College & Career Persistence Counselor

Students who attend Chicago Jesuit Academy (CJA) will be the next generation of leaders in the City of Chicago. Talented people who wish to be employed by Chicago Jesuit Academy must demonstrate a past and continued commitment to academic excellence, professional development and the Jesuit ideal of being people for others. Strong candidates are disciplined workers, compassionate listeners and tireless advocates for the children they serve. Most importantly, they recognize that Chicago Jesuit Academy will ask them to approach their work as a vocation and make substantial contributions of their time and talents in the service of the students, alumni and families of CJA.

Reporting to the Director of College & Career Persistence, the College & Career (CP) Counselor serves as a member of the College & Career Persistence Team. The CP Counselor accompanies a caseload of alumni on their unique paths to meaningful employment by supporting them in their Transition to High School, Transition to Post-Secondary, Transition to Career, and connection to Summer Programming. A successful candidate will believe in the long-term care of students and an education that forms the whole person — cura personalis in the Jesuit tradition.

Essential functions:

• Actively support a caseload of 60 14- to 24-year old students and alumni as they chart their unique paths to meaningful employment using a curated suite of resources targeted at each transition in addition to creative problem-solving.
• Collaborate with students, alumni, and families through consistent, persistent, and creative outreach to 100% of caseload within a 6-week cycle.
• Conduct individual and group parent meetings to prepare 8th-grade students and families for the Transition to High School by equipping them with the tools to apply and enroll in best-fit high schools, including scholarship opportunities.
• Visit high school students and support their transition by setting SMART goals, reviewing academic progress, identifying areas of support, and connecting them to school-based resources, extra-curricular activities and summer programming.
• Support high school students in their transition to post-secondary programs by working with them to identify, apply, enroll, and persist in quality, affordable, and supportive four-year, two-year and certificate programs..
• Prepare alumni in their transition to career through workforce readiness skills, resume support, interview preparation, and connections to internships and employment partnerships.
• Provide constructive and critical feedback to all students and alumni using a trauma-informed, strengths-based approach.
• Assist in executing workshops and community events as it relates to each line of business.
• Problem-solve and support in crisis management by coordinating services and removing barriers.
• Update all data and case notes while maintaining the confidentiality of alumni in Salesforce.
• Build and maintain relationships with partner high schools and summer camps.
• Execute other duties as assigned. This position occasionally requires non-traditional work hours to run evening or weekend events and respond to alumni needs as they arise.

The ideal candidate should:

• Have a bachelor’s degree and 5 years of experience in education, social work or non-profit including direct work with youth from disinvested communities.
• Have a sincere commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion with a belief that all children deserve equitable access to a high-quality education.
• Possess strong relationship-building skills including the ability to navigate challenging conversations across lines of difference and to listen sincerely and effectively.
• Be detail oriented with exceptional communication and organizational skills.
• Be willing to admit a mistake, ask for help and receive feedback.
• Actively engage in the life of the school and community.
• Knowledge of high school and post-secondary educational systems in the Chicagoland area is preferred.

Chicago Jesuit Academy Mission Statement

Mission: Chicago Jesuit Academy is a loving and academically rigorous tuition-free Catholic elementary school for students and families from resilient communities impacted by historical disinvestment. We accompany our students and alumni from enrollment through the start of their careers as they develop their gifts and grow as men and women for others.

Means: Located in Austin on Chicago’s West Side, CJA admits students to all grades in our lower and middle school without regard for their race, ethnicity or religion, and CJA enrolls 3rd-, 4th- and 5th-grade students without regard for their past levels of academic achievement.

We use small class sizes, extended school days with co-curriculars, and summer camp opportunities to provide a comprehensive school year that gives personal care to our students to help them develop as whole persons.

We accompany our alumni on their unique paths to meaningful employment and support them throughout high school, their post-secondary education and the start of their careers, always welcoming them back as leaders at CJA and in the broader community.

CJA students, alumni, parents, faculty, staff, volunteers and benefactors listen to and learn from one another and make disciplined sacrifices to accomplish our shared mission.

We partner with other schools and the broader community to create access to better educational resources, confront systemic racism and remove obstacles to educational equity.

We call one another to find God in all things and be men and women for others who are open to growth, loving, religious, intellectually competent and committed to doing justice.

Chicago Jesuit Academy, in accordance with our Jesuit tradition, is committed to fostering a diverse community of outstanding faculty, staff and students, as well as ensuring equal educational opportunity, employment, and access to services, programs and activities, without regard to an individual’s race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, sex, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristic or military status. Employees, students, applicants or other members of the CJA community (including but not limited to vendors, visitors, and guests) may not be subjected to harassment that is prohibited by law, or treated adversely or retaliated against based upon a protected identity.