivity, and maintain appropriate boundaries with clients.

Condition of Employment

• Employment may be conditioned upon satisfactory completion of certain background clearances which may include a Department of Justice criminal background check requiring my fingerprints (Live Scan), tuberculosis (TB) test, and additional clearances as may be required under the program.
• Candidate may be required to have reliable transportation; therefore, the candidate must successfully complete a motor vehicle history check. Candidate must also possess and maintain a current valid California driver’s license and valid auto insurance policy.
• Mental and emotionally: Ability to work under deadlines, various projects and dealing with clients in crisis and difficult situations.
• Must be able to remain in a stationary position during shift.
• Moves throughout the building.
• Moves, raises, or lowers (includes upward pulling) an object or equipment up to 50 lbs.
• Transports an object, from 20 to 50 lbs. for various needs.
• Ability to exert force upon an object so that the object moves away from the force.
• Ability to exert force upon an object so that the object moves toward the force (includes jerking)
• Ascending or descending stairs and ladders when applicable. Body agility is emphasized.
• Balancing: Maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling when ascending, descending, traversing.
• Stooping: Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist, requiring full use of the lower extremities and back muscles.
• Handling: Seizing, holding, grasping, turning, or otherwise working with objects or office machinery.
• Communicating: Expressing or exchanging ideas. Communicating is important for those activities in which workers must impart information to clients or to the public, and in those activities in which they must convey detailed or important instructions to other workers accurately, or quickly.

The statements contained herein describe the scope of the responsibility and essential functions of this position but should not be an all‑inclusive listing of work requirements. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time unless restricted by a negotiated contract.

Accessibility Accommodation

Wahupa is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities.

Wahupa is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, parental status, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Equal Opportunity Employer/Program Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.