At KIPP Chicago, we are guided by a simple, yet powerful mission: Together with families and communities, we create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose—college, career, and beyond—so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world. Our campuses are located in the Austin, Englewood, North Lawndale, and West Humboldt Park neighborhoods. KIPP Chicago also advises over 2000 KIPP alumni currently in high school or college through our KIPP Forward program.  KIPP Chicago is the highest-performing network of schools in Chicago, as measured by our city’s school quality index.  We attract, develop, and retain a diverse and talented staff of educators. Our students and families choose our schools because our teachers are exceptional educators who work together as a collective to ensure students achieve and thrive.  For more data and information about our successes and vision for the future, visit www.kippchicago.org.

The KIPP Forward Team supports KIPP Chicago alumni in developing the tools and knowledge needed to attain a college degree. By offering a mix of programs and services designed to reach every student and family — from one-on-one student meetings, to financial aid counseling, academic advising, life skills training, mentoring, college guidance, and more — KIPP Forward provides KIPP Chicago Schools alumni with the tools for success in high school, college, and the competitive world beyond.

Our KIPP Forward team is hiring a College Access Alumni Advisor for our KIPP Bloom Middle School campus, located at 5515 S. Lowe in the Englewood neighborhood on the south side. This is a mid-level position for an experienced professional. The College Access Alumni Advisor is critical to the success of serving a cohort of alumni ranging from 230 to 250 students per year. To ensure we fulfill our promise to support our KIPP alumni, our model begins during their freshman year of high school and continues through postsecondary plans. Our goal is to guide and equip our bright, motivated, first-generation students of color to and through college, career and beyond. Therefore, the College Access Alumni Advisor will be an individual who embraces innovation, structures, meaningful relationships, improvement, and goes above and beyond to ensure alumni remain on a path to successful careers and lives. The College Access Alumni Advisor will join a growing KIPP Forward team of High School Transition & Alumni Advisors. 

The role of the College Access Alumni Advisor includes, but is not limited to the following responsibilities:

• Caseload management: Our KIPP Forward team’s goal is to maintain continual contact with our KIPP alumni to ensure we are supporting them to and through college, career and beyond. The College Access Alumni Advisor meets with students and families to ensure timely submission of all applications and financial aid. Accurately provides bi-weekly data reports and monitors progress towards prioritized goals in college match and student advising. 
• Student Advising: Backwards plans outreach efforts to support student passion/purpose/plan, academics, social-emotional and financial challenges. Executes high school campus visits while also leveraging resources to support KIPP alumni in high school. Collaborates with internal and external stakeholders to support the needs of students. 
• Relationship Building: Build positive and lasting relationships with students and families as well with high schools, colleges and scholarship organizations. Maintains consistent communication with students & families regarding college and financial aid options. 
• College Access: Supports KIPP alumni and families through the college application and financial aid process, and accurately reports progress towards high school graduation and college match goals.
• Project Management: Completes annual event planning for class cohorts and manages special projects to support students through pre-college summer programs, scholarship opportunities, and any KIPP Foundation initiative.  

The qualifications of College Access Alumni Advisor include: 

• Bachelor’s degree or higher (required) 
• Demonstrated success working with communities historically underrepresented in higher education and commitment to KIPP Chicago’s mission (required)
• At least 3-5 years experience in college access work including student advising, academic advising, college counseling, college access, college admissions, school counseling, college advising, college persistence and/or three years experience teaching (required) 
• Experience managing others OR proven track record of successfully managing projects (required)
• Strong organizational skills, meticulous attention to detail, and ability to manage competing priorities (required)
• Willingness, and commitment, to go above and beyond to prove the possible with students
• Ability to multi-task and work within an ambiguous, fast-moving environment, while driving toward clarity and solutions
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and evidence of strong follow-through, initiative taking, and interpersonal skills 
• Exceptional strategic, analytical, and critical thinking skills
• Adept at data analysis and strong content knowledge; ability to extract meaningful insights and actions from data
• Evidence meeting/exceeding goals and ability to work under pressure 
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate and build relationships with diverse stakeholders
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Google Drive Suite (Docs, Sheets, Slides), Salesforce, and able to quickly learn how to use new programs/systems
• Cultural Competence-demonstrated ability to create inclusive environments that honor and support a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives
• Flexibility to work some nights and weekends for program activities and ability to travel around the Chicago-land area to meet with stakeholders, program partners, and postsecondary institutions 

COMPENSATION

KIPP Chicago Public Schools offers a competitive compensation and benefits package:

• Salaries based on experience related to role and responsibilities

• Competitive rates for medical insurance and short-term disability insurance.  Dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, and long-term disability insurance are offered at no cost.

• Competitive retirement savings benefits 

STATEMENT OF NON-DISCRIMINATION

KIPP Chicago Public Schools is committed to a policy of equal treatment for all individuals applying for employment. KIPP Chicago does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, national or ethnic background. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.