Education Programs Associate, Level Playing Field Institute, Oakland, CA

Education Programs Associate

Posted on: January 8, 2015
Application deadline: January 15, 2015
Start date: February 10, 2015
Posted by: Level Playing Field Institute

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Level Playing Field Institute (LPFI) is committed to eliminating the barriers faced by underrepresented people of color in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and fostering their untapped talent for the advancement of our nation.

Founded in 2001, LPFI (www.lpfi.org) is an Oakland-based nonprofit organization that operates four STEM-focused education programs for underrepresented middle and high school students: the Summer Math and Science Honors Academy (SMASH) is a year-round academic program that targets high school students, the Saturday Math and Science Honors program (SMASH Prep) targets African American boys between grades 6-8, Level the Coding Field hackathons is a two-day coding exposure experience for middle and high school students, and CampCode is a two-week long summer computer science exposure program for middle school students. Additionally, (and connectedly) LPFI conducts research examining inequity in access and opportunity across K-12, higher education, and workplace contexts in order to improve the outcomes for underrepresented students in STEM fields. LPFI is funded by private donors, foundations, and corporate giving and is currently expanding in exciting ways. The next couple of years are a pivotal time for LPFI as we begin work to prepare our education and development efforts to achieve national impact.

LPFI is seeking a highly-organized, detail-oriented, highly-motivated administrative assistant for the Educaiton Programs Associate position. The ideal candidate has programs experience and will provide thorough support to the Education Team and contribute to the streamlining of administrative processes within a growing organization. The Education Programs Associate will play a valuable role in the successful scaling of the SMASH program and the current programs at UC Berkeley, Stanford, and UCLA.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

This position will provide the successful candidate the opportunity to:

General

• Manage streamlining processes and documentation

• Maintain and organize both paper files and electronic files of student, alumni and parent contact and demographic information

• Manage all calendars and periodically update webpages.

• Maintain SMASH handbooks, documents, the operations manual and SMASH Program Manual.

• Organize and maintain SMASH inventory

• Update and maintain a current & active internship, scholarship, fellowship and mentorship databases for scholars and alums; provide administrative support for the management of information, data and materials with partner organizations

• Provide support in creating volunteer opportunities and coordinating volunteer schedules

• Arrange travel for Education Team to national SMASH sites and conferences

• Attend meetings with the Education Team to determine administrative program needs

• Provide administrative support for seasonal hiring of Academic and Residential teams

• Purchase laptops and tech equipment for national SMASH programs

• Translate written documents from English to Spanish, as needed

• Answer the general LPFI phone line

Local Programs

• Manage administrative functions for SMASH program needs

• Work with Education Team to co-manage or lead logistics for education events, academic year workshops, social and volunteer activities including sending out invitations, ensuring attendance & RSVPs, reserving rooms, food and beverage needs, clean-up, etc.

• Communicate with scholars, alums and their families about upcoming events and workshops and attendance issues

• Track scholars' and alums' meeting attendance, academic records, and scholarship disbursements, as well as records needed to determine eligibility for SMASH scholarships

• Provide administrative support during SMASH Academy.

• Be available for weekend meetings and events throughout the year and in particular, March through August

Financial Support

• Work with accounting staff to ensure accurate and timely payments to vendors, reimbursements to staff.

• Support with annual auditing needs and documentation.

QUALIFICATIONS

The successful candidate for this position will be able to demonstrate the following qualifications:

• 4 year degree in an education-related field and/or 2 years of experience in education administration

• A minimum of 2 years administrative experience in a fast-paced, nonprofit setting
• Excellent organizational, multi-tasking and time management skills including the ability to successfully manage multiple projects with many stakeholders at once
• Extreme attention to detail

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite software (Word, Excel, PPT, Outlook, Zimbra) and Google Docs, with the ability to: create spreadsheet reports that include formulas, graphs, or pivot tables; designing and formatting presentation-ready documents with images and text boxes, create and send advanced mail merges
• Understanding of and sensitivity to the barriers that students of color face in accessing higher educatio; Demonstrated effectiveness working with low-income underrepresented youth preferred
• Strong verbal/written communication skills and financial skills

• Ability to adapt quickly to changing situations and circumstances; ability to work efficiently both independently and collaboratively

• Ability to work some nights and weekends as required for some program events and workshops

• Access to a vehicle during the summer component of SMASH program (mid-June through July)

• Comfortable with exploring and learning new technologies
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite a plus

• Accessible to students and families

• Position requires lifting up to 15 pounds for ¼ of the time

• Good sense of humor

• Spanish fluency preferred
• Commitment to our Organizational Values: Focus on Impact; Strengthen our Communities; Balance Passion and Practicality; Experiment, Evaluate, Modify, Implement; Be a Strong Link in the Chain; Celebrate and Have Some Fun.

Salary details

Compensation $40-$45K a year depending on experience

Benefits

Excellent benefits package including medical, dental, vision, life/disability insurance, paid time off, 401k, volunteer time and flexible spending accounts (i.e. parking, transit, medical and dependent care).

Statement of Non-Discrimination

In keeping with our beliefs and goals, no employee or applicant will face discrimination/ harassment based on: race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, age, gender, marital/ domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, or veteran status. Above and beyond discrimination/ harassment based on "protected categories," Level Playing Field Institute also strives to prevent other, subtler forms of inappropriate behavior (e.g., stereotyping) from ever gaining a foothold in our office. Whether blatant or hidden, barriers to success have no place at Level Playing Field Institute.

HOW TO APPLY

Apply for this position by clicking here. The application includes a place to upload you resume, cover letter and provide a written response to specific prompts. This position closes on January 15, 2015 or until filled.