Position Title:ChiefProgram Officer

The Organization: Founded in 2011, Evanston Scholarsis a non-profit organization that improves college access and success for a diverse group of ambitious Evanston students who are traditionally first-generation college entrants, low-income, and students of color, starting with the college admissions process and continuing through graduation. The comprehensive, six-year program offers workshops, mentors, SAT/ACT prep, and college counseling to support students.

Location: 1234 Sherman Ave., Suite 214 Evanston IL 60202

Position Description:

The Chief Program Officer (CPO)assumes supervisory responsibility for the college access and success programming efforts, providing leadership among existing programs and services serving over200 Scholars. The CPO will join a team of passionate and dedicated colleagues in an environment where collaboration, efficiency, and dedication are key.The CPO ensures that the organization’s core programming is aligned with the vision and mission of the organization.

The CPO will supervisethe college access team, the college success team, and college affordability coordinator to ensure a “college-success” mindset and skill set for scholarsby providing them with the necessary tools to gain admission to and succeed in a good-fit four-year college or university in order to optimize a scholar’s likelihood of graduating. Additionally, the CPO shares responsibility for setting tone, crafting policy, ensuring accountability, representing Evanston Scholars to stakeholders, and modeling great leadership. This position will work directly with the Executive Director on devising and implementing strategic initiatives.

Major Responsibilities:

Program Management

  • Establish overall schedule of events, programs, and workshops
  • Oversee management and deliveryofthe College Access programming – more specifically, that the college access team delivers and manages the following:
  • A planned timeline of programmatic workshops and other events for HS juniors and seniors (roughly 35 each cohort)
  • Assist with college search, completing applications, writing essays, etc.
  • Individualized college counseling for good-fit college selection
  • Test preparation(via external provider)
  • Summer opportunities (pre-college), fly-ins and other college-related experiences
  • Grade monitoring/academic coaching to detect when interventions are needed
  • ES-sponsored college visits for scholars (Jr/Sr years)
  • FAFSA/CSS Profile/Scholarship completion
  • Ensure that the college success team provides the following for college scholars:
  • A broad spectrum of communication and supports with current college students (with a heavier emphasis on 1st- and 2nd-year students) to get them through college
  • Personal check-ins to assess scholars’ wellbeing and progress
  • Proactive intervention with scholars should academic, financial, social or emotional challenges arise
  • Robust curriculum for graduating HS seniors to adequately prepare them for the academic, social, financial, and cultural adjustment to college
  • Troubleshoot and problem-solve issues with scholars and parents/guardians when necessary
  • Oversee the process of providing, analyzing, and tracking student data to better inform our practice and provide interventions when needed
  • Establish policies and procedures based on organizational goals, evaluation data, staff input, and best practices

Staff Management

  • Collaborate with College Access Director to plan, implement, manage, and evaluate POD system and leaders
  • Manage College Affordability Coordinator & Mentor Coordinator to optimize their roles across all aspects of programming
  • Collaborate with staff to use evaluation outcomes and data to drive programmatic decisions and facilitate student success

Strategic Initiatives

  • Guide the implementation of improvements in programming and services
  • Integrate more career readiness components into our programming (skills, resources, experiences)
  • Examine ways to build capacity of college access programming
  • Maintain knowledge of changing landscape in college access and success to make sure ES adapts college-counseling materials and tools when necessary
  • Create broader awareness of ES with college admissions personnel
  • Foster more alliances within community and with other college readiness programs
  • Maintain an effective working relationship with Evanston Township High School

Secondary Responsibilities

  • Provide timely Board Reports to Executive Director for bi-monthly board meetings
  • Participate in Interview Selection Committees for new Scholars
  • Represent the organization in community meetings, professional conferences, and other outreach opportunities as appropriate

*The above listsreflect the general details necessary to describe the essential functions of the position but not should be construed as the only duties that may be assigned for the position.

Qualifications

  • 3+ years of experience working in a not-for-profit organization or in the college access/success system
  • A deep understanding of college access and college successprogramming desired
  • Bachelor’s degree required
  • Experience with diverse student populations desired; must demonstrate cultural competency
  • Familiarity with the Evanston community is a plus
  • Proficiency in written and oral presentations
  • Ability to work both collaboratively and independently
  • Occasional evenings and weekend work will be required

Compensation

This is a full-time flex position with health benefits. Pay is commensurate with experience. Performance of the job is evaluated annually.

Reporting Relationship: Executive Director

Starting Date: July 16, 2018(negotiable)

Contact: Send or email a cover letter and resume of qualifications to:

Steve Newman, Executive Director

847-287-9022