College Affordability Advisor Succeed

Key Responsibilities

• Provide in-person, text-message and Zoom-based advising based on uAspire’s college affordability curriculum to post-secondary students who attended and graduated from Bay Area high schools.
• Affirm students in renewal of state, federal, and institutional financial aid forms.
• Maximize texting platform capabilities to foster strong advising relationships and rapport with students.
• Work collaboratively with staff from partner schools and community-based organizations to share pertinent information and strategize about student progress.
• Advocate for and coach students to engage with relevant individuals, offices, and resources to support their individual needs.
• Develop and implement creative approaches to drive student engagement with program text messages.
• Identify and maximize opportunities to engage students via other tech and communication means.
• Organize financial aid events with students and families in collaboration with school and/or community partners. Advisors should expect to participate in several evening events per month (both in-person and virtual).

Administrative Responsibilities

• Maintain detailed records in uAspire’s Salesforce database and texting platform to track student data and progress to program goals.
• Regularly review advisor performance data to monitor own progress to goals. Pull and utilize pertinent Salesforce student data reports to inform outreach to students.
• Complete survey collection & other administrative responsibilities.

Program Support

• Contribute to regionally specific research and resource gathering to improve training and knowledge for staff and promote efficiencies in our direct service to students.
• Facilitate college affordability presentations and student events in collaboration with regional and program partners. Advisors should expect to participate in several evening events per month (both in-person and virtual).
• Maintain positive and collaborative working relationships.
• Support Program leadership by assisting with special projects as assigned.

Qualifications & Experience

• Effective Communicator - Able to quickly process dense amounts of information and turn it into clear action steps for students. Takes the initiative to translate student experience to best influence program design.
• Relationship Builder - Positively engages with students, teammates, and partners both internal and external to uAspire.
• Comfort with Technology - Comfortable learning and/or using platforms such as Salesforce, in addition to daily platforms such as google sheets, in order to efficiently and accurately complete work.
• Learning Orientation - Excited to become an expert on college affordability and contribute to a learning environment in both formal and informal ways with proactive enthusiasm.
• Mission-Driven - Knowledge of barriers faced by low-income, first generation college bound students. Successful track record of supporting high school and/or college populations.
• Postsecondary Degree or Equivalent Professional Experience - Some college-going experience is required; degree attainment is optional.

Other Qualifications

• Knowledge of local community desired (Greater Bay area high schools and CA higher education system).
• Possess strong oral and written communication skills.
• Organizational skills and ability to plan in a fast-paced environment.
• Energetic, enthusiastic, and interested in learning within a growing, entrepreneurial organization.
• Ability to work flexible hours that will occasionally include some evenings and weekends.
• Proficiency with fundamental professional software: Google Mail/Docs, and Microsoft Office Suite – Word, Excel, PowerPoint – required.
• Multilingual abilities are a plus.
• Ability to take initiative and work independently, as well as a part of a team.

About uAspire

Organization Vision: uAspire envisions a society where structural obstacles are removed from postsecondary pathways for systematically oppressed students so they can experience an improved quality of life for themselves and future generations.

Organization Summary: Our mission is to improve the economic mobility of underrepresented communities by creating financial solutions to diverse educational pathways.

• Student Advising: We guide students, families, and communities to navigate complex financial aid systems in pursuit of equitable access to affordable postsecondary pathways through in-person and virtual advising.
• Scholarship & Emergency Aid: We commit to placing money into the hands of students allowing them to use these funds to cover tuition bills and other unexpected expenses.
• Training & Technical Assistance: We equip partners with the knowledge and confidence to navigate the financial aid process with their students by curating engaging training and student-centered resources.
• Policy: We advocate for institutional, state, and federal policy change to transform financial aid and higher education systems, based on our students' lived experiences.
• Consulting: We collaborate with partners to assess their needs and offer uniquely designed solutions in the areas of content development, program improvement and systems change, by leveraging our financial aid expertise, student-advising experience, and student-centered research.

uAspire is an equal opportunity employer. The company’s policy regarding equal employment opportunity means that all decisions regarding recruitment, hiring, benefits, wage and salary administration, scheduling, disciplinary action and termination will be made without unlawful discrimination based on sex, gender, race, color, age, national origin, religion, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, citizenship status, pregnancy or maternity, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state or local law. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing an application, interviewing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to [email protected].