About Breakthrough Silicon Valley

Starting in middle school, Breakthrough Silicon Valley launches talented students who have been historically excluded from higher education on the path to college, and inspires high school and college students to become the next generation of leaders, advocates, and educators. While ambitious in our goals, BTSV works: a stunning 99% of BTSV graduates attend college immediately after high school, and 78% of BTSV Teaching Fellows are inspired to pursue a career related to education as a result of their BTSV experience.

 

BTSV’s tuition-free program provides year-round out-of-school time academic support, counseling, and advocacy for a diverse group of talented students, most of whom come from under-resourced communities and will be the first generation in their family to go to college. Through our students-teaching-students model, BTSV also provides a consummate professional development experience providing talented high school and college students the opportunity to understand the K-12 system and the drivers of educational inequities, and to design and teach classes under the direction of seasoned educators.

 

Located in San Jose, California, Breakthrough Silicon Valley is an affiliate of The Breakthrough Collaborative, a leading national service organization that acts as the national voice for 24 Breakthrough sites across the country.


The Position

The College Advising Manager is the college access expert on BTSV’s team and leads the implementation of programs for BTSV’s 11th and 12th-grade students. You’ll work closely with students and families as they navigate the final high school years, ensure they are prepared for the college application and enrollment process, and hold students to high academic and community standards. The College Advising Manager reports to the Director of College Access and Success (DCAS).


Working in collaboration with the DCAS, you’ll fine-tune BTSV’s college access programming, which combines college advising, academic support, and family education. You’ll provide 1:1 advising to a cohort of about 50-70 students. This includes tracking students' academic progress to ensure they’re on track with UC, CSU, and private college admissions requirements, as well as CalGrant eligibility; guiding them through all steps of the college research, application, and decision process; and building relationships with students’ families and actively identifying ways to involve them throughout the process.


You’ll design and lead workshops on topics like building college lists, navigating financial aid offers, major and career connections, and more. You’ll help students find their best-fit colleges by leading field trips to campuses, including the signature three-day “SoCal Trip” for juniors. You’ll also maintain and grow relationships with partner organizations and college admissions representatives, to help your team stay current on trends in college access and to provide our students with access to external resources and opportunities.  


Throughout the year, you’ll work with the DCAS to create and maintain systems to evaluate and improve program effectiveness, not only tracking college eligibility, application completion, admissions, and financial aid data, but also analyzing program attendance and engagement data to ensure we’re retaining students and effectively meeting their needs.


Perhaps most excitingly, you’ll have the opportunity to grow your own leadership skills while training and managing AmeriCorps members serving as Academic and College Planning Advisors for 11th and 12th grade. You’ll support their professional growth as they learn college advising techniques, take on their own cohorts of students, and support the delivery of workshops.


What background and skills do you have?:

  • At least three to five years of academic advising and/or college counseling experience, particularly at a school or organization focused on college access for aspiring first-generation college students and/or students of color.

  • Knowledge of public school districts, course sequencing, high school graduation, and college admissions requirements.

  • Nuanced understanding of financial aid, including FAFSA, CADAA, California state aid programs including Cal Grant, and university-specific aid packaging policies and processes (especially for CSUs and UCs).

  • Comfort with public speaking and the ability to deliver workshops and engage with families. Bilingual (Spanish or Vietnamese) speaking skills are highly desirable but not required.

  • Experience developing engaging curricula for workshops, covering a range of college-readiness topics 

  • Comfort with data collection and analysis, student assessment, and program evaluation.

  • Strong project manager with the ability to prioritize, meet deadlines, and delegate when needed while executing multiple time-sensitive priorities.

  • “Breakthrough Spirit”: You’re a collaborative team player who is committed to excellence and open-minded, demonstrates a growth mindset, thinks creatively to solve problems, and works with a sense of humor and humility.

  • Commitment to Breakthrough Silicon Valley’s mission and goals as well as a passion for educational equity.

  • Bachelor’s degree.


Bonus points if you have:

  • Experience in admissions at a four-year college or university.

  • College counseling certification or another relevant advanced degree.

  • Experience leading project teams and/or managing interns or other direct reports.

  • Experience with Salesforce.


We know that many strong candidates will not have all the skills we list. That’s OK. What else do you bring to the table? Please tell us!


Compensation and Benefits

  • This is a full-time, exempt position.

  • The salary range for manager-level positions at BTSV is $65,000-$80,000. When making salary offers, BTSV takes into consideration the candidate’s qualifications, our budget, and internal equity.

  • Health benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage, with 100% of employee premiums and 75% of dependent premiums covered by BTSV.

  • Retirement Benefits: 401(k) plan with immediate, fully vested 3% company match.

  • Paid time off: 15 days of PTO, plus 11 holidays and two “shut-down” weeks.

  • Professional development fund for professional association memberships and to pursue growth and learning opportunities.


Location and Hours

BTSV maintains two offices in San Jose:

  • Bridges Academy: 1702 McLaughlin Ave, San Jose, CA 95122

  • Herbert Hoover Middle School: 1635 Park Ave, San Jose, CA 95126


Since you will be regularly meeting with students and conducting workshops, this is primarily an in-person position. You will have occasional flexibility to work from a home office when in-person work is not required. As BTSV is an “out-of-school time program,” occasional evening and weekend work, as well as travel to offsite programs and events in the San Jose area, are also required.


COVID-19 Information

BTSV requires all employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 (one dose of Johnson & Johnson, two doses of Moderna, or two doses of Pfizer-BioNTech). Proof of vaccination must be provided prior to your first day of employment. Employees may request an accommodation if they have a qualifying medical condition or on the basis of sincerely held religious beliefs and practices.


BTSV is also continually monitoring the COVID-19 situation locally and will continue to comply with all state, county, city, and/or school district directives on PPE, social distancing, vaccination, and remote work as they evolve.


Application Process

Apply online through this site and attach your resume and cover letter as PDFs. Please indicate where you heard about the position in your cover letter. We will review applications on a rolling basis.


BTSV engages with individuals of all backgrounds and we are committed to embracing diversity within our organization, including developing a team who represents the communities we serve.


As an Equal Opportunity Employer, BTSV is committed to providing employment opportunities to all individuals and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.



This position has been filled. Would you like to see our other open positions?