Position: Career Pathways Program Manager (40 hours per week/12 months)

Cambridge is a vibrant, diverse city and a central hub and driver of the nation’s innovation economy. Home of the renowned educational institutions of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge is also the center of an impressive array of biotechnology, science, and information technology companies.

Educating about 7,000 students JK-12, the Cambridge Public Schools includes award-winning faculty, cutting edge technology, and innovative programs. While each of our public schools is unique, they are joined in a shared vision of rigorous, joyful, and culturally responsive learning plus personalized support for every student. Over 30% of CPS students speak a language other than English at home, and over 65 languages are spoken by our families. Among the most common are Spanish, Haitian Creole, Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, and Portuguese. Our schools proudly embrace this diversity.

The Role:

The Career Pathways Program Manager is responsible for establishing a vision that seeks to close gaps between traditionally underrepresented students and their peers in higher education and the workforce by promoting equity, inclusiveness, and college and career readiness opportunities for all students. The Career Pathways Program Manager is responsible for cultivating and fostering internal and external relationships to build rigorous and developmentally appropriate programs and activities that will result in successful and positive experiences for students, and post-secondary success.

The Career Pathways Program Manager is expected to work collaboratively with CPSD school staff and external stakeholders to coordinate district-based programs for success. Specifically, the Pathways Program Manager will provide the leadership necessary for creating, monitoring, and facilitating effective and sustainable career pathways programs for all secondary students. The Program Manager is instrumental in facilitating students’ progress and success by ensuring that appropriate collaborative mechanisms and structures are in place, and continuing to build college and career readiness for CPS students. The Program Manager will also engage with external stakeholders to establish partnerships with higher education and industry partners and other intermediaries to further drive the vision of the role.

Essential Duties:

(This position description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, knowledge, or abilities associated with this classification, however it is intended to reflect the primary job role and requirements accurately.)

The Career Pathways Program Manager reports directly to the Executive Director of College and Career Pathways and is responsible for managing all aspects of the Career Pathways Programs, and includes these specific job functions:

• Collaborate with industry and community partners to create a sequence of career exploration and learning opportunities that include but are not limited to job shadows, internships, field trips, workshops, and incorporate district level platforms such as MyCAP.
• Facilitate and coordinate on-site workplace learning experiences at industry facilities, including, but not limited to field trips, job shadow opportunities, and internships.
• Create a pool of diverse employer speakers in relevant industries to the pathway curriculum and identify student interest.
• Support pathway teams with outreach, scheduling, and implementation of appropriate work-based learning, advanced placement, and dual enrollment experiences that are integrated into existing systems (MyCAP, Naviance, etc) and aligned to pathway student learning outcomes.
• Assist students in creating a mid-year college and career digital portfolio that includes work samples, a resume, cover letter and capstone projects.
• Work with the pathways team to create a structured internship program for students.
• Assist with support and monitoring for Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment students.
• Provide workshops on work readiness including refining resumes, interviewing, employer expectations, and professional work-place etiquette.
• Serve as liaison to businesses after placement to troubleshoot issues.
• Maintain and keep up-to-date databases to provide reports on work-based learning.
• Assess program performance by collecting, analyzing, and reporting student performance and employment data and provide recommendations to the Executive of College and Career Pathways.
• Plan and organize related recruitment, outreach, and informational sessions for prospective students and families.
• Design and implement orientation programs for current and future students and parents, outlining expectations, procedures, policies and criteria for the students’ successful completion of the technical and college level coursework.
• Collaborate with Family Liaison to design multiple opportunities for family engagement and voice, and to create a community environment where students are acknowledged, celebrated, and feel a part of something special and unique.
• Create and maintain student files, which include updated contact information, registration materials, assessment results, and signed copies of student contracts. Perform administrative tasks such as collecting, organizing, and disseminating statistical data.
• Identify students who may need modified pathways experiences and develop appropriate placements based on their individualized learning needs.
• Responsible for ensuring students in pathways are coded for SIMS and other state or local reporting.
• Pathways Program Manager assess student and program performance by collecting, analyzing, and reporting student academic performance and employment data and make recommendations to improve student achievement in order to fulfill the programs mission
• Coordinate with industry and post-secondary partners to develop and implement programs that support career and college exploration, experience, and immersion.
• Meet with Secondary Administrators and Guidance Counselors to discuss student enrollment, recruitment strategies, data/tracking, and deliverables.
• Manage Pathways budget in collaboration with school principal and assist with grant writing and reporting as needed.
• Participate and attend workshops and training sessions with partners, DESE, and other stakeholders.
• Attend meetings and events, and serve on committees as needed.
• The Pathways must maintain a working knowledge of Early College, Advanced Placement, Dual Enrollment and Career Pathway initiatives across the state and nationally.
• Meet regularly with teachers, guidance and administrators to understand program needs and develop student support.
• Meet regularly with Pathways Work Based Learning team and MyCAP team to outline and assess goals, vision, and deliverables and address program needs and supports.
• Assist with the communication and support of alumni as needed.

Abilities:

Adaptability skills are required to perform multiple, technical tasks with a need to engage in continuous learning to develop new skills in order to meet evolving job role requirements. Specific skill-based competencies required to satisfactorily perform the functions of the job include the ability to: plan and manage projects; use pertinent software applications; utilize efficient written and oral communications; demonstrate effective interpersonal skills; conduct presentations before an audience; and prepare and manage budgets. Additional professional abilities include:

• Present pathway information to various business and community groups in a professional manner to elicit support for increasing work based learning within linked learning priorities.
• Effectively manage complex projects, and manage and direct volunteers and/or partners, and students.
• Establish and maintain positive relationships with CPS teachers and faculty, district personnel, and community-based organizations.
• Work effectively with employers, youth, teachers, school administrators, and program partners, Communicate with students and adults of diverse backgrounds, and ability to build relationships with students and families.
• Understand how to use various career programs: Ex: Naviance, College Board, MassCIS Demonstrates knowledge of students’ developmental levels by providing differentiated learning experiences and support that enable all students to progress toward intended outcomes
• Actively creates and maintains an environment in which students’ diverse backgrounds, identities, strengths, and challenges are respected.
• Regularly reflects on practice, seeks and responds to feedback, and demonstrates self-awareness and commitment to continuous learning and development.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in education, counseling or a related field; Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of three (3) years experience with developing college and career readiness programs and pathways in diverse academic, socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, and educational districts
• Familiarity with a variety of age appropriate guidance, counseling and behavior management strategies that reflect current research on best practices and understanding of human growth and development patterns and learning theory
• Understanding of industry outlooks and having familiarity with Internships, Career and Technical Education, Cooperative Education, Advanced Placement, Dual Enrollment and Early College.
• Prior working experience with MyCAP, Naviance, Work Based Learning Plans
• Interpersonal skills using tact, patience, and courtesy

Cambridge Public Schools is committed to slowing and/or stopping the spread of COVID-19. Therefore, as a condition of employment with Cambridge Public Schools, all new hires will be required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 no later than their first day of work. Written requests for either a religious exemption from this requirement based on sincerely held religious beliefs, or for a medical exemption based upon clear documentation from a medical provider should be submitted to the attention of the Chief Talent Officer.

Salary: $91,957 - $113,613 annually

Terms of Employment: 40 hours per week/12 months per year. Reports to Executive Director of College Careers.

How to Join Our Team:

Please include a resume and thoughtful cover letter outlining how your skills, experience, and commitment to equity in education meet the qualifications of the position.

At the Cambridge Public Schools, we are committed to cultivating an environment where diverse perspectives and backgrounds are embraced, acknowledging that a team reflecting diversity of race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, age, gender, marital/domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, and veteran status allows us to serve our communities better. To that end, we welcome and encourage applicants to bring their authentic selves when considering employment opportunities within our school district.