Navigator

APPLICATION MATERIALS & PROCEDURE
Complete application packages must include the following:

describing how your experience aligns with the essential job functions and qualifications. Your cover letter should speak to your experience working with culturally diverse communities, your level of cultural self-awareness, and how you have integrated both experience and self-awareness into your approach to working with young adults.

*Please send completed application materials to careers@palmerscholars.org

ABOUT PALMER SCHOLARS

Palmer Scholars is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization committed to supporting underrepresented Pierce County students of color to overcome financial, cultural, and social barriers in their pursuit of higher education, apprenticeship, and careers. Our vision is for our students to succeed in completing a postsecondary program with the essential tools to be catalysts for change, leaders in our community, and become personally empowered. We provide scholarships, mentoring, postsecondary readiness training, career preparation, pre-apprenticeship, one-to-one guidance, and emotional support to help underrepresented Pierce County students achieve their professional dreams.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Navigator will support Palmer Scholars’ efforts to ensure Scholars enrolled in our Palmer Pathways Pre-Apprenticeship program are exposed to a variety of postsecondary career and educational opportunities. The Navigator will also work to ensure Scholars are given the necessary tools and training to access and complete the program that best aligns with their career aspirations. The role of The Navigator is to conduct outreach and recruitment for interested young adults, walk alongside applicants throughout the screening process, and provide individualized wraparound support to admitted Scholars throughout their involvement in our program. Essentially, The Navigator will function as a mentor, career coach, and case manager for Scholars, ensuring they have access to the information, resources, and connections they need to successfully complete a postsecondary educational program (including apprenticeship) and attain family-wage employment.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

In collaboration with the Senior Leadership Team and under the immediate supervision of the Senior Navigator, The Navigator will be responsible for the following:

General

· Contribute to a positive, inclusive, and collaborative workplace culture, treating coworkers with respect, professionalism, dignity, and compassion.

· Operate with integrity and intentionality, ensuring that your actions, both on and off the clock, contribute positively to maintaining the Palmer Scholars brand, increasing our community presence and profile, and strengthening our reputation.

Scholar Support

· Promote effective and inclusive recruitment and onboarding of prospective Scholars. Plan Palmer Pathways orientations and information sessions throughout Pierce County. Facilitate orientations and information sessions throughout the county during the day, evenings, and on weekends if needed.

· Provide excellent customer service to Scholars, prospective Scholars, apprenticeship, employers, and community partners.

· Promote student access, retention, and success by fostering a sense of community and belonging for Scholars - acting as a liaison to student support services. Connect Scholars with resources and help resolve issues, collaborating with the Palmer Scholars team and external partners as needed.

· Advise prospective and enrolled Scholars regarding academic and vocational pathways, admission procedures, program expectations and apprenticeship, certificate, and degree requirements. Meet individually with Scholars to create career plans, discuss funding options for postsecondary education, assist with enrollment, and connect to needed resources. Review and analyze Scholars' assessment scores and goals to prepare for navigation sessions and career planning.

· Help Scholars develop, monitor, and revise individualized career plans aligning with their short and long-term employment goals. Communicate with Scholars via the Palmer Connections platform, email, text, social media platforms, and phone.

· Build relationships with staff at postsecondary institutions, union partners, employers, and community partners that contribute to increased persistence and success for our Scholars.

· Demystify the college and apprenticeship processes for Scholars, helping them understand, among other things, entrance assessments, application/admission processes, course registration, and financial aid applications and processes. Meet individually with Scholars to understand the criteria and prepare for apprenticeship application processes in the construction trades, which vary greatly by the union.

· Lead weekly navigation sessions with Scholars individually and in small groups.

· Collect, prepare, and report Scholar records and program data via agency reporting systems. Record Scholar interactions in WorkSource’s Efforts to Outcomes (ETO) system.

· Participate in committees, taskforces, and events to build awareness of and gather support for the Palmer Pathways initiative and Palmer Scholars as a whole.

· Attend WorkSource Pierce partnership meetings as required, and report information back to the Palmer Scholars team.

· Planning social media calendars, creating social media posts, and assisting the social media team with brainstorming campaigns. Posting on various social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

· Other duties as assigned.

Administrative:

· Assist with the coordination of social events for Scholars, mentors, and other volunteers.

· Participate in cross-training opportunities.

· Assist with the preparation of all non-financial reports to be submitted to the Board of Directors or other necessary entities.

· Ensure accurate completion and timely submission of timesheets, travel requests, reimbursement requests, and other HR-related documentation.

· Provide programmatic, event, and office support to staff, students, and volunteers.

· Attend meetings of the Board of Directors and Palmer Pathways Advisory Board on an as-needed basis.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

· Experience working with young adults via adult education, apprenticeships, career planning, postsecondary education, social or human services, or a non-profit organization.

· Two years of experience with public speaking/presenting and/or training/meeting facilitation.

· Two years of experience coordinating services for young adults.

• Two years of experience performing work related to client recruitment and enrollment, career assessment and planning, support services, occupational training, workplace readiness, job placement, records maintenance, and outcomes reporting.

· Maintain a high standard of personal, professional, and ethical conduct.

· Ability to work effectively within a rapidly growing and fast-paced organization.

· Ability to work well with a team and independently.

· Demonstrated passion and experience working with diverse populations.

· Exceptionally strong organizational, writing, verbal, and interpersonal skills.

· Highly proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, specifically Word, Publisher, and Excel.

· Satisfactory completion of a background check.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

· Knowledge of the local labor market and target client population(s).

· Knowledge of career assessment methods.

· Understanding of various post-secondary including apprenticeship.

· Knowledge of career & workforce education programs and services.

· Experience in programs such as Adult Basic Education, English as a Second Language, Apprenticeship Preparation, and/or WorkSource Programs.

· Experience with educational or career advising for adult learners.

· Experience working in student services or human services.

· Experience working in a scholarship foundation, pre-apprenticeship or apprenticeship setting.

· Familiarity with human services management system software).

· Familiarity with Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) in-school and out-of-school young adult program requirements, processes, and policies.

· Knowledge of alignment between assessments and program competencies.

· Experience cultivating relationships with diverse stakeholder groups.

· Experience in counseling or social services.

· Bilingual in any of the following languages: Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese, or Tagalog.

Successful candidates will be those who:

· Are self-starters with strong organizational and time management skills, strong attention to detail, and an ability to manage multiple tasks/competing priorities.

· Have experience supporting the culturally, racially, linguistically, and economically diverse populations we serve.

· Cultivate a passion for mentorship and working with youth.

· Embody a professional presence, strong interpersonal skills, and excellent written and verbal communication skills.

· Willing to learn new skills and knowledge to better serve student populations.

DESCRIPTION AND BENEFITS

Full-time salaried position with a competitive compensation package. Starting salary range is $44,000 - $54,000 depending on qualifications and experience. Palmer Scholars offers a generous benefits package including health, vision, and dental insurance, retirement, as well as substantial paid-time-off/vacation leave.

WORKING CONDITIONS AND PHYSICAL DEMANDS

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and reach with hands and arms. The employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; type/ keyboard; and talk or hear. The employee is required to move between locations for purposes of facilitation, meetings, job fairs, and other assigned tasks. The employee must on occasion lift/move up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Evening and weekend work may be required.

COMMITMENT TO EQUITY

The Palmer Scholars family acknowledges and celebrates our similarities and differences as active community members in Pierce County. We are dedicated to promoting agency and equity for our Scholars in their journey of becoming critical learners, community leaders, and global citizens. We value self-worth and the importance of personal development through accountability, leadership, goal planning, empowerment, and community service. At Palmer Scholars, we strive to foster an environment that is open, engaged, equitable, and respectful of all identities based on age, nationality, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and disability. We believe in representing diversity and inclusivity with our Board Members, staff, mentors, volunteers, and Scholars.

Palmer Scholars is an equal-opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on merit and business needs, and not on the basis of race, sex/gender, religion/creed, pregnancy, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, national origin, genetic markers, military or veteran status, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

Candidates must have the ability to pass a pre-employment background check through the Tacoma Public School District.

This job description is not an employment agreement or contract. Palmer Scholars has the exclusive right to alter this job description at any time without notice. The statements contained herein reflect general details as necessary to describe the primary functions of this job, the level of knowledge, and skill typically required and the scope of responsibility, but should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned including work in other functional areas to cover absences or relief, to equalize peak work periods or otherwise balance the workload.

APPLICATION MATERIALS & PROCEDURE
Complete application packages must include the following:

Resume & cover letter describing how your experience aligns with the essential job functions and qualifications. Your cover letter should speak to your experience working with culturally diverse communities, your level of cultural self-awareness, and how you have integrated both experience and self-awareness into your approach to working with young adults.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $45,000.00 - $55,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Application Question(s):

• Do you have at least four (4) years of experience working with young adults around postsecondary education, career planning, social/human services, or with a non-profit organization?
• Do you have at least two (2) years of experience with public speaking/presenting -or- two years' of experience facilitating trainings/meetings?
• Do you have at least two (2) years of experience coordinating services for young adults?

Education:

• High school or equivalent (Preferred)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $44,000 - $54,000