Career Pathways Director

Position Overview

City Year Greater Boston (CYGB) is seeking a strategic, organized, and collaborative Career Pathways Director. Guided by the organization’s strategic plan, this individual will launch and lead the next generation of career support programming for AmeriCorps members.   

About City Year  

City Year AmeriCorps Members serve in schools full-time, helping students build academic habits and mindsets necessary to succeed in school and in life. During their year of service, ACMs are entrusted with a high level of responsibility and leadership opportunities that have lasting impact - on students, schools, and on their own personal and professional development. 

Position Scope and Impact 

The Career Pathways Director is a newly created role that will work collaboratively across the organization to develop a year round calendar of programming and experiences that ensure structured career pathways for City Year AmeriCorps members. In a challenging and evolving job market, this role is critical to strengthening the value proposition of a year of service and creating clear, accessible pathways to economic mobility for those who choose to serve. 

Internally, the Director will collaborate across teams to align on the durable skills and key experiences that drive professional opportunity, and will co-create a comprehensive, year-round professional development calendar that ensures consistent access, exposure, and skill-building for currently serving AmeriCorps members. 

Externally, the Director will build strategic partnerships with colleges, universities, companies and community organizations to create career pathways including but not limited to life sciences, healthcare/nursing, and technology while enhancing current tracks into education, business and professional services. The role will also contribute to the site’s alumni engagement, ensuring continued career support for recently graduated alumni while also leveraging the strong City Year alumni network to identify pathway opportunities for AmeriCorps members. 

The Career Pathways Director is a hybrid role, with 2 days a week in the office.  The Career Pathways Director will report to the Chief of Staff.  

Responsibilities 

Build Strategic Partnerships  

• Establish partnerships with colleges and universities to identify degree and certification opportunities. 

• In collaboration with the Impact team, expand the network of external partners. participating in AmeriCorps member professional development experiences, including skill-building workshops, panels, and lunch-and-learns. 

• In collaboration with the Teaching Fellowship team, develop partnerships that increase the pipeline of math and science applicants to the program. 

• In collaboration with the Development team, secure corporate pathway partnerships within the life sciences, technology, and business sectors. 

Advance Career Pathways 

• Leverage and further develop a landscape analysis conducted by CYGB to finalize a plan to prioritize and advance career pathways in industries including life sciences, technology, and business sectors.  

• Launch technology and life science pathways with established educational and career partnerships by 2027. 

• Expand the business & professional services pathway through additional career partnerships and at least one business certification partnership by 2027. 

• Launch a healthcare/nursing pathway with an established educational partnership by 2028. 

• In collaboration with the Teaching Fellowship team, support expansion of alternative education pathways. 

AmeriCorps Member Career Support 

• Collaborate across the site to develop and manage an annual calendar of professional development and career support opportunities. 

• Lead the AmeriCorps Member Mentorship Program. 

• Pilot a job shadowing program with the goal of future expansion. 

• Design and implement panel discussions and lunch-and-learn series aligned to key career pathways. 

• Co-lead City Year’s Career Day and increase the number and frequency of Career Days. 

• Facilitate skill-building sessions aligned with individual expertise and organizational priorities. 

Alumni Engagement 

• Beginning with the 26-27 AmeriCorps member cohort, provide ongoing career guidance and support for recently graduated members. 

• Activate the alumni community to support professional development and career connections for currently serving AmeriCorps members through networking events, session facilitation, and systemized informational interviews. 

Evaluate and Report Impact 

• In alignment with long-term outcomes, set annual goals for the AmeriCorps Member Mentorship and job shadow programs, panel series, Career Day, and new career development initiatives. 

• Partner with the Director of Analytics to design and implement evaluation systems that measure career preparedness and placement outcomes for AmeriCorps members, while strengthening tracking of recent alumni. 

• Regularly review and apply data insights to inform decision-making, continuous improvement, and strategic planning. 

Organizational Initiatives & Site Support  

• Support sitewide initiatives, including fundraising events, Learning & Development Days (LDDs), AmeriCorps member appreciation events, and team days. 

• Organize, lead, and/or assist in executing special projects that may fall outside the scope of regular duties. The specific responsibilities and purpose of special projects may vary.  

• Assume other tasks as delegated by supervisor.  

Previous Experience 

• Partnership Development: Demonstrated ability to build and maintain strategic partnerships with colleges, universities, companies and community organizations. 

• Youth Development: Demonstrated ability to coach and develop young adults. 

• Project/Event Management: Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects and events that involve many internal and external stakeholders.  

Skills & Competencies 

• Organizational Skills: Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines. 

• Data Analysis: Proficiency in collecting and analyzing data to measure program impact and inform decision-making. 

• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills for reporting and relationship-building. 

• Problem-Solving: Strong problem-solving skills to develop creative solutions for program challenges. 

• Collaborative Mindset: Ability to work collaboratively with various stakeholders, including students, schools, companies and community organizations. 

• Adaptability: Flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances and the needs of the program.