Project Coordinator

Job Description

Job Description

About Us:

VOALA

Helping Our Most Vulnerable Change Their Life Stories

Volunteers of America is a non-profit human services organization committed to serving people in need, strengthening families, and building communities. VOALA provides a variety of social services to Los Angeles area communities such as Head Start programs, Upward Bound college prep programs, veterans’ services, homeless shelters, low-income housing program as well as drug and alcohol rehabilitation. Learn more at

PAY RATE: $65208 - $68640 Per Year

BENEFITS: VOALA offers competitive medical, dental, vision and retirement benefits.

JOB SUMMARY AND PURPOSE

The Project Coordinator is responsible for meeting the program goals, annually. The Program Goals for the participants served by the Project Coordinator are:

• Enroll and complete in a rigorous high school program of study
• Achieve High School graduation
• Improve academic performance on standardized tests, and competitive scores on college entrance exams
• Enrollment in post-secondary education
• Promote college degree attainment in six years

The Project Coordinator will ensure the annual enrollment goal of 500 participants is met by January of each year

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Supervise, evaluate and recommend staff for hire
• Collect and submit data for the annual preparation and submission of the Annual Performance Report (APR)
• Monitor and document participant academic progress and ensure a plan of action for improvement
• Visit target school and maintain contact with school personnel to develop awareness of program services and report participant’s progress
• Develop and implement a summer enrichment program
• Develop and implement tutoring math program for RSSP participants
• Responsible for meeting recruitment deadline, the assessment of participant needs, and that each student meets the requirements for enrollment in our ETS Program
• Ensure the completion of all program forms, and the appropriate documentation of all services
• Monitor and document participant academic progress and ensure a plan of action for improvement
• Visit target school and maintain contact with school personnel to develop awareness of program services and report participant progress
• Ensure the collaboration with other youth programs in the community
• Maintain accurate program files for participants in the database and file cabinets
• Develop resource educational materials for project use with seminars and workshops
• Administer and interpret project assessment inventories for participants
• Ensure the appropriate number of contacts with participants are made for college preparation, and social/personal development
• Develop and implement a summer enrichment program
• Plan and conduct parent workshops
• Plan and implement college or career tours
• Ensure that the management of participant case load is continuously being documented to reflect the provision of services
• Other duties as required

ESSENTIAL ABILITY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Ability to work and deal with difficult, uncooperative, and potentially aggressive clients as VOALA serves the neediest of the needy in our programs, which may include clients with homelessness, mental illness, substance abuse, recently released from incarceration, and other challenges. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• Services for this position must be provided on-site. As a result, the position requires incumbents to report to work on-site each day of active employment.
• Responsible for day-to-day Program efforts, providing guidance and supervision for staff, budget oversight, project timelines, and anticipated outcomes; Effectively plans workload of subordinate individuals and programs; budgets, deploys, and organizes resources
• Recruit participants, perform outreach to school and community
• Develop curriculum and conduct workshops/seminars on college and career planning, financial literacy and personal development
• Coordinate tutorial services available at the target school and community, observe effectiveness, make referrals as appropriate
• Plan and supervise group activities and college visits, assist program activities and field trips
• Engage personally with students, prepare and execute intervention plan for poor academic performance, initiate discipline if needed, involve parents, make referrals to outside resources
• Maintain Blumen database on participants, and program schedule; prepare and record weekly evaluations, observing student privacy
• Make regular reports to Director, assist in preparation of Program’s Annual Performance Report
• Other duties as required and may be subject to change 

MANDATED REPORTER

As service providers to the underprivileged and vulnerable in our community, all employees are considered Mandated Reporters, and must report any instance of physical or sexual abuse to proper authorities.

Qualifications

REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be able to pass a fingerprint clearance, background check, including criminal history, personal references, employment and education verifications
• Ability to perform under circumstances of possible emotional stress and conflicts dealing with difficult, uncooperative, and potentially aggressive clients as VOALA serves the neediest of the needy in our programs which may include clients with homelessness, mental-illness, substance abuse, recently released from incarceration and other challenges.

EDUCATION:

• Bachelor’s degree required in education, counseling, social work, higher education administration, or an appropriate field related to Project objectives.

EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum of two (2) years of experience assisting with staff supervision; budget management; program development and evaluation, reporting, and compliance with federal regulations.
• Minimum of four (4) years of experience with federal TRIO programs, academic support programs, or similar programs for disadvantaged low-income 9-12th grade students that are potential first-generation college students.
• Experience providing academic advising services, academic instruction, tutoring programs, non-cognitive skills, college, career, financial aid, and economic literacy information to an assigned caseload of secondary school students (grades 9-12).
• Professional or personal experience in overcoming barriers similar to those confronting Project Participants.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master's degree in education, social work or counseling from an accredited college or university
• Formal training and/or work experience in programming that improves secondary school retention/graduation rates
• Experience preparing high school students for admission and financial aid to post-secondary schools
• Bilingual in English and Spanish
• Ability to develop a network with staff at other pre-college programs

Volunteers of America is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

This employer participates in E-Verify as required by the federal government and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment.