Breakthrough Central Texas
Breakthrough is the leading college access and success non profit in Central Texas. For more than 20 years, we have partnered with thousands of middle and high school students who aspire to be the first in their family to graduate with a degree or certificate. We make a radical, long-term commitment to students, to and through college, unlocking the power of education and a lifetime of opportunity. We support the whole student with personalized services, work closely with community partners, campuses, and employers, and advocate for our students with lawmakers. Breakthrough students attend 60+ public schools and persist at nearly 100 colleges and universities. The result is that nearly 60% of Breakthrough students graduate from college, compared to 15% of low-income students in our region. Our work has resulted in more than 350 college graduates, with nearly 3,500 on their way, positively impacting families for generations, our region’s educational access, and the Central Texas economy.
Why Work at Breakthrough Central Texas By working for Breakthrough Central Texas, you will help hundreds of students achieve their dreams of success and receive the high-quality education they deserve. Breakthrough is an organization committed to its students and recognizes that our greatest resource to support them is our dedicated and talented staff. If you believe all young people deserve the opportunity to achieve postsecondary success and you desire to work at an organization committed to its employees and building the strongest team culture anywhere, then join us!
About the College and Career Success Team Breakthrough recognizes the value and need of high-quality advising services to students after high school graduation. In this model, we directly serve students through six years of their post-secondary endeavors, with a heavy focus on the first year after graduation from high school. The overall goal of the program is to increase post-secondary attainment rates among students participating in Breakthrough.
About the role As a primary provider of direct services to students and families, the Trades Pathways Manager supports the academic, career, and personal growth of students pursuing career and technical pathways. This role manages a caseload of students exploring or enrolling in trades, vocational licenses, and certificate programs (including both currently enrolled and not-yet-enrolled students) and directly supervises at least one full-time Program Coordinator serving a similar caseload. The Trades Pathways Manager reports to the Director of the College & Career Success Team.
To achieve these goals, the Trades Pathways Manager will:
Manage a caseload of 35–50 students pursuing career and technical pathways across community colleges, independent training providers, and apprenticeship programs, including fields such as manufacturing, health sciences, cosmetology, applied technology, plumbing, HVAC, CDL, and real estate.
Supervise at least one Program Coordinator responsible for advising students enrolled in or preparing to enroll in trades programs.
Oversee enrollment, persistence, and completion outcomes for all Breakthrough students pursuing certificate or Associate of Applied Science pathways at ACC and independent trade schools.
Collaborate closely with Breakthrough’s Community College Success Manager, Associate Directors, and Directors to provide training and ongoing support to advisers serving students in certificate and AAS programs.
Co-lead Breakthrough’s summer orientation events designed to remove barriers for students enrolling in trade programs at Austin Community College.
Strengthen and expand Breakthrough’s partnerships with Austin Community College, local nonprofit training providers (e.g., Skillpoint Alliance, Goodwill Career & Technical Academy), and businesses in trades and vocational fields (e.g., electrical, cosmetology, advanced manufacturing).
Proactively engage high school graduates who are not enrolled in postsecondary education to explore their career and technical options and support re-enrollment based on their interests.
Support re-enrollment efforts for students who have stopped out of their postsecondary program.
Collect and analyze persistence and enrollment data to identify trends, barriers, and student needs for those pursuing trades locally and statewide.
Build and maintain a resource repository for direct-service staff that supports advising across Breakthrough’s 12-year and Postsecondary Advising Program models; provide semesterly training for new advisers and AmeriCorps Fellows.
Produce timely reports on program outputs and outcomes and collaborate with the Data Team to analyze enrollment patterns and site-specific training models.
Develop strong, trusting relationships with Breakthrough students and families through phone, text, social media, email, and individual/group meetings.
Meet or exceed required student contact standards based on service tier and document all interactions in Salesforce.
Coordinate campus and job-site visits (caseload dependent) to meet with students and partners; engage business and industry representatives to provide informed guidance.
Plan and facilitate field trips for interested 12th-grade students to trade pathways programs identified and recommended by Breakthrough.
Connect students to wrap-around supports that promote physical and socio-emotional well-being, including emergency funds, mental health referrals, and immigration consultation referrals.
Foster a positive, collaborative culture within the College & Career Success Team and across the organization.
Participate in committees and workgroups to support team planning, organizational change efforts, and other collaborative initiatives.
Perform other job-related duties as assigned.
About You Breakthrough Central Texas seeks a talented, experienced, and enthusiastic leader to help lead the College and Career Success Team, with a lens to equity and inclusion and with alignment to best practices in the field of education, career development, and college readiness and persistence. We seek someone with a strong commitment to the mission and values of the organization. Because of the large size of the organization and the complicated, fast pace of the work, the ideal candidate will have:
5-7+ years of post-secondary access or persistence work with high school and/or students already enrolled in trades, vocational licenses, and certificates
A skill and expertise navigating the many challenges that often keep students from enrolling in post-secondary options, ranging from academic and/or program preparedness to financial stressors to mental health concerns
Significant program development experience that supports student and organizational outcomes
A comfort and willingness to visit students at their training programs and job sites
A willingness to travel in and around central Texas to facilitate site tours and field trips to programs of interest
A strong comfort with ambiguity as solutions to the complicated challenges encountered in the work are still emerging
An ability to drive innovation and develop programs from idea to impact to scale, especially programs that include multi-sector collaboration with schools and programs
An ability to analyze student-level data in order to extract patterns, and convert these into actionable steps and programmatic suggestions
Experience organizing events for small and large groups of students
An ability to develop and improve systems for greater efficiency and effectiveness
A commitment to growth mindset, to the belief that people can develop the skills, knowledge, and abilities to achieve their aspirations
An ability to work with and motivate a diverse group of people
Approaches conversations and decisions with openness and humility, as well as an awareness of identity, power, and privilege
An ability to advocate effectively while maintaining positive and trusting working relationships
A willingness and ability to take initiative as appropriate
An ability to be highly organized, to prioritize effectively, and deliver commitments in a timely manner
Excellent verbal, written and visual communication skills
A strong desire to learn and grow, with a humility to their own competencies, identity, and positionality
A disciplined, strong work ethic and comfort with working non-standard hours
A commitment to and comfort in communicating with individuals who speak a language other than English, in particular Spanish
Experience working in the trades, or a trade school is a plus
Competitive salary between $65,500-$85,000 depending on experience and qualifications
Health, dental and vision insurance; Breakthrough pays 100% of employee only premiums
Life insurance
Matching 401K retirement plan
Thirty days of annualized PTO
Generous leave policy
At Breakthrough, we want to support growth within our team. For this role, internal candidates will be reviewed first. Breakthrough Central Texas is committed to a policy of equal treatment and opportunity in every aspect of its relations with its applicants, staff members, and families, without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender identity and gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, military status, pregnancy, or parenthood. People of diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. #J-18808-Ljbffr
Why Work at Breakthrough Central Texas By working for Breakthrough Central Texas, you will help hundreds of students achieve their dreams of success and receive the high-quality education they deserve. Breakthrough is an organization committed to its students and recognizes that our greatest resource to support them is our dedicated and talented staff. If you believe all young people deserve the opportunity to achieve postsecondary success and you desire to work at an organization committed to its employees and building the strongest team culture anywhere, then join us!
About the College and Career Success Team Breakthrough recognizes the value and need of high-quality advising services to students after high school graduation. In this model, we directly serve students through six years of their post-secondary endeavors, with a heavy focus on the first year after graduation from high school. The overall goal of the program is to increase post-secondary attainment rates among students participating in Breakthrough.
About the role As a primary provider of direct services to students and families, the Trades Pathways Manager supports the academic, career, and personal growth of students pursuing career and technical pathways. This role manages a caseload of students exploring or enrolling in trades, vocational licenses, and certificate programs (including both currently enrolled and not-yet-enrolled students) and directly supervises at least one full-time Program Coordinator serving a similar caseload. The Trades Pathways Manager reports to the Director of the College & Career Success Team.
To achieve these goals, the Trades Pathways Manager will:
Manage a caseload of 35–50 students pursuing career and technical pathways across community colleges, independent training providers, and apprenticeship programs, including fields such as manufacturing, health sciences, cosmetology, applied technology, plumbing, HVAC, CDL, and real estate.
Supervise at least one Program Coordinator responsible for advising students enrolled in or preparing to enroll in trades programs.
Oversee enrollment, persistence, and completion outcomes for all Breakthrough students pursuing certificate or Associate of Applied Science pathways at ACC and independent trade schools.
Collaborate closely with Breakthrough’s Community College Success Manager, Associate Directors, and Directors to provide training and ongoing support to advisers serving students in certificate and AAS programs.
Co-lead Breakthrough’s summer orientation events designed to remove barriers for students enrolling in trade programs at Austin Community College.
Strengthen and expand Breakthrough’s partnerships with Austin Community College, local nonprofit training providers (e.g., Skillpoint Alliance, Goodwill Career & Technical Academy), and businesses in trades and vocational fields (e.g., electrical, cosmetology, advanced manufacturing).
Proactively engage high school graduates who are not enrolled in postsecondary education to explore their career and technical options and support re-enrollment based on their interests.
Support re-enrollment efforts for students who have stopped out of their postsecondary program.
Collect and analyze persistence and enrollment data to identify trends, barriers, and student needs for those pursuing trades locally and statewide.
Build and maintain a resource repository for direct-service staff that supports advising across Breakthrough’s 12-year and Postsecondary Advising Program models; provide semesterly training for new advisers and AmeriCorps Fellows.
Produce timely reports on program outputs and outcomes and collaborate with the Data Team to analyze enrollment patterns and site-specific training models.
Develop strong, trusting relationships with Breakthrough students and families through phone, text, social media, email, and individual/group meetings.
Meet or exceed required student contact standards based on service tier and document all interactions in Salesforce.
Coordinate campus and job-site visits (caseload dependent) to meet with students and partners; engage business and industry representatives to provide informed guidance.
Plan and facilitate field trips for interested 12th-grade students to trade pathways programs identified and recommended by Breakthrough.
Connect students to wrap-around supports that promote physical and socio-emotional well-being, including emergency funds, mental health referrals, and immigration consultation referrals.
Foster a positive, collaborative culture within the College & Career Success Team and across the organization.
Participate in committees and workgroups to support team planning, organizational change efforts, and other collaborative initiatives.
Perform other job-related duties as assigned.
About You Breakthrough Central Texas seeks a talented, experienced, and enthusiastic leader to help lead the College and Career Success Team, with a lens to equity and inclusion and with alignment to best practices in the field of education, career development, and college readiness and persistence. We seek someone with a strong commitment to the mission and values of the organization. Because of the large size of the organization and the complicated, fast pace of the work, the ideal candidate will have:
5-7+ years of post-secondary access or persistence work with high school and/or students already enrolled in trades, vocational licenses, and certificates
A skill and expertise navigating the many challenges that often keep students from enrolling in post-secondary options, ranging from academic and/or program preparedness to financial stressors to mental health concerns
Significant program development experience that supports student and organizational outcomes
A comfort and willingness to visit students at their training programs and job sites
A willingness to travel in and around central Texas to facilitate site tours and field trips to programs of interest
A strong comfort with ambiguity as solutions to the complicated challenges encountered in the work are still emerging
An ability to drive innovation and develop programs from idea to impact to scale, especially programs that include multi-sector collaboration with schools and programs
An ability to analyze student-level data in order to extract patterns, and convert these into actionable steps and programmatic suggestions
Experience organizing events for small and large groups of students
An ability to develop and improve systems for greater efficiency and effectiveness
A commitment to growth mindset, to the belief that people can develop the skills, knowledge, and abilities to achieve their aspirations
An ability to work with and motivate a diverse group of people
Approaches conversations and decisions with openness and humility, as well as an awareness of identity, power, and privilege
An ability to advocate effectively while maintaining positive and trusting working relationships
A willingness and ability to take initiative as appropriate
An ability to be highly organized, to prioritize effectively, and deliver commitments in a timely manner
Excellent verbal, written and visual communication skills
A strong desire to learn and grow, with a humility to their own competencies, identity, and positionality
A disciplined, strong work ethic and comfort with working non-standard hours
A commitment to and comfort in communicating with individuals who speak a language other than English, in particular Spanish
Experience working in the trades, or a trade school is a plus
Competitive salary between $65,500-$85,000 depending on experience and qualifications
Health, dental and vision insurance; Breakthrough pays 100% of employee only premiums
Life insurance
Matching 401K retirement plan
Thirty days of annualized PTO
Generous leave policy
At Breakthrough, we want to support growth within our team. For this role, internal candidates will be reviewed first. Breakthrough Central Texas is committed to a policy of equal treatment and opportunity in every aspect of its relations with its applicants, staff members, and families, without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender identity and gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, military status, pregnancy, or parenthood. People of diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. #J-18808-Ljbffr