Alumni Success Coach - Brooklyn

Uncommon Schools is a nonprofit network of high-performing public charter schools dedicated to providing an exceptional K-12 education in economically disadvantaged communities. Operating in Boston, Camden, New York City, Newark, and Rochester, we are committed to closing the college completion gap and preparing every student for college and beyond. Our students consistently exceed national benchmarks, reflecting our dedication to their success. We invest deeply in our educators, offering weekly coaching, feedback, and professional development to ensure excellence in teaching and leadership. Join us to work hard, do good, and make a lasting difference!

Uncommon Schools is deeply committed to ensuring that our graduates not only enroll in but also graduate from a four-year college or university. This commitment reflects our mission to support students to and through college, helping to close the college completion gap between economically disadvantaged students and their more affluent peers. 

Reporting to the Director of College Access & Success, the Alumni Success Coach (ASC) plays a critical role in helping our high school graduates achieve their post-secondary goals. In this unique position, ASCs are part of two teams: the cross-regional Alumni Support Team and their assigned high school team. As an ASC, you will provide academic, financial, and socioemotional coaching and programming, proactively respond to students’ evolving needs and potential risk factors to persistence, and connect alumni to relevant campus or local resources. You will also focus on building alumni independence in managing their post-secondary journey. 
Ideal candidates possess an owner’s mindset, a strong sense of responsibility for their caseload, and the ability to work autonomously while leveraging collaboration when needed. They are solutions-oriented, adaptable, and bring a “whatever it takes” attitude to supporting alumni through the complex realities of college persistence and completion.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Coaching  & Program Development 

• Alumni Success Coaches (ASCs) work relentlessly to support Uncommon alumni in persisting through and graduating from a four-year college. This includes:
  • Providing individualized academic advising, including guidance on selecting a major, building relationships with professors, developing strong study habits, and improving time management skills
  • Collaborating with each student to create a personalized academic plan that highlights their strengths, identifies areas for growth, and sets clear, achievable goals to drive progress
  • Meeting students where they are and pushing them to take full advantage of their college experience, supporting both their academic and personal development
  • Connecting students to key campus resources, such as academic support centers, writing labs, mental health services, study abroad programs, and advisement offices
  • Supporting students through the re-enrollment or transfer process, ensuring a smooth transition and continuity in their academic journey
  • Collaborating with high schools by pushing into College Seminar classes and leading family workshops to introduce and explain the Alumni Support Program
  • Leverage alumni data and postsecondary trends to inform and strengthen high school programming, advising practices, professional development and college counseling strategy

Building & Maintaining Relationships 

• Strong, trust-based relationships are the foundation of effective alumni support. Alumni Success Coaches (ASCs) play a critical role in fostering meaningful and lasting connections with both alumni and key stakeholders by:
  • Serving as the primary liaison between Uncommon Schools, its alumni, and college or university administrators
  • Building personal, professional relationships with a caseload of 300+ alumni throughout the school year
  • Acting as a formal connector between alumni and key Uncommon stakeholders—including the Director of College Counseling (DoCC), school principals, and SPED coordinators—to ensure students receive the support they need
  • Partnering with the college counseling team to ensure a smooth and successful handoff of graduating high school seniors into the alumni community
  • Collaborating closely with members of the regional Alumni Support Team to provide comprehensive and coordinated support
  • Actively researching and building relationships with key contacts on assigned college campuses (e.g., deans, admissions and financial aid officers, retention and student affairs offices, etc.) to help remove barriers to student persistence
  • Being accessible to alumni outside of traditional working hours, including evenings and weekends, to address urgent or time-sensitive concerns
  • Planning and executing seasonal events such as winter and spring alumni gatherings, and sending care packages to promote community and boost morale

Communication & Outreach

• Alumni Success Coaches (ASCs) are relentless in their efforts to connect with and support every student on their caseload. They approach unresponsiveness not as a roadblock, but as a challenge to overcome with creativity, consistency, and care. ASCs do whatever it takes to engage alumni by:
  • Utilizing all available communication methods—including in-person meetings, Zoom, phone calls, text messages, email, social media, and peer or family networks—to connect with 100% of their caseload
  • Persisting in outreach efforts even when students are unresponsive, adapting strategies and timelines until meaningful contact is made.
  • Partnering with parents, families, and trusted adults when needed to help resolve enrollment, financial, or other barriers
  • Sharing timely updates with school leaders and relevant staff to ensure consistent, coordinated support across the alumni’s network

Caseload Management

• Alumni Support Coach (ASCs) optimize and streamline the constant flow of alumni updates they receive by: 
  • Maintaining an up-to-date record of each interaction, obstacles, and academic progress in the alumni database
  • Managing and reporting accurate post-secondary data of caseload to direct manager and assigned school team
  • Continually assessing the potential that alumni will complete college based on their academic, financial, socio-emotional and personal well-being; prioritize support for students at the greatest risk of stopping out
  • Using data to inform and manage their caseload priorities and to provide updates to school leaders
  • Ensuring accurate contact information is maintained in database
  • Sending routine emails/text messages to all alumni with study tips, words of encouragement, opportunities and other relevant messages
  • Contributing to network-wide alumni communication (e.g., alumni website and newsletter)

Administrative Duties

• In addition to direct alumni support, Alumni Success Coaches (ASCs) are responsible for several key administrative tasks that support their effectiveness and alignment with school and regional priorities. These responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
  • Coordinating travel logistics for campus visits and school-based events, including booking transportation and accommodations, and reconciling corporate credit card charges or submitting all eligible receipts for reimbursement in a timely manner
  • Supporting the maintenance of social media platforms to promote alumni engagement, share updates, and celebrate student successes
  • Participating in regular check-ins with their manager, as well as their assigned high school principal and Director of College Counseling, to ensure strong alignment and collaboration across teams

• Passion for and alignment to the mission of Uncommon Schools
• Demonstrated college knowledge (e.g., college application process, financial aid process, general college knowledge and policies, etc.)
• Effective public relations and networking abilities
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Self-starter with strong prioritization skills
• Excellent organization, time management, and tenacious follow-up skills; ability to prioritize and demonstrate an appropriate sense of urgency

Educational Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree required
• Master's Degree preferred

Experience Requirements

• 4+ years of professional work experience required
• 2+ years of experience in working with students in a college advisement, college counseling or college enrollment capacity 
• Demonstrated knowledge of the college application process, the Free Application for  Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the CSS Profile, and other pertinent college application and enrollment tasks
• Demonstrated knowledge of key academic and financial aid policies at the collegiate level
• Preferred: 2+ years of experience working with students who are first generation and/or from an urban school district

Travel Requirements

• Must be willing to travel via car, bus, train, and/or plane for up to 8 weeks a semester to visit alumni on their college campuses in the assigned caseload region.

 Other Requirements

• Valid driver’s license
• Personal vehicle for travel (mileage for campus visit travel is reimbursed according to published IRS mileage rates)

Our people are what make us Uncommon. We offer competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits that support the personal health, wellness, and finances of our staff and their families. Our compensation philosophy values equity & fairness and attracting & retaining top talent. [same for all roles]

Compensation 

Compensation for this role is between $74,000 to $87,000. 

Starting pay is determined using various factors including but not limited to relevant professional experience, education, certifications, and tenure with Uncommon Schools. If you meet all job description requirements you will likely receive an offer of $78,300. 

Benefits

• Comprehensive Health, Dental, and Vision insurance plans
• 403(b) retirement savings program + employer match
• Paid leave of absence options (parental, medical, disability, etc.)
• Mental health and counseling support + wellness benefits
• Pre-tax flexible spending, dependent care, and health saving accounts

*A detailed list of all benefits is located HERE.

At Uncommon, we believe that a supportive and welcoming environment helps our students, staff, and community thrive. We are dedicated to building a team that brings a wide range of perspectives and experiences, reflective of the communities we serve---with over 70% of our staff identifying as people of color. Our organization values respect and open dialogue on important topics that shape our school culture.

As an equal opportunity employer, Uncommon provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. We also ensure that individuals with disabilities receive all privileges and benefits associated with employment and are provided reasonable accommodations for the interview process and to perform core job functions. If you would like to request an accommodation, please email [email protected].