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STUDENT RECRUITMENT AND ADMISSIONS SPECIALIST
ABOUT BREAKTHROUGH CENTRAL TEXAS
Founded in 2002, Breakthrough Central Texas is changing lives with our community and student-centric approach to postsecondary access and completion. We work with families and local stakeholders to foster investment in and bring highly sought resources to Central Texas schools. By developing authentic community partnerships, hiring experienced educators who increasingly reflect the communities we serve, and pairing them with well-trained AmeriCorps members, we are able to provide in-school and out-of-school time programs and services to thousands of deserving students each year, and support them to realize their postsecondary aspirations.
We are proud to have validated that our long-term commitment to students and their families is improving outcomes and increasing the number of first-generation college graduates in the region. Data show that Breakthrough participants are consistently outperforming their peers in on-time high school graduation, postsecondary enrollment, and postsecondary degree and certificate attainment. Breakthrough Central Texas is poised to leverage the state’s favorable policy environment, abundant current and developing partnerships and its latest strategic plan, in the direction of the organization’s new north star: promoting equity in college attainment rates across the entire Austin region. Toward that end, by 2025, Breakthrough will expand its impact to serve approximately 3,000 students in Central Texas.
WHY WORK AT BREAKTHROUGH CENTRAL TEXAS?
The Breakthrough Central Texas team firmly believes in the potential of all students, and their right to postsecondary success and self-determined lives of choice. Join us if you are a builder and a nurturer, equally committed to making college-going and degree attainment accessible for the youth in our region, while also fostering an inclusive team culture that supports us all to do our best work.
ABOUT THE STUDENT RECRUITMENT AND ADMISSIONS SPECIALIST ROLE
The Student Recruitment and Admissions Specialist works closely in education institutions and communities across the Central Texas area to improve access to Breakthrough’s services and opportunities.
The priority responsibility of the Student Recruitment and Admissions Specialist is to oversee the student recruitment and admissions process for Breakthrough’s 12-Year Experience, a program that admits nearly 300 middle school students each year and commits 12 years of support until they attain postsecondary success. The specialist directly engages in efforts to source, recruit, and admit students from schools in Austin ISD, Del Valle ISD, and Manor ISD. In addition, the specialist coordinates a Student Admissions Team to successfully meet targets and conduct equitable admissions practices aligned to Breakthrough’s values. A key initiative led by the specialist will be to build the organization's sourcing and recruitment efforts in community centers such as local businesses, institutions of faith, recreation centers, libraries, and more to ensure eligible students, and their families, are aware of and have access to the program. The specialist also supports the organization’s efforts to retain students after admission, by supporting the team’s ability to orient and communicate well with students and families during their first experiences with the program during their middle school years.
A second priority for the Student Recruitment and Admissions Specialist will be to support Breakthrough’s Director of Talent and Associate Director of AmeriCorps to source and recruit older students to join as AmeriCorps fellows. Each year, Breakthrough recruits and places approximately 150 high school and college students in a summer fellowship and 30 individuals, typically recent college graduates, in a year-long fellowship, earning a living stipend and an education award while also teaching and advising Breakthrough’s younger students. The role reports to Breakthrough’s Chief Program Officer. Specific responsibilities include:
Student Recruitment
- Coordinate and support the middle school team to conduct quality school-based recruitment, including in building relationships with school partners and in the design of student recruitment activities in classrooms, assemblies, and student and family workshops
- Organize and conduct ongoing community outreach outside of school settings, such as participating in community events, connecting with neighborhood and community leaders, and conducting information sessions in order to promote Breakthrough Central Texas services to students, families, and individuals connected deeply to areas where prospective students live
- Cultivate a network of Breakthrough partners and advocates in the areas of Austin ISD, Manor ISD, and Del Valle ISD where prospective first-generation students and their families reside
- Represent and foster interest in Breakthrough at recruitment events for Breakthrough’s AmeriCorps fellowships at high schools and institutions of higher education at key moments during the academic year, particularly during the fall
- Lead the creation of informational literature and printed material in order to share about the opportunity to join the Breakthrough program
- Lead efforts to engage current students and alumni in sharing their experiences to prospective Breakthrough students during recruitment sessions at schools and other opportunities
- Coordinate, calendar and, attend as needed, school-based and other recruitment sessions
- Collect and analyze data related to recruitment and admissions in order to support the success of our efforts to meet targets and provide equitable access to the diverse student population Breakthrough supports
- Support the Director of Talent and Associate Director of AmeriCorpsto build relationships with high schools and institutions of higher education to support sourcing and recruitment efforts for Breakthrough’s AmeriCorps fellowships
Student Admissions
- Manage Breakthrough’s online application process, working with the Data and Communications teams to revise each year to improve its usability by applicants and its effectiveness in helping Breakthrough meet its targets in the number and diversity of student applicants
- Monitor progress of applications throughout the spring admissions season to support teams to meet their targets in the number and diversity of applicants and admitted students
- Report and regularly communicate with program staff, leadership, and others on the status of recruitment and admissions efforts
- Disaggregate and share data to inform decision making, improve equitable access to our services, and ensure data privacy
- In coordination with middle school leadership and the admissions team, develop targets in total number of admissions by demographic to ensure we meet our goals of representing the diverse communities we serve
- Lead the admissions team to conduct decision meetings in admitting the next cohort of students, including coordinating meetings for the team, providing decision making tools, and supporting the teams to meet their targets through decision-making conversations
- Support the middle school teams to create quality student and family orientation sessions after students are admitted to create space for families to learn about the program and gain a greater understanding of how Breakthrough can holistically support students and families
- Support the teams to provide orientation to individual students and families, as needed, who are unable to make the whole-group orientation sessions or who may need multiple interactions to orient to our work
- With a culturally responsive lens, provide counsel as needed to families navigating Breakthrough services upon first joining the program, to support their access to information and to their staff members and advisors
- Support in the evaluation of the organization’s process of recruitment, admission, and retention of Breakthrough students throughout the middle school years using an equity and anti-racist lens to ensure access to Breakthrough’s services and representation from all our community
ABOUT YOU
You are a strong candidate for the Student Recruitment and Admissions Specialist role if, above all, you are a champion for closing the opportunity gap and increasing social and economic equity and mobility through educational attainment. You love to support students in their journey to find equitable access to educational opportunities and college. You are passionate about building authentic relationships with students, family members and caregivers, and the educators to build and expand the Breakthrough Central Texas community. You bring experience and expertise in student recruitment, public speaking, community organizing and process planning and coordination.
You will also bring experience or demonstrated capacity in:
- Managing a wide range of relationships with a variety of stakeholders
- Developing networks through the communities Breakthrough serves or are similar to the communities Breakthrough serves
- Conducting outreach to organizations from diverse sectors and settings
- Tracking and analyzing data to inform recruitment and admissions strategies and approaches
- Connecting students and their families, to resources within a community
- Developing and improving systems for greater efficiency and effectiveness
- Prioritizing tasks and organizing elaborate projects against a deadline
- Collaborating with others on a team in complex tasks and projects, while also working independently
- Leading presentations promoting services and resources to external audiences
- Writing and creating materials that are compelling and attractive to diverse audiences of students, families, educators, organization partners, and community champions
- Approaching conversations about identity, power and privilege with awareness, humility and a quest for greater understanding
- Facilitating groups to engage in conversations and make complex decisions
- Developing your own professional skills, with a humility to your own competencies and identity
- Using a variety of technology platforms including operating systems, student databases, and online tools such as Google Suite, Microsoft Office and Salesforce
- Possessing a disciplined, strong work ethic and comfort with working non-standard hours (some weekends and evenings)
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
- Competitive salary, $57,000 - $75,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications
- Health, dental and vision insurance; Breakthrough pays 100% of employee only premiums
- Long-term disability and life insurance
- Matching 401K retirement plan
- Thirty days of annualized PTO
- Generous leave policy
The salary range listed represents the low and high end of the anticipated salary range for the year in which the position is filled. The actual salary offered for this position will depend on a number of factors including overall years of experience, relevant years of experience, skills and qualifications. At Breakthrough Central Texas, we offer a compelling total compensation packet with additional benefits.
Breakthrough Central Texas is committed to a policy of equal treatment and opportunity in every aspect of its relations with its applicants, staff members, and families, without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender identity and gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, military status, pregnancy, or parenthood. People of diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.
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