Career Services Specialist (Counselor)

Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ) — a world‑renowned education and poverty‑fighting organization based in New York — seeks an enthusiastic, dedicated, and mission‑aligned Career Services Specialist to join our Wealth Builds team.

The Career Services Specialist will bring a passion for Harlem Children's Zone's mission: breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty through comprehensive, on‑the‑ground programming that builds opportunities for children and families to thrive in school, work, and life.

Wealth Builds is an innovative effort to eliminate the wealth gap through nine evidence‑based pillars beginning in Harlem and ultimately expanding to up to 10 cities nationwide. Our theory of action is that cradle‑to‑career services plus capital lead to social and economic mobility. Through Wealth Builds, we are providing financial education and capital infusions to increase social, financial, and human capital, ultimately generating wealth for our youth.

We are seeking a committed and organized Career Services Specialist to provide hands‑on career support for our college‑aged participants. This role will sit on the Wealth Builds team, a high‑priority strategic initiative at HCZ focused on creating pathways to social and economic mobility. The Career Specialist will possess strong knowledge of career development and the necessary skills to be successful in the job search and on the job. This candidate will know how to build strong relationships and will be the primary point of contact for participants working with the Career Services team. The Career Specialist will also oversee the recruiting process for the Harlem Children’s Zone Career Exploration Program (internships for college students) and other internships with strategic corporate partners.

For more information, check out the "Want to Work at Harlem Children’s Zone? Here’s 7 Things You Need to Know" resource.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree
• 1+ years of experience in mentoring students and placing them in internships or jobs
• 1+ years of experience building partnerships with other organizations willing to work with students
• 1+ years of experience in managing a case load of clients and creating career support plans for them

Who you are

• Degree in Education, Counseling, or a related social services field; Master’s degree preferred.
• Experience in internship/job placement and/or student advising or mentorship.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to complete tasks accurately and in a timely manner.
• Comfort with public speaking and ability to communicate ideas, advice, and feedback professionally and concisely in individual and group settings.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite; experience with Salesforce or other client database platforms preferred.
• A commitment to the mission and programs of HCZ.

What you’ll do

• Meet 1:1 with participants to develop individualized career support plans.
• Provide hands‑on career support through 1:1 coaching sessions (resume reviews, career advice, mock interviews, and job search help).
• Compile detailed case notes in a centralized database to track progress and assess ongoing needs.
• Lead the curriculum development and facilitation of career readiness skills‑building workshops.
• Collaborate with the Assistant Director and Director of Career to develop the career readiness strategy based on participant needs.
• Lead the recruiting process for select internship opportunities.
• Provide event planning assistance when needed for career workshops and exposures.
• Build relationships with College Success counselors to ensure strong collaboration.
• Perform other duties and projects as assigned.

Schedule

• Maintain a full‑time schedule (Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM), including occasional evenings.
• Work primarily on‑site in our Harlem office, with flexibility based on program and team needs.
• Demonstrate flexibility to support scholars and program needs.

As a member of the Harlem Children’s Zone team, you will join a supportive and inclusive community dedicated to helping children, families — and our staff — thrive. We offer highly competitive salaries, a comprehensive benefits package, and opportunities for growth.

Benefits

• Highly competitive base salaries.
• Paid time off.
• Employee referral bonus.
• Career advancement.
• No‑cost health insurance.
• Life insurance.
• Short‑and long‑term disability.
• Additional voluntary benefits.
• Wellness discounts.
• Commuter benefits.
• Financial wellness perks.
• Additional benefits (discounts on flights, hotels, theme parks, concert tickets, and more).

The salary range is $60,000 to $70,000. To be considered, interested applicants should submit their applications directly through the posting. No telephone inquiries or recruiters, please. Replies will only be sent to qualified applicants.

HCZ is an EOE.