Position: Postsecondary Support Coordinator

Position Status: Active

FTE: 0.25%

Agreement Dates: late spring 2026 (specific dates TBD) - June 30, 2027

Report to: Breakthrough Director of High School and Postsecondary Programs

Department: Staff

Supervisory Responsibilities: No

Pay Category: Non-Exempt

Pay Rate: $30 - $35 hourly, depending on experience

Pay Schedule: Semi-Monthly

Breakthrough Overview

Breakthrough San Francisco is a college access and teacher training program. In 2025-26, we’re serving approximately 250 students from across San Francisco. They make an eight-year commitment - from the summer after fourth grade until their high school graduation - with the goal of attending a four-year college. In addition, through our summer teacher residency, we train outstanding college students for education careers. Founded in 1993, we’re a community involvement initiative of San Francisco Day School and one of 25 affiliates of the national non-profit organization Breakthrough Collaborative. For more information, please visit www.breakthroughsf.org.

Position Summary

The Postsecondary Support Coordinator supports Breakthrough students as graduate high school and make the transition to their postsecondary plans. They provide support with the college admissions process, especially personal statement writing and financial aid applications. They also support Breakthrough students as they navigate college, assisting with course and major decisions, financial aid applications and appeals, accessing off-campus resources, and other needs. They build and maintain strong relationships with students, affirming their high potential. The Postsecondary Support Coordinator collaborates closely with the other members of our staff and reports to Breakthrough San Francisco’s Director of High School and Postsecondary Programs.

Responsibilities

Postsecondary Access

• Alongside the Director of High School and Postsecondary Programs, provide individualized college admissions support to eleventh - twelfth grade Breakthrough students. In particular, review students’ personal statements and PIQs, and guide them in completing the FAFSA, CSS Profile, and scholarship applications. 
• Lead workshops for high school seniors on the college admissions process.
• Arrange campus visits for Breakthrough students and presentations by college admissions officers.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with students and families, characterized by positive rapport and clear communication and affirming their high potential. Serve as an additional advocate and sounding board for students as they make their postsecondary plans. 

Postsecondary Success

• Alongside the Director of High School and Postsecondary Programs, plan and lead a summer workshop to support recent Breakthrough graduates with the upcoming college transition. 
• Hold 1:1 conversations with college students to talk through challenges including course and major decisions, extracurricular activities, managing finances, self-advocacy, sense of belonging, and transfer options. Provide support with financial aid applications and appeals.
• Support college students in accessing on- and off-campus resources related to mental health, academic support, summer internships, and career exploration.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with students, characterized by positive rapport and clear communication and affirming their high potential. 

Student Record Keeping and Communication 

• Support with email newsletters and Remind texts for high school and college students.
• Support with High School Program website, a source of information including grade-level calendars, college admissions presentations, and scholarships.
• Update student records as needed. 

Additional Expectations

• Collaborate effectively with other Breakthrough staff members, as well as staff at other Breakthrough sites nationally.
• Complete other projects as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• At least 2-3 years of experience with college access and/or success work with first-generation college students
• Strong communication and relationship building skills
• Extremely organized and dependable
• Demonstrated history of reflecting on own performance and striving for professional growth
• Commitment to increasing educational opportunity
• Commitment to honoring and celebrating all members of our diverse and inclusive community
• Fluency in Amharic, Cantonese, Spanish, Tigrinya, and/or Vietnamese a plus
• Familiarity with Breakthrough and/or San Francisco schools a plus

Commitment and Compensation

• Year-round, part-time, hourly position, starting late spring 2026
• Competitive compensation package, commensurate with education and experience and consistent with SF Day School personnel policies.

Applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis until March 30, 2026. 

Questions can be directed to Paola Bustos, Director of High School and Postsecondary Programs, at paola@breakthroughsf.org.

EEO

San Francisco Day School is an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment including the decision to hire will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. San Francisco Day School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition or history, pregnancy, expression, gender, sexual orientation,  gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under any federal, state, or local law. San Francisco Day School will provide reasonable accommodation(s) to all qualified candidates and all employees with disabilities, where their disability affects the performance of their essential job functions, except when doing so would create undue hardship. If you need assistance or need to request accommodations, please contact hr@sfday.org.

SF Day Community Expectations

In following these community expectations, we strive to create:

• A working environment for employees to feel grounded in purpose, seen, and respected at school.
• A learning environment for students to gain the skills and knowledge to grow into global citizens who care for themselves, each other, and our world.

Employees:

1. Are compassionate and kind to ourselves and others. We work together as active contributors in a connected community and focus on balance and wellness so we can show up fully for students. 
2. Are prepared. We have the appropriate training, knowledge, and skills regarding this age group's developmental characteristics and needs. We complete our responsibilities with professionalism and fidelity.
3. Are reflective and accountable. We take time to consider the intent and impact of our actions and repair the harm done for the betterment of the community.
4. Are lifelong learners. We are committed to continuous professional growth and lifelong learning.
5. Put the children first. We are child-centered, both in and out of the classroom. We treat each child as an individual with respect and dignity. We create a safe environment where students grow in autonomy and the ability to work and play together.
6. Partner with families. We believe in the importance of the home-school partnership and partner with families proactively and positively.
7. Communicate with professionalism and care. We communicate with professionalism and care to each other and our students.
8. Uphold high expectations for ourselves and our students. It is all of our work to create an environment that fosters personal integrity and social responsibility.

Teachers:

1. Are skilled at teaching their subject area and grade level(s).  We are constantly deepening and evolving our craft to ensure best practices. We know how we teach is as important as what we teach, and growth requires feedback, reflection, and change.
2. Understand the arc of child development. We align our pedagogy and content to this developmental arc.
3. Create an engaging, culturally responsive classroom. We recognize and value the importance of actively engaging students’ learning. We honor students’ cultural displays of learning and respond positively and constructively. 
4. Plan for predictable variability in the learning profiles of students. We provide multiple means of representation and engagement, as well as support and extension in what we teach and assess.
5. Provide clear, consistent classroom norms and logical consequences. We provide feedback to students with clarity and care and guide them through the reflective and restorative process. Students know what routines to expect and what’s expected of them to support them in becoming empowered learners and responsible school community members. 
6. Provide clear learning goals and objectives. We align to content area scope and sequence. We ensure that students know what they are learning when they are learning it, and why they are learning it.

This job description supersedes all prior job descriptions and is intended to describe the general content and essential requirements for the position listed above. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of requirements, duties, and responsibilities. Management reserves the right to add or change the duties of this position as required at any time.

All employment with San Francisco Day School is at will and shall continue only upon the mutual consent of the School and the employee. This means that an employee may terminate their employment with the School at any time with or without cause or prior notice and that the School may terminate an employee’s employment at any time with or without cause or prior notice.