Associate Director of College and Career Success

Breakthrough is the leading college access and success nonprofit 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 55% of Breakthrough students graduate from college, compared to 17% of low-income students in our region. Our work has resulted in more than 550 college graduates, with 4,000 on their way, positively impacting families for generations, our region’s educational access, and the Central Texas economy.

The Associate Director provides critical leadership to the college team, helping train and support this high-performing team to implement best practices in advising college students and high school graduates on their path to attain a bachelor’s degree, associate degree, or credential/certificate while pursuing their passions and preparing for their career. While the Director is responsible for setting the strategic vision of the team, the Associate Director is responsible for the execution of key parts of this strategy. To achieve the above, the Associate Director will: 

• Postsecondary Advising: Skillfully supports young adults in navigating the transition to and through postsecondary education by providing individualized guidance on institution and degree program fit, financial aid, registration and enrollment processes, degree progress, career exploration, and re-enrollment pathways. Coordinates support systems and campus resources to help students persist, address barriers, and maintain continuous enrollment, including applying the CASVE model when relevant.
• Student Advising: Demonstrates advising behaviors that build trust and foster student and family engagement, including active listening, effective goal-setting, and culturally competent delivery of high-quality postsecondary guidance. Manages an advising caseload with consistency and accountability while coordinating with teammates, volunteers, and campus partners to support student persistence and achievement of advising milestones.
• Data Tracking and Evaluation: Submits timely, accurate, and comprehensive case notes and program data while tracking and analyzing trends to inform student support strategies, improve program delivery, and ensure progress toward advising, persistence, and team goals. Uses data to prioritize action, strengthen operational effectiveness, and support continuous improvement efforts.
• Campus, Institutional, and Systemic Navigation and Partner Cultivation: Works effectively within schools, postsecondary institutions, and community systems to support student success. Establishes, manages, stewards, and addresses challenges with mission-critical external partnerships that sustainably enable Breakthrough’s work at institutions of higher education and in the community.
• Operational and Project Management: Ensures systems and resources are aligned to support success, organizes projects to stay in scope to meet outcomes, and adapts quickly and learns new skills as needed to ensure impact.
• Effective Collaboration: Works with colleagues across teams to improve outcomes, resolve conflicts, and use meeting time purposefully (including managing time toward clear agendas), while ensuring all participants in collaborative efforts are included and engaged.
• Managing Complexity: Exhibits sound judgment and inclusive decision making in ambiguous situations, responding with flexibility, agility, and a bias toward action.
• Talent Development: Coaches, provides effective feedback and training, and supports direct reports to set priorities, build skills, meet goals, and grow toward professional aims.
• Team Leadership and Culture: Sets priorities, delegates effectively, manages conflict, promotes inclusion, stewards team culture and climate, and coaches the team to ensure steady progress toward goals while maintaining a sense of belonging and connection.
• Strategic Thinking: Aligns team strategy with organizational goals and vision and navigates internal and external change with creativity, clarity, confidence, and compassion.

The Associate Director of College and Career Success will report to the Director of College and Career Success, Community College and Non-Traditional Pathways.