Project Coordinator

About Us

VOALA (Volunteers of America) is a non-profit human services organization committed to serving people in need, strengthening families, and building communities. VOALA provides a variety of social services to Los Angeles area communities such as Head Start programs, Upward Bound college prep programs, veterans’ services, homeless shelters, low-income housing programs, as well as drug and alcohol rehabilitation. Learn more at www.voala.org.

About the Role

The Project Coordinator is responsible for meeting annual program goals for participants, including:

• Enrollment and completion in a rigorous high school program of study
• High School graduation
• Improved academic performance on standardized tests and competitive scores on college entrance exams
• Enrollment in post-secondary education
• College degree attainment within six years

The Project Coordinator will ensure the annual enrollment goal of 500 participants is met by January of each year.

Responsibilities

• Supervise, evaluate, and recommend staff for hire
• Collect and submit data for the annual preparation and submission of the Annual Performance Report (APR)
• Monitor and document participant academic progress and ensure a plan of action for improvement
• Visit target schools and maintain contact with school personnel to develop awareness of program services and report participant progress
• Develop and implement a summer enrichment program and tutoring math program for RSSP participants
• Ensure recruitment deadlines, participant needs assessments, and enrollment requirements are met for the ETS Program
• Complete all program forms and appropriately document services
• Collaborate with other youth programs in the community
• Maintain accurate program files for participants in the database and file cabinets
• Develop resource educational materials for project use with seminars and workshops
• Administer and interpret project assessment inventories for participants
• Ensure appropriate contacts with participants for college preparation and social/personal development
• Plan and conduct parent workshops and college or career tours
• Document the management of participant caseloads to reflect service provision
• Provide day-to-day program oversight, including staff guidance, budget management, project timelines, and outcomes
• Recruit participants and perform outreach to schools and communities
• Develop curriculum and conduct workshops/seminars on college and career planning, financial literacy, and personal development
• Coordinate tutorial services, observe effectiveness, and make referrals as appropriate
• Plan and supervise group activities, college visits, and field trips
• Engage personally with students, prepare intervention plans for poor academic performance, involve parents, and make referrals to outside resources
• Maintain the Blumen database on participants and program schedules; prepare and record weekly evaluations while observing student privacy
• Make regular reports to the Director and assist in preparing the Program’s Annual Performance Report
• Other duties as required

Essential Ability Acknowledgement: Ability to work with difficult, uncooperative, and potentially aggressive clients, as VOALA serves individuals facing homelessness, mental illness, substance abuse, recent incarceration, and other challenges.

Mandated Reporter: All employees are considered Mandated Reporters and must report any instance of physical or sexual abuse to proper authorities.

Requirements

• Must pass a fingerprint clearance, background check, including criminal history, personal references, employment, and education verifications
• Ability to perform under circumstances of possible emotional stress when dealing with difficult, uncooperative, or potentially aggressive clients

Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree required in education, counseling, social work, higher education administration, or a related field.

Experience:

• Minimum of two (2) years of experience assisting with staff supervision, budget management, program development and evaluation, reporting, and compliance with federal regulations
• Minimum of four (4) years of experience with federal TRIO programs, academic support programs, or similar programs for disadvantaged low-income 9-12th grade students who are potential first-generation college students
• Experience providing academic advising, tutoring, non-cognitive skills development, college and career planning, financial aid, and economic literacy information to secondary school students (grades 9-12)
• Professional or personal experience in overcoming barriers similar to those confronting project participants

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in education, social work, or counseling from an accredited college or university
• Formal training and/or work experience in programming that improves secondary school retention/graduation rates
• Experience preparing high school students for admission and financial aid to post-secondary schools
• Bilingual in English and Spanish
• Ability to develop a network with staff at other pre-college programs

Pay

$65,208 - $68,640 per year

Benefits

VOALA offers competitive medical, dental, vision, and retirement benefits.