Program Manager, Career & Graduate School Partnerships

We are searching for a creative and collaborative Program Manager who will play a key role in managing, driving and supporting career and graduate school opportunities at QuestBridge. Our programs support the career advancement of our vast network of undergraduate QuestBridge Scholars and QuestBridge Alumni, many of whom are the first generation in their family to earn a college degree. This role provides an exciting opportunity to participate in new initiatives and areas of growth for the organization.

Reporting to the Director of Career and Graduate Partnerships, and working closely with our outreach, data and communication teams, they will play a key role in the implementation of our career and graduate school opportunities.

Responsibilities

Work with the team to gain a deep understanding of our target groups and existing partnerships. Provide operational support in planning through execution of graduate school and career partnership programs, which includes application management,updating information on various platforms, communications, and other projects that support the operational efforts of the team. Leverage metrics and data to iterate and expand offerings as needed to strategize for scale and future growth.

Contribute to short and long-term strategy discussions and planning for the future growth of the programs. Gather and review feedback from various sources, and use tracking and analytics to measure the impact of efforts. Research and stay informed in hiring practices, employment trends and other labor related issues, and news and trends in the graduate school admissions and financial aid space.

Become an expert in the team’s project management tools, and adept at creating efficient, streamlined systems to optimize workflows. Travel domestically 2-4 times per year for internal and external organizational events. Support other organizational projects, tasks, and goals as needed and as assigned.

With all other QuestBridge staff, annually read and evaluate student applications for National College Match, College Prep Scholars Program, and other opportunities.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree with 5 years of full-time experience in higher education. Familiarity with selective college and graduate school admissions. Familiarity with college recruiting from higher education (career services) or a business perspective (corporate/industry).

Ability to manage multiple projects and cross-collaboration with different teams and departments, while maintaining a high level of organization and professionalism. Excellent written and oral communication skills, with superior writing and editing ability and public speaking experience. Adept with technology and data, with the ability to evaluate and improve processes.

Self-starter, independently resourceful and a quick study, with a keen sense of accountability. Process-oriented with ability to understand and communicate complex processes in a straightforward way. Track record of setting priorities, establishing operational processes, and executing on plans with measurable outcomes.

Exceptional attention to detail. Rigorous quality standards in terms of quantitative accuracy, text editing, and visual aesthetics. Passion for issues in higher education access and student/alumni career development, particularly for first-generation and/or low-income students.

Qualities Strong belief in the mission, vision, and goals of QuestBridge (see this link for more). Exceptional attention to detail combined with ability to maintain focus on the big picture. Warm, polished, professional demeanor and communication style with a customer service focus.

Ability to collaborate well with others and incorporate feedback . Exceptional interpersonal skills. Strong work ethic and deep-seated personal integrity, with intense drive to contribute to the success of the organization.