Assistant Director, Upward Bound Math-Science Program

Job no: 506561
Position Type: Staff Part Time
Campus: UMass Boston
Department: Math & Science Upward Bound
Pay Grade: 30
Date opened: 09 Oct 2020 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: 23 Oct 2020 Eastern Daylight Time

General Summary:

Founded in 1989, UMass Boston’s Upward Bound Math-Science Program serves low-income and first-generation-college-bound high school students. Through a weekly after-school program and monthly Saturday program during the academic year and a six-week residential summer component, Upward Bound Math-Science provides participants with the skills and motivation necessary for successful completion of high school and successful entry into and completion of postsecondary education. Program activities include rigorous academic classes, including special emphasis on mathematics and science classes and labs, tutorials, cultural enrichment activities, college advising, financial literacy and career awareness activities. The most intensive aspect of the program’s year-round programming is the summer residential component, which is designed to simulate a residential college experience. Program staff and students live on a residential campus (currently Noble and Greenough School in Dedham, Massachusetts, with whom the program has had a longstanding partnership) for six weeks--from Sunday afternoon to Friday afternoon. Students take intensive college-preparatory and elective courses in the sciences, mathematics, computer science, humanities, and foreign language. Students participate in educational and cultural workshops and athletic activities, go on educational field trips, live in a dormitory and take meals in a dining commons. The six-week summer program is preceded by one week of staff orientation, run by the program’s administrative staff (Director, Assistant Director and others), and held at the residential site.

The Assistant Director will maintain program operations in the absence of the Director. S/he will assist with the recruitment, screening and selection of program participants, and will regularly meet with program participants to provide holistic coaching and academic guidance regarding their secondary school progress, college and career goals, and postsecondary entry. The incumbent will assist in the planning and implementation of the summer residential component, including working with the Director to select and train program tutor counselors and facilitating orientations for staff, students, and parents. The Assistant Director will help plan, implement and chaperone academic, career, and cultural field trips and activities and in collaboration with other program staff, will help promote and report on program events, via website updates and social media. S/he will assist the Director with the collection of program data and the submission of regular program reports.

The Assistant Director will travel among the three locations affiliated with the program: the UMass Boston campus, in Dorchester; the Noble and Greenough School campus, in Dedham; and Lawrence High School campus, in Lawrence. This is a benefitted .75% FTE position (30 hours per week).

Examples of Duties:

In the absence of the Director, assume responsibility for maintaining program operation, including staff supervision.

Assist the Director with the student recruitment process; work closely with teachers, guidance counselors and other school personnel and parents to recruit students for the program; help provide information sessions to new recruits and collect program applications and health forms;

Participate in the program admission process: meet with the Director to make student admission decisions based upon the applicants’ need for the program, academic performance, commitment to enrolling in post-secondary education and other decision-making factors;

Assist the Director in the planning and implementation of the Upward Bound Math-Science summer residential program; including in planning and implementing orientation for students, parents, and staff;

Work with the Program Director to support and advise program students; help conduct tutorials weekly during the academic year and provide supplemental support for students through face-to-face meetings, phone calls, texts, and/or social media. Prior to the summer, help in advising students regarding their summer plans in addition to UBMS (e.g., summer school, university courses at UMass Boston or another postsecondary institution, other structured programs, independent project or career internship).

Assist the Director in the selection and training of summer tutor counselors and interns and academic year tutors.

As part of the program’s regular cycle of self-evaluation, administer various student assessments and assist with the collection and entry of attendance, academic grades and test scores, and other data into the online program database.

Provide academic, career, and personal counseling to participants, as needed; help meet regularly with program participants with all 72 students in large group community meetings and in smaller grade cohorts to provide specialized guidance regarding their academic progress, college and career goals, secondary and post-secondary course selection and to provide personal wellness counseling, as needed;

In consultation with the Director, help to develop and support science and mathematics academic and experiential courses and activities;

In consultation with the Director, provide updates on program services, student progress, program events and other areas of interest pertaining to the program to school personnel; meet as needed with headmasters, teachers, guidance, and other personnel from the program’s residential partner (Noble and Greenough School) and partnering high school (Lawrence High School) to discuss student performance, program goals and accomplishments, upcoming school or program events, and other areas of program interest;

In consultation with the Director, promote and report on program events, via website updates and social media;

Prepare and submit activity, evaluation, and fiscal reports as assigned to the Director for the purpose of program management and improvement. Assist the Director with providing activity reports and regular program evaluation reports to unit leadership for the purpose of program management and improvement;

Work closely with the Director to adjudicate student discipline and code of conduct matters, serving often as a key member of the administrative team contact with the student regarding conduct matters;

In collaboration/consultation with the Director, plan, implement and chaperone academic enrichment, career, service learning/community service, leadership, and cultural fieldtrips and activities, some of which are overnight and/or weekend trips;

Assist the Director in the development of partnerships with community agencies and families to support academic achievement and the successful pursuit of postsecondary education;

Collect and enter data related to areas of responsibility, and maintain integrity of program database containing all relevant student data on an ongoing basis;

Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics, Computer Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics or a closely related field, and a minimum of three years of experience within a secondary school or post-secondary institution is required. Demonstrated experience with academic and/or college counseling skills required. Motor vehicle driver’s license preferred.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience with multi-ethic, multi-racial population highly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with low-income, first generation urban students, including English Learners (ELs), and their families strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience working with the Lawrence Public Schools or similar urban secondary school district or higher education institution setting is preferred.
• Bilingual in Vietnamese, Khmer, or Spanish is preferred.
• Master’s degree in a STEM field; Education, Counseling, a closely related field is preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Demonstrated knowledge of college counseling, financial aid and post-secondary placement;

Knowledge of and experience with various software applications, including office software and database management;

Knowledge of and experience with social media channels, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, SnapChat, and/or LinkedIn;

Demonstrated experience with event planning, promotion and implementation;

Ability to communicate effectively and work cooperatively with university and/or school personnel;

Ability to effectively and efficiently work in a team capacity with a broad range of staff to accomplish departmental and program goals;

Ability to work independently and efficiently;

Ability to supervise the work of work-study students;

Strong oral and written communication skills;

Strong presentation and interpersonal skills, including the capacity to work cooperatively with a wide range of individuals;

Strong organizational and problem solving skills;

Strong attention to detail;

Good judgment, discretion and ability to maintain confidentiality;

Strong commitment to customer service;

Application Instructions:

Please apply online with your resume, cover letter and list of three professional references.

Review of candidates will begin following the application closing date.

Only Internal candidates in the Professional Staff Bargaining Unit will be considered during the first 10 business days of the posting. All other candidates will be considered after that period.

Salary Ranges for the appropriate Pay Grade can be found at the following link:

Salary Ranges

All official salary offers must be approved by Human Resources.

Applications close: 23 Oct 2020 Eastern Daylight Time