SY 26-27 Associate Director of Postsecondary Programming

Overview

SY 26-27 Associate Director of Postsecondary Programming Jobs in New York City Metropolitan Area at MESA Charter High School

Title: SY 26-27 Associate Director of Postsecondary Programming

Company: MESA Charter High School

Location: New York City Metropolitan Area

Math, Engineering, and Science Academy (MESA) Charter High School is a community high school in Bushwick, Brooklyn. We opened our doors in August 2013 and we now have 498 students in grades 9-12. We graduated our first class of seniors in June 2017 and our cumulative graduation rate is 94%. Our students come from more than forty different middle schools, including traditional public, parochial, and public charter schools. Some are advanced students coming from magnet schools; others are beginning English Language Learners. What they all have in common is a desire to succeed; MESA students come to school every day, ready to work.

What makes us different is our staff. This year, 42% of staff will be in at least their fifth year at MESA! MESA teachers believe…

• that the greatest contribution we can make to social justice is to give a young person control of their destiny
• committed people, when given autonomy, will find innovative and creative ways to make change
• that being a great educator takes intellectual preparation and a strong sense of personal accountability to produce high quality work.

What makes us different is our model:

• Intentional Grading—MESA uses a standards-based grading system, which makes data understandable and accessible. This enables teachers to create targeted, focused instruction, and helps students understand and track their own progress. MESA teachers love data or at the very least, aren’t afraid of it!
• Intentional Support—MESA teachers have a minimum of rote administrative duties in order to better focus on planning and instruction. Teachers receive ongoing coaching while dedicated time for co-teaching, department and grade team planning are built into the school schedule.
• Intentional Professional Development—MESA has a comprehensive professional development calendar that includes sessions on instructional practices, school culture as well as diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
• Intentional School Culture—MESA’s advisory model connects small groups of entering freshmen with a teacher-advisor for all 4 years of high school. Advisors provide guidance on academic progress and are mentors, facilitators and positive influencers. Students are recognized by their teachers regularly for academic achievement and effort and are incentivized to meet school expectations around attendance, punctuality and preparedness.
• Intentional Relationships—MESA knows that all caregivers want their children to succeed. MESA enlists families as partners in their child’s education through regular communication, workshops, and access to student attendance information and grades. More than 85% of MESA caregivers attend the initial parent-teacher conference of the school year.
• Intentional Scheduling—MESA’s school day starts and ends later than most DOE schools, as research indicates that a late start helps high-school students succeed. The calendar and earlier start allows for “Intersession,” during Spring Break where students receive enrichment, skill remediation, or Regents preparation.

The Associate Director of Postsecondary Programming reports to and works closely with the Director of Postsecondary Success and Workforce Development to support Alumni Lab participants and college-going MESA alumni in pursuing financially sustainable, personally meaningful careers.

Job Responsibilities

Facilitation:

• Teach and run MESA’s Alumni Lab workshop series, leading 8+ cohorts of approximately 15-20 alumni each from MESA and partner schools
• Develop and conduct career workshops for alumni in college and MESA led workforce development programs on topics such as resume writing, networking, and interview preparation
• Lead recruitment, onboarding, and retention efforts to maintain participation for Alumni Lab and other postsecondary initiatives

Alumni Advising and Support:

• Provide post-workshop and post-program support and advising for participants to ensure matriculation and persistence in their post-workshop placement.
• Provide drop in office-hours and any additional career-based support for alumni
• Collaborate with external partners to connect alumni with wraparound support services, including legal support, social work, and college counseling.

Partnerships and Workforce Network:

• Serve as the primary liaison for workforce training and postsecondary partners, ensuring strong alignment and participant success
• Build and maintain dual collaboration models with school and workforce training providers and colleges in order to yield best outcomes for alumni and intervene when alumni are at risk of dismissal
• Lead alumni engagement initiatives, including panels, job shadowing, mentorship, and networking events.
• Source and share high-quality internships, jobs, and workforce training opportunities for program participants and alumni by maintaining communication with external partners.
• Oversees partnerships where MESA provides guidance on the design and implementation of workforce exploration programs.

Data and Development:

• Monitor and evaluate program effectiveness using outcomes data and participant feedback to drive programmatic changes as well as develop reports and summaries
• Maintain accurate and consistent outcomes data to develop reports and materials for external stakeholders in collaboration with the Managing Director of Programs and Partnerships and the Director of Data and Analytics
• Input, review, and maintain data in compliance systems (e.g., WPP) and ensure accurate reporting for funders

Qualifications: (1) Minimum Bachelor’s degree; (2) Preferred minimum of three years teaching experience in an urban public or charter school setting, or similar background and demonstrated experience facilitating group workshops or trainings, especially with youth or young adults from historically marginalized communities; (3) Proven track-record of high achievement in the classroom and commitment to accountability; (4) Minimum 3–5 years of relevant professional experience in education, youth development, workforce development, college access/success, or related fields; (5) Belief in and alignment with MESA’s core values, educational philosophy and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion; (6) Spanish speakers are a plus.

Salary: $85,000 – $100,000, based on experience.

To apply: Please email your resume and cover letter to Arthur Samuels, Executive Director, at [email protected] with the subject heading “26-27 Associate Director of Postsecondary Programming.” Cover letter should specifically indicate why you want to work at MESA. APPLY BY EMAIL ONLY. Due to the nature of the position and the volume of applications received, MESA will not be able to reply to all submissions. MESA will contact candidates with next steps.

MESA is committed to attracting, hiring and retaining a diverse and inclusive staff. It is MESA’s policy to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, national origin, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, genetic information, citizenship status, uniformed service member or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.