Higher Pathways Regional Manager - TX

Justworks, Inc.; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 80,000 - 83,000; Full time

Job summary

Social Justice Learning Institute (SJLI) is seeking a Higher Pathways Regional Manager to lead the Higher Pathways program in the assigned Southern region (Houston & Dallas). You will supervise counselors, drive regional strategy, partnerships, and data-driven program quality to support scholars aged 18–25 through postsecondary pathways, credentials, and career mobility.

The role emphasizes staff development, equity-centered leadership, and collaboration across departments to ensure a cohesive,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Education, Counseling, Higher Education, Social Work, Psychology, Youth Development, Nonprofit Management, Public Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum four years of relevant experience in postsecondary success, college access or persistence, workforce or career development, youth development, alumni services, or related programming serving young adults.
• At least two years supervising staff, coaching team members, or managing programs.
• Strong knowledge of postsecondary pathways and barriers faced by young adults.

Responsibilities

• Supervise Postsecondary Success Counselors, Career Development Counselors, and Workforce Connections Counselors within the region.
• Lead onboarding and professional development aligned with SJLI's postsecondary success framework.
• Set goals, deliverables, and performance benchmarks for scholar support and placement outcomes.
• Coordinate staff and programs to ensure a coordinated whole-scholar experience.
• Develop partnerships with colleges, employers, and community organizations.
• Monitor regional outcomes and ensure equitable dosage and timely follow-up.

Skills

Staff supervision

Coaching

Budget management

Stakeholder engagement

Program leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

CRM systems

Dashboards

Budget tracking software

Job description

Employment type Full-time employee Department Houston Office Work location SJLI Houston Office Compensation $80,000 – $83,000 annually
Final compensation will depend on the location and level at which the candidate is hired

About this job

HIGHER PATHWAYS REGIONAL MANAGER

Position Title: Higher Pathways Regional Manager

Reports To: Director of Educational Equity

Location: Assigned Region (Southern: Houston & Dallas)

Position Summary:

The Higher Pathways Regional Manager is a dynamic and skilled leader responsible for the strategy, quality, staff performance, systems, operations, and outcomes of SJLI's Higher Pathways work within an assigned region. Working under the direction of the Director of Educational Equity, this role leads a coordinated postsecondary support model serving scholars ages 18–25 as they navigate college, transfer, trade and technical education, professional credentials, military service, employment, entrepreneurship, educational re-entry, and other postsecondary pathways.

The Regional Manager supervises Postsecondary Success Counselors, Career Development Counselors, and Workforce Connections Counselors, ensuring clear ownership while maintaining a consistent, whole-scholar experience. Postsecondary Success Counselors serve as the primary relationship and navigator for scholars, while specialized career staff provide deeper support in career exploration, professional readiness, employer engagement, internships, job placement, apprenticeships, and other economic-mobility opportunities. The Manager is accountable for ensuring these functions operate as one coordinated system.

As Higher Pathways evolves, the Regional Manager helps maintain the program’s full postsecondary strategy in which success is measured by progress, persistence, opportunity, stability, placement, and long-term outcomes: Postsecondary Success, Career & Economic Mobility, Civic Engagement, and Lifelong Well-Being. The role ensures consistent delivery across markets, strengthens staff development and case-management systems, builds strategic partnerships, and maintains fidelity to SJLI's mission, culture, and commitment to educational equity and community impact.

Responsibilities

Team Leadership and Development

• Supervise and support Postsecondary Success Counselors, Career Development Counselors, and Workforce Connections Counselors within the assigned region, providing direct supervision, mentorship, coaching, and clear performance expectations.
• Lead, facilitate, or coordinate onboarding and professional development aligned with SJLI's postsecondary success framework, whole-scholar approach, case-management expectations, and equity-centered practice.
• Establish role-specific goals, deliverables, timelines, caseload expectations, documentation standards, and performance benchmarks for scholar support, career development, workforce connections, and placement outcomes.
• Conduct regular individual supervision, team meetings, case reviews, and performance evaluations; provide individualized coaching and address performance concerns promptly in coordination with the Director of Educational Equity and Human Resources, as appropriate.
• Cultivate a collaborative, culturally responsive, accountable, and learning-oriented team culture that reflects SJLI's values and mission.
• Support staff in understanding how their distinct responsibilities connect across the Higher Pathways workflow so scholars experience one coordinated system.

Program Strategy, Implementation, and Regional Systems

• Lead annual regional strategy, work planning, programming priorities, and implementation for Higher Pathways in alignment with SJLI's Educational Equity strategy and organizational goals.
• Ensure consistent and high-quality delivery of Higher Pathways across the assigned region, including postsecondary success, career readiness and economic mobility, supportive services, alumni engagement, scholarships, and transition programming.
• Translate department priorities into clear regional workflows, operating rhythms, responsibilities, and accountability systems that support consistent scholar experiences across staff and markets.
• Identify emerging scholar needs, service gaps, and implementation challenges; allocate staff attention and program resources accordingly and elevate strategic issues to the Director of Educational Equity.
• Coordinate cross-team planning with Educational Equity leadership and other SJLI departments to support seamless program implementation, communications, grant deliverables, events, and scholar transitions.
• Guide staff through programmatic refinements and continuous improvement while maintaining the core Higher Pathways model and a consistent whole-scholar experience.

Scholar Support Systems and Postsecondary Navigation

• Oversee a coordinated case-management model in which every eligible scholar is assigned a Postsecondary Success Counselor and supported by an individualized success plan that identifies goals, needs, next steps, referrals, and follow-up.
• Establish standards for scholar outreach, regular check-ins, tiered support, early identification of barriers, re-engagement, escalation, warm referrals, and continuity of care when a scholar's pathway changes.
• Establish and maintain the toolkit, referral programming, referral organizational relationships and support systems that can be utilized by the Postsecondary Success Counselors as they support SJLI alumni in their navigation of postsecondary success.
• Ensure Postsecondary Success Counselors can effectively support scholars across college, transfer, trade and technical education, credentials, military pathways, employment, educational re-entry, and other postsecondary options.
• Ensure staff can help scholars navigate financial aid, course registration, transfer, housing, transportation, wellness, technology, basic needs, and other practical barriers that may interrupt postsecondary progress.
• Monitor caseloads and scholar engagement to ensure equitable dosage, timely follow-up, and consistent support across cohorts, pathways, and markets.
• Conduct quality reviews and incorporate scholar feedback, staff learning, and partner input to strengthen responsiveness, continuity, and program quality.

Career Readiness, Placement, and Economic Mobility

• Oversee a coordinated career strategy that moves scholars from career exposure to preparation, connection, placement, retention, and advancement.
• Provide leadership and accountability for Career Development Counselors focused on career exploration, assessment, Career Action Plans, professional readiness, internships, networking, and career planning.
• Provide leadership and accountability for Workforce Connections Counselors focused on employer relationships, job and apprenticeship placement, workforce-system connections, industry partnerships, and other economic-mobility opportunities.
• Ensure career services begin early in the postsecondary experience and intensify as scholars approach graduation, credential completion, workforce entry, or other major transitions.
• Coordinate with Postsecondary Success Counselors and specialized career staff on referrals, joint programming, employer engagement, entrepreneurship resources, graduate-school exploration, and placement strategies.
• Monitor the quality and effectiveness of internship, apprenticeship, job-placement, and employer partnerships and use outcomes to strengthen the regional career ecosystem.

Transitions, Alumni Engagement, and Community Connection

• Coordinate structured transitions from SJLI's high school programs into Higher Pathways so graduating scholars understand available services, complete an initial success plan, and have a clear point of contact.
• Oversee year-round alumni programming, postsecondary workshops, convenings, and enrichment opportunities aligned with scholar needs and departmental outcomes.
• Strengthen alumni engagement through mentorship, networking, leadership, civic participation, knowledge transfer, and opportunities to support younger scholars.
• Support re-engagement strategies for scholars who become disconnected from school, employment, or SJLI services, ensuring staff have clear outreach and escalation protocols.
• Promote a culture in which postsecondary and career success are connected to purpose, community contribution, and long-term well-being.

Data, Evaluation, and Program Accountability

• Monitor key scholar and regional outcomes including engagement, postsecondary enrollment and persistence, degree or credential progress, scholarship distribution, financial-aid navigation, internships, work-based learning, job placement, supportive-service utilization, alumni participation, and career advancement.
• Set and enforce standards for timely and accurate documentation of scholar contact, individualized plans, referrals, services, pathway changes, follow-up, and outcomes.
• Maintain regional dashboards and conduct regular case and data reviews to identify trends, service gaps, performance concerns, and opportunities for early intervention.
• Use quantitative and qualitative data, scholar voice, and staff learning to inform supervision, program refinement, resource allocation, partnership strategy, and continuous improvement.
• Contribute to monthly, quarterly, grant, and organizational reports as required and ensure regional implementation aligns with funder commitments and program goals.
• Communicate regularly with the Director of Educational Equity regarding progress, challenges, risks, and successes, and participate in department-wide evaluation and planning cycles.

Partnership Development and Regional Representation

• Develop and maintain strategic relationships with colleges and universities, employers, apprenticeship and training providers, workforce agencies, mental health providers, community-based organizations, and other partners that expand scholar opportunity.
• Serve as a regional representative of Higher Pathways with institutional and community partners and support staff in establishing and maintaining strong, professional relationships.
• Assess partnership quality, alignment, responsiveness, and scholar outcomes to ensure external relationships advance postsecondary success, placement, and economic mobility.
• Coordinate with the Director of Educational Equity and other SJLI leaders on partnership development, MOUs, employer engagement, special initiatives, and regional opportunities.
• Represent SJLI at relevant meetings, convenings, community events, education and workforce coalitions, and other regional spaces as assigned.

Program Operations and Budget Oversight

• Manage regional Higher Pathways operations, staffing schedules, programming calendars, materials, events, travel, and implementation logistics.
• Responsible for reviewing and submitting budget requests for program activities to obtain approval of program expense requests from the Director of Educational Equity.
• Assist in program expense monitoring by overseeing regional budget usage in collaboration with the Director of Educational Equity. Knowledge in this area will support annual program-area budget preparation and resource planning.
• Coordinate with the Director of Educational Equity and Operations & Finance team to ensure timely procurement, reimbursements, contracts, scholarship processes, and resource tracking.
• Maintain clear records of regional implementation needs, staffing plans, partnership commitments, grant deliverables, and budget allocations.
• Perform any other duties consistent with or assigned to the position's scope and organizational needs.

Qualifications & Experience

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Education, Counseling, Higher Education, Social Work, Psychology, Youth Development, Nonprofit Management, Public Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum four (4) years of relevant experience in postsecondary success, college access or persistence, workforce or career development, youth development, alumni services, or related programming serving young adults.
• At least two (2) years of experience supervising staff, coaching team members, or managing education, workforce, or youth-development programs.
• Demonstrated experience leading and evaluating programs, managing staff performance, coordinating services for young adults, and translating program goals into measurable implementation plans and outcomes.
• Strong knowledge of postsecondary pathways and the barriers young adults may face related to college persistence, career transition, financial aid, employment, housing, wellness, transportation, and other adult-life needs.
• Experience with career development, workforce systems, internships, apprenticeships, employer engagement, job placement, or economic-mobility strategies.
• Strong communication, facilitation, team-building, project management, relationship-building, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency with program budget development, expense monitoring, case-management or CRM systems, program data analysis, dashboards, and using data to inform decision-making.
• Demonstrated commitment to culturally responsive, trauma-informed, equity-centered, and community-based approaches that reflect the lived experiences of young adults of color.
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation to travel throughout the assigned region and to other SJLI markets as required.
• Strong commitment to the goals, guidelines, principles and values of the Social Justice Learning Institute.

Preferred:

• Master's degree in Education, Counseling, Higher Education, Social Work, Public Administration, Youth Development, Nonprofit Management, or a related field.
• Experience managing regional, multi-site, or multi-market postsecondary, workforce, alumni, or youth-development programs.
• Experience managing grant-funded programs, budgets, reporting requirements, and partnership deliverables.
• Knowledge of higher education systems, financial aid, transfer pathways, workforce training, apprenticeships, credentials, and employer engagement within the assigned region.
• Experience building partnerships with colleges, universities, employers, workforce agencies, community-based organizations, and other institutions serving young adults.
• Bilingual proficiency (English/Spanish).

Equal Opportunity Employer:

SJLI is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or any other legally protected status. We encourage applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences, particularly those from underrepresented communities and those with lived experiences relevant to our work with youth of color. SJLI is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and the youth we serve.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

The physical demands and work environment for this position are consistent with those of a typical office setting. However, this role requires regular travel within Harris County, Dallas County and beyond for meetings, school visits, youth events, college visits/tours, retreats and community engagements. The position may require standing for extended periods, lifting up to 25 pounds, and navigating various community settings. Evening and weekend work is often necessary to accommodate youth and their family’s schedules. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

Compliance with Laws and Regulations:

The Educational Equity Programs Director must comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, including but not limited to anti-discrimination laws, labor laws, and laws governing non-profit organizations. They must also adhere to SJLI's policies and procedures, including those related to ethics, confidentiality, and conflicts of interest. Given the focus on youth, familiarity with and strict adherence to laws and best practices related to working with minors is essential, including mandatory reporting requirements, youth safety protocols, and data privacy regulations.

Background Check and Clearances:

Employment with SJLI is contingent upon successful completion of a comprehensive background check and any required clearances or certifications, as applicable to the position. This includes, but is not limited to, criminal background checks, child abuse clearances, TB testing, and verification of eligibility to work with youth. The Senior Manager must also maintain any relevant certifications or clearances throughout their employment.

At-Will Employment:

Employment with SJLI is on an at-will basis, meaning that either the employee or the organization can terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or notice, unless otherwise specified by applicable law or a written employment agreement. However, SJLI is committed to fair employment practices and open communication to ensure a positive and productive work environment for all employees.

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

Social Justice Learning Institute (\"SJLI\") is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity. We are committed to complying with all applicable federal, state, and local laws providing equal employment opportunities, as well as all other employment laws and regulations. It is our intent to maintain a work environment that is free of unlawful harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.SJLI prohibits discrimination, harassment, or retaliation based on any characteristic protected by applicable law, including, but not limited to: age (40 and over), race (including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists), color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital status, reproductive health decision‑making, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender (including gender identity and gender expression), sexual orientation, veteran or military status, protected medical leaves (including requesting or taking leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act or California Family Rights Act), domestic violence victim status, political affiliation, off‑duty and off‑premises use of cannabis, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.The Organization is dedicated to the fulfillment of this policy in regard to all aspects of employment, including, but not limited to, recruiting, hiring, placement, transfer, training, promotion, rates of pay and other compensation, benefits, discipline, termination, and all other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.Employment decisions at SJLI are based on legitimate, job‑related qualifications, skills, experience, performance, organizational needs, and other lawful business considerations. In carrying out our mission, SJLI values mission alignment, community-centered practice, culturally responsive approaches, and the ability to contribute positively to the communities we serve, particularly historically underserved communities. Nothing in this policy shall be interpreted or applied in a manner inconsistent with applicable law.The Organization will conduct a confidential, prompt, and thorough investigation of all allegations of discrimination, harassment, retaliation or any violation of this Equal Employment Opportunity Policy. Where appropriate, the Organization will take corrective and remedial action.SJLI strictly prohibits retaliation against any team member who, in good faith, reports concerns, provides information, participates...