Join Our Staff

Summer Search North San Francisco Bay currently has positions open for:

Program Associate (full time)
Part-time College and Financial Aid Advisor

program associate

OUR MISSION

Summer Search is a dynamic national non-profit organization that finds resilient low-income high school students and inspires them to become responsible and altruistic leaders by providing year-round mentoring, life-changing summer experiences, college advising, and a lasting support network.

Summer Search started in 1990 in San Francisco and currently operates in seven sites serving over 900 students and 2,000 alumni nationally. Summer Search North Bay is our most rural program site, serving 115 students this year. For more information about Summer Search visit our website at www.summersearch.org.

OUR VALUES
Summer Search is committed to the personal and professional growth opportunities of every staff member. We embrace honesty, directness, and constructive criticism as an opportunity for growth. Everyone within our organization is guided by the following values:

Resiliency: We challenge ourselves to take positive risks and find healthy outlets. Consistently reaching out to other local and national staff, being curious and having a sense of humor are vital.

Altruism: We each take ownership of this program but also see it as an opportunity to go beyond ourselves and genuinely empower others.

Performance: We work with a sustained sense of passion and productivity, striving for excellence.

JOB SUMMARY
Program Associates are mentors who help build the resiliency and capacity of teen leaders.  They contribute to the success of the organization by working directly with students over the phone and face to face to reach short, mid, and long-term outcomes through three domains: addressing student needs by building relationships that promote personal/social development and life skills, aid in successful summer program placement and preparation, and ensure college/career-readiness.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

Relationship-Building:

  • Builds individualized relationships with students based on Summer Search’s mentoring model by utilizing listening skills, providing direct feedback, creating opportunities for introspection, and holding students accountable to what they are capable of achieving.
  • Organizes and coordinates small and large-group interactions: school lunches, sophomore and college workshops, and Spring/Fall Events.

Increasing Resiliency:

  • Uses an internally developed model of assessment that identifies qualities of resiliency: Reflection, Altruism, and Performance (RAP).
  • Works with students in an ongoing way to develop those RAP qualities over time, noticing patterns of thinking and behavior.

School Attachment/College Readiness:

  • Understands students’ full academic and extracurricular participation/performance in school, including attendance, relationships with teachers, peers, etc.
  • Understands college readiness requirements and works collaboratively with students and Summer Search’s college counselors to ensure they ultimately matriculate to post-secondary education.

Summer Program Preparation and Integration:

  • Collaborates with Program Manager and Summer Program Coordinator to ensure that each student is appropriately placed on a trip that will challenge them and set them up for success.
  • Works with each student who has passed the four-week self-selection period to ensure that they are physically and emotionally ready for both their first and second trips, and works with each student to celebrate successes on their trips, reflect on learning opportunities and reintegrate their experiences through writing essays, weekly mentoring conversations, and group interactions with fellow students.

Program Data Tracking:

  • Enters and tracks data accurately on a daily basis in Efforts to Outcomes student database, so data can be used to assess student progress, staff evaluations, and organizational learning.
  • Works with Program Manager and Senior Mentors to consistently assess and measure own results of program activities, and uses data tracking and analysis as a learning opportunity.

Minimum Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree
  • At least two years of work experience after college strongly preferred
  • Demonstrated excellence in interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills
  • Excellent organizational and project management skills
  • Self-starter who is comfortable in a close-knit team-oriented setting
  • Flexibility and eagerness to learn and work on different tasks as needed
  • Strong command of Microsoft Office applications and familiarity with database operations
  • Previous work with adolescents, teaching or non-profit experience a plus.
  • Bi-lingual English-Spanish a plus

OUR BENEFITS

Summer Search is committed to creating an environment that is supportive of learning, growth and staff development. Our investment in staff includes:

  • Competitive salary commensurate with experience
  • Medical, dental, vision, FSA, life and disability insurance
  • 401 (K) Plan and employer matching program after 1 year of employment
  • Paid holidays and vacation
  • Commuter benefits program

HOW TO APPLY

To apply to Summer Search, please attach your resume with a cover letter that speaks to why you are applying to Summer Search. Include in your letter your track record of performance, your desire to learn, and your ability to overcome challenges. Send your application to Sarah Ham in Human Resources at bayareahire@summersearch.org.

part-time college and financial aid advisor

Organizational Summary

Summer Search is a dynamic national non-profit organization that finds resilient low-income high school students and inspires them to become responsible and altruistic leaders by providing a four-part program that includes year-round mentoring, life-changing summer experiences, college advising and a lasting support network. Summer Search started in 1990 in San Francisco and currently serves over 1,000 high school students and 2,000 alumni in the Bay Area (San Francisco, North Bay and Silicon Valley), Seattle, Boston, New York and Philadelphia. 93% of participants go on to become first generation college students and professionals.

Job Summary 

Manages college and financial aid advising process by collaborating with program staff to ensure that students meet our intermediate and long term outcomes, including college readiness and persistence. Provides direct one-on-one college and financial aid advising, facilitates college workshops and develops relationships with students and alumni that aid in progress toward meeting outcomes. Half-time with potential for full-time status in the future, based on performance and program growth.

Principal Accountabilities

Advises students and alumni in the college and financial aid process

  • Supports students on an individual basis providing college advisory services that encourage the best match with post-secondary plans specific to each student’s needs and strengths. Partners with Summer Search mentors to help students explore options and create college plans that will best provide support for college persistence.

Facilitates college and financial aid preparation workshops

  • Coordinates, prepares and facilitates a series of college and financial aid workshops for students and parents.

Collaborates with mentors and post-secondary coordinators to address student progress toward outcomes

  • Communicates with mentors and post-secondary coordinators about progress of students toward high school completion, college persistence and matriculation.
  • Works with mentors and post-secondary coordinators to address students’ specific needs in meeting outcomes (with particular attention to on-going financial aid and transfers).

Creates learning opportunities

  • Supports mentors with appropriate training regarding post-secondary education process to aid in mentors’ ability to support their students toward meeting high school graduation and post-secondary matriculation.
  • Participates in organization-wide college and post-secondary program cohorts to learn from other sites and ensure best practices from the North Bay are shared nationally.

Ensures tracking, management and communication of key college data

  • Tracks progress toward multiple college goals (and other key data) and frequently updates staff on a regular basis.

Advocates for students and alumni

  • Works with Bay Area college staff to present students to college and university partners in support of creating more opportunities for Summer Search students. Clearly conveys student strengths and background information.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

  • Minimum of three years experience in college advising.
  • Strong organizational and project management skills.
  • Experience in small and larger group facilitation a plus.
  • Experience working with first generation college students a plus.
  • A bachelor’s degree required, an advanced degree in a related area a plus.
  • Flexibility and openness to a professional environment that expects direct feedback, self-evaluation and the capacity to learn and grow on the job.

Job Specifications

Start date: Immediate
Office: Summer Search North Bay
Location:Petaluma, CA
Hours: 20 hours per week (specific days and times somewhat flexible and to be determined with supervisor based on program needs)
Additionally some evening and weekend event attendance
Benefits: Competitive salary commensurate with experience
Paid holidays and vacation
To Apply:  Send resume and a cover letter that speaks to why you are applying to Summer Search.  Include in the letter your track record of performance, your desire to learn and your ability to overcome challenges. Send your application to Sarah Ham, Director of Human Resources, at bayareahire@summersearch.org

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