Boston HERC equips first generation to college students gain access to higher education, break the cycle of poverty and become agents of change in the community.  Boston HERC provides college and career advising, and retention support to under-represented 9th-12th grade students and their families. HERC awakens vision and purpose in the lives of its participants, equipping them to realize their potential to transform lives and communities.

The aim of the Passport Program is to do more than simply help our first-generation high school students achieve enrollment in a higher education institution.  Our aim is to imbue each of the students completing the Passport Program with the “habits of mind” – the rigorous personal and academic disciplines – essential for success in college and beyond.  Our goal is to forge generations of community leaders from among at-risk youth who are, in the vast majority, the first in their families to go to college. The Passport Program does this through a two-pronged approach: (1) a community-based program that selects a cohort of twenty Fall-semester juniors from public schools in and outside of Boston, and (2) an exciting school-based program now serving in 10 BPS high schools.  By replicating this model into the school setting, Passport is poised to accelerate structural reform and promote innovation within Boston Public Schools.

The Passport Director is, in essence, the person primarily responsible for the college and career counseling efforts of the Boston HERC, the very core of the Boston HERC’s mission.  As such, the Passport Director is responsible for achieving the following goals, outcomes, and responsibilities:

Passport (Community-Based & School-Based) Main Responsibilities:

• Oversee program management & recruitment for 600+ 9th -12th high school students yearly for the Community- Based & School-Based Programs
• Prepare periodic program and data reports (quarterly, annually) as required by the program’s various funders & participate in site visits
• Monitor and follow-up with students and alumnae in conjunction with our alumni program team
•  Facilitate weekly team meetings and plan annual program events;
• Stay abreast of current government and institutional financial aid policies, college admissions trends and practices;
•  Maintain strong communication with parents, teachers, school administrators, and other stakeholders in the lives of Passport students; relationship & partnership management

• Advocate for students and parents with school administrators, college admissions offices, college financial aid offices, summer programs
• Assist in recruiting, interviewing and hiring Program Coaches and volunteers
• Curriculum Development
• Program Development
• Program Assessment & Evaluation
• Team Training, Morale & Professional Development
• Offer College & Career Readiness workshops & resources in the community
• Provides Reports to Board members
• Speaks for the Passport Program at gatherings of funders and stakeholders

Qualifications

Required:

• Undergraduate degree.
• Commitment to Christian principles.
• Two years experience in college and career counseling preferred.
• Teaching, managerial, counseling and advocacy experience.
• Excellent writing and communication skills.
• Detail-oriented; multi-tasking; highly organized.
• Committed to the empowerment low-income people and communities.
• Capable of coaching youth in leadership development.
• Able to work with diverse groups of people, and autonomously as well as part of a team.

Desirable: Bilingual; community organizing or community development experience.

Hours: 35 hours per week.  Must be available evenings and occasional weekends.

Salary/Benefits: Commensurate with experience.

Deadline to apply: Accepting applications until position is filled.

Please send resume and cover letter to: Samuel Acevedo, Executive Director, sacevedo@bostonherc.org