Foster Postsecondary Success Coordinator

Job Summary:

The Foster Postsecondary Success Coordinator implements and ensures equitable and timely distribution of grants for eligible former fosters in the state of Minnesota. The Coordinator works with young people in the program in a variety of ways – small group meetings, one-on-ones, text messages, and college meetings – to ensure the grants are supporting postsecondary completion. The Coordinator ensures work is aligned with program metrics.

Essential Job Functions:

Program Administration

• Collaborate with the Foster Postsecondary Success Manager to ensure successful administration of the program.
• Process applications and collect relevant documents (transcripts, tuition bills, housing, etc.)
• Maintain a navigation caseload of young people enrolled in the Foster Postsecondary Success program, ensuring that young people are making safe and equitable progress toward their career goals in appropriate settings.
• Track young people by campus and their use of their full grants.
• Maintain appropriate and accurate data (including application processes, connections, and grant documentation,
• Support the Foster Postsecondary Success Manager in ensuring payment processes run accurately and on time, promoting full and compliant use of ETV voucher funds before the end of the ETV award year.
• Send voucher usage notifications to young people each semester to keep them informed of their remaining balance, encouraging timely use of funds.

Navigation to Young People

• Maintain accurate data on where they are in their postsecondary journey, organize young people based on the data, and differentiate responses & navigation depending on their journey.
• Ensure those with high levels of support needs are connected to appropriate on-campus services.
• Create celebrations and profiles of those who are finding success.
• Create a protocol for those who do not re-enroll in coursework or stop out.
• Communicate clearly and offer workshops to support young people to meet appropriate deadlines for documents, etc.
• Connect with young people who have not fully exhausted their grant regularly to support paperwork and overcome other barriers.
• Collaborate with high-density campuses to identify key resources and community resources of support.
• Ensure representation from all over the state on the Foster Postsecondary Success Board. Provide relevant data and attend meetings as required.

Communications

• Plan and execute a recurring monthly communication series that connects young people with school resources and identity-based information, tailoring content and delivery methods to student needs. 
• Leverage key communication tools that are appropriate for the clients for the success of the entire program (mass texting, jotforms, zoom meetings, student-friendly language on the website.)
• Support the Foster Postsecondary Success Manager in the creation of regular state reports and a public yearly summary report of outcomes of the Educational and Training Voucher program.
• Collaborate with youth leaders on the ETV board to ensure aligned communication for future users of the ETV program. Include young adults in decision-making processes. 

Shared Strategy and Measurement

• Prepare work plans that respond to program metrics, youth feedback, and shifting contexts.
• Prepare and administer surveys for young people in the program to assess program quality, connection to the postsecondary program, and overall well-being.
• Maintain appropriate data using mandated data privacy practices.

And other duties as assigned or apparent.

Requirements

Minimum Education and Experience

• Associates degree.
• Leadership experience in a youth board, within a school, local nonprofit, government agency, etc.
• Expansive experience with Opportunity Youth (Foster Youth; Youth experiencing Homelessness; Young Parents; Youth in the Justice System; Youth who left school without a degree.)

Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

• Ability to build strong relationships with young people with experience in foster care.
• Ability to network with postsecondary institutions and community organizations to better navigate young people to appropriate services.
• Ability to track and aggregate basic data.
• Demonstrates characteristics of Social Entrepreneurship which include: Ambitious-tackle major social issues; Mission Driven-promoting systemic social change; Strategic-has a vision for the future; Resourceful-skilled at mobilizing human, financial, and political resources; and Results Oriented-driven to produce measurable results
• Demonstrated excellence in oral and written communication skills and the ability to use current technology efficiently (Google Suite–Slides; Docs; Sheets; Remind; Canva).
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously and work through ambiguity.
• Demonstrated ability to be at ease with individuals representing a broad spectrum of beliefs, backgrounds and ideologies to work in crafting solutions.
• Demonstrated knowledge of organizational development, operational and project planning, and strategic planning processes.

A valid driver’s license and access to a reliable insured vehicle are also required.

Working Conditions and Environment

• Ability to travel occasionally (15%); mainly in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, but travel within the state is possible.
• This is a hybrid position with the in-office component in an accessible office building that is smoke-free.
• Work is performed in an office setting, where the incumbent may be exposed to noise and a regular flow of people. Headaches, eyestrain, and other related occupational hazards reflect the most common potential for injury. 
• Work is light duty and sedentary, with the ability to lift, carry, or push during setup for meetings and events.
• This position may be frequently exposed to mental effort and stress, assigned to changing priorities, and perform work requiring attention to detail under deadlines. 
• The ability to operate and interact with computers or other office equipment via keyboard, mouse, or touch screen is required.