Learning Coordinator - Baltimore

Higher Achievement, a nationally acclaimed nonprofit organization working to close the achievement gap for motivated, yet underserved students from low-income communities, seeks a Learning Coordinator, Baltimore. The Learning Coordinator is responsible for supporting the recruitment, supervision, training and support of volunteers, ensuring that they are able to implement the curriculum and actively engage scholars in learning. The Learning Coordinator will also assist in the execution of mentor retention and recognition strategies and end of unit Showcases and mentor-scholar reflections. The Learning Coordinator also works closely with the Learning Director and other staff to manage the relationships and operations necessary to run an excellent Achievement Center providing year-round academic programming for up to 100 middle school students.

Higher Achievement showers our scholars with academic opportunities through a proven year round program model that includes afterschool programming from September-May and summer initiatives such as college trips and summer meetings with all Higher Achievement families. Afterschool Academy includes small group literacy tutoring, high school placement mentoring, community meeting, and learning blocks. During learning blocks, scholars practice key SEL skills such as self-management and goal-setting by identifying for themselves how to best use their prep block. For some scholars this might mean preparing for school by completing HW or doing additional work for HS applications. For others, this might mean exploring a passion through an external elective or community project. Scholars are supported by a caring adult alternating among 3-4 small groups. ​

The Learning Coordinator is expected to work from their center/host school(s) on most days with occasional work days in the Higher Achievement office for key meetings and trainings.

The Organization

Higher Achievement, founded in 1975, closes the opportunity gap during the pivotal middle school years. By leveraging the power of communities, Higher Achievement’s proven model provides a rigorous year-round learning environment, caring role models, and a culture of high expectations, resulting in college-bound scholars with the character, confidence, and skills to succeed. Higher Achievement’s model delivers academic enrichment grounded in social justice principles. Our afterschool program for 5th-8th grade scholars in Washington, DC, Alexandria, VA, Baltimore, MD, Richmond, VA, and Prince George’s County, MD combines small-group, high-impact tutoring with social-emotional skill building, culminating in placement in college preparatory high schools. More information about Higher Achievement may be found at: http://www.higherachievement.org  

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion  

Higher Achievement made a concrete commitment to racial equity, diversity and inclusion following the murder of George Floyd: Higher Achievement aims to be an anti-racist and inclusive organization where we aggressively work to improve equity and inclusion in all aspects of our organizational culture and operations. For the past year these efforts have been led by our DEI Council, which includes one peer-nominated member of every department and city affiliate; the Council works with executive leadership and an external consultant to lead a range of organization-wide DEI initiatives including training staff, assessing equity blind spots, and supporting the Council and Leadership Team in strategy development and implementation of equity-focused initiatives. At present, we are recruiting our first Director of DEI to fully embed this work into the day-to-day operations of the organization. 

Key Duties and Responsibilities by Program Element:

High School Readiness Mentoring

• Observe and provide on the ground support and coaching to high school readiness mentors.
• Use planning days to review curriculum and modify for scholars as needed.
• Ensure mentors complete monthly trainings and host mentor lounges needed to promote mentor collaboration.
• Determine scholar and mentor pairings. Ensure groups are properly entered on Salesforce and take weekly attendance for mentoring.
• Collaborate with Learning Director to implement volunteer retention strategies including ensuring the completion of surveys, hosting appreciation events and recognizing volunteers on an ongoing basis.
• Over the summer, support with volunteer recruitment, volunteer interviews and volunteer onboarding.
• Assist with the creation of mentoring curriculum and mentor trainings.

Learning Blocks

• Oversee and manage several small groups of scholars assigned to enrichment stations during Learning Blocks; scholars at each station have the opportunity to practice key Social Emotional Learning (SEL) skills like self- management and goal-setting; each station focuses on a different activity, I.e. homework completion, online academic assignments, high school applications.
• Lead Learning blocks focused on homework completion, high school application work, math enrichment and online learning platforms.
• Utilize part-time staff to effectively to support scholars during Learning Blocks.
• Use planning days to create lessons for Learning Blocks; including, provide part-time staff with activities to implement during Learning blocks.
• Provide on the ground coaching to part time-staff and communicate any issues with Learning Blocks to Learning Director.

Program Management and Support

• Work with Learning Director to support academic and social and emotional (SEL) outcomes for all scholars at center.
• Lead community meetings focused on relationship building, social justice & high school readiness.
• Support Learning Director with family and volunteer communication & engagement, to include celebrating and appreciating families and volunteers and facilitating family meetings
• Learn duties of all program staff roles, and be prepared to assume these roles as needed on a substitute basis
• Inventory supplies at the start and end of each term and as-needed submit requests to ensure that center is fully stocked with needed materials
• Model and maintain a positive, youth-focused center culture, including positive incentives, restorative justice, behavior management, etc.

The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Commitment to the mission and work of Higher Achievement
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required, plus one year of related experience preferred (youth development, volunteer management, etc.)
• Experience working directly with students required; experience working with middle school youth in an educational setting strongly preferred
• Experience building relationships with diverse community stakeholders, including families, schools, and community partners, including making large group presentations and engaging in community outreach strongly preferred
• Ability to adapt to change and maintain a flexible mindset
• Ability to take initiative and to be able to work independently once given general instructions
• Strong skills in planning, organizing, attention to detail, and written and oral communication
• Strong skills in technology preferred, including use of Microsoft Office Suite and Zoom
• Richmond, DC Metro, Baltimore: Bilingual (English/Spanish) strongly preferred; candidates must be fluent in English and strongly prefer applicants able to have conversations with families in Spanish

Higher Achievement Core Competencies: Higher Achievement values our core competencies, and as such, we expect that competitive applications will be able to demonstrate strengths in these areas:

• Proactively builds relationships to advance Higher Achievement's mission.
• Uses candid communication to express ideas and to listen to the thoughts and feedback of others.
• Persistently pursues excellence by holding oneself to high expectations and seeking the best.
• Possesses a growth mindset for learning new things and stepping out of one’s comfort zone.
• Maintains a solutions-oriented mindset during planning periods and when challenges arise.

Our Core Values are:

• Scholar-Centricity: The organization’s work is focused on empowering the scholars we serve. We make every decision with them in mind. We foster authentic relationships with scholars and their families, where we create opportunities with them, not for them. 
• Striving for Excellence: We set high expectations for ourselves and our scholars. This begins by recognizing the talents that people bring to the organization and utilizing them. We continually learn and improve through the use of a range of qualitative and quantitative data sources and thoughtful reflection in order to help our scholars, staff, and organization achieve their goals. 
• Power of Community: We collaborate with our communities to develop and cultivate mutually beneficial and authentic relationships. We embrace learning, celebrate the uniqueness of each community, infuse joy within each of the communities we serve. 
• Voice and Inclusion: We recognize the power of voice in an inclusive environment. We create spaces where everyone feels respected, valued, and has a sense of belonging. We acknowledge the power that is held in the voices of all of our stakeholders: staff, board, supporters, volunteers, partners, scholars and their families and elevate those that have been marginalized. We invite all voices into the conversation, authentically incorporate them into the decision-making process, and foster spaces for mutual listening and learning within our communities. 
• Racial Equity: We address and acknowledge the systems of oppression that impact our scholars and families, and we work to provide them with tools to advocate for themselves to combat racial inequities. As an organization, we constantly confront our own biases and work to eliminate practices, policies, and messages that perpetuate inequalities. With an ongoing commitment to closing the opportunity gap, we seek justice and commit to taking action at the individual, interpersonal, organizational, and systemic levels. 

Compensation and Benefits: The salary for this regular, full-time, non-exempt position is in the high 40s. Higher Achievement offers competitive benefits, including: company-paid insurance (medical, dental, vision, life, and long and short-term disability insurance); twelve paid holidays; six weeks paid time off; and retirement plan with company match.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment: Work is regularly performed in an office environment and a school setting, with occasional trips off-site to parks, museums, etc. Employee may spend long periods of time sitting, standing, and walking. Must be able to walk from one part of the worksite to another and climb stairs. Employee regularly lifts, carries, and positions objects weighting up to 20 pounds. Position involves regular use of a computer and keyboard, telephone, and face-to-face communication in small and large group settings with youth and adults; employee must be able to communicate clearly and professionally in all of these situations. Employee must have visual, auditory, and physical ability to respond quickly to critical incidents involving students and act in an emergency situation.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Additional Information:

Office Status:  Higher Achievement is a hybrid work environment organization; All staff are able to work within a hybrid arrangement with in-person time focused on mission critical activities and relationship building rather than an expected amount of time in the office. This position can be within commuting distance of the respective affiliate they would like to be considered by (Baltimore Metro area, DC Metro area, Richmond, VA area). At that time, this position will be expected to spend in-person time at the Higher Achievement local office for in-person-based needs, with more time expected during the onboarding period. 

Schedule/Travel: Learning Coordinators work Monday through Friday; each Center runs programming approximately 4 days per week. On center days during the school year, the Learning Coordinator works (on average), a 12pm to 8pm schedule, with the second half of the day on-site at the school where the Center is based. On non-center days, the Learning Coordinator works with a standard business schedule. During the summer, work occurs primarily during standard business hours. The standard schedule is Monday-Thursday, 9 am- 5:00 pm and Friday, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm, excluding an up to 30 min lunch break (optional). During the summer, there is flexibility to set a different regular work schedule and the ability to flex hours, subject to manager approval and full Higher Achievement policies. Candidate must have the ability to travel in between main office and Achievement Center(s) on a daily basis via reliable transportation. Occasional weekend availability is required, as well as availability for one annual three day overnight college trip each summer.

Covid-19 Update: Higher Achievement requires proof of FULL Covid-19 vaccination for all Higher Achievement employees. *Effective 1/1/22 FULL Vaccination will mean that staff who are *eligible* to receive a booster shot as per current CDC guidelines link here will need to provide proof of receiving a Covid-19 booster shot, in addition to proof of having received the primary vaccination series. Unless an accommodation has been granted by HA, proof of vaccination is required before employment may begin

Start Date: This position is anticipated to start in the summer of 2022.

To Apply:  Please submit your resume through the job posting for the specific affiliate they would like to be considered by (Baltimore, DC Metro, Richmond) by going to our website, http://www.higherachievement.org/careers  and then selecting "Job Board" to see the current listing by city. Instead of a cover letter, applicants are asked to answer specific questions about their qualifications and interest in working with Higher Achievement directly in the application in addition to uploading a resume. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply immediately; the position will remain open until all spots are filled. Please, no phone calls, emails or recruiters.  

Higher Achievement provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, ancestry, gender, sex, gender identity or expression, age, medical condition, sexual orientation, marital status, citizenship, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, military status, caregiver or family status, political affiliation, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.