About the Northside Achievement Zone

The Northside Achievement Zone (NAZ) is building generational wealth in North Minneapolis by creating a culture of achievement in North Minneapolis where all low-income children have the support they need to graduate from high school and succeed in college, career, and life. Through deep partnership with families, schools, and community organizations, NAZ is transforming outcomes for children and reimagining what is possible for an entire community. 

NAZ envisions a prosperous North Minneapolis- where all children of color are healthy, secure and academically successful, ultimately realizing their unlimited potential. 

Position Summary

The Scholar Success Coach partners with scholars and families in North Minneapolis to illuminate a path to college and career and to leverage support along the way. The Scholar Success Coach builds trusting relationships, inspires a deep commitment from students (called “NAZ Scholars”), and parents and solidifies the belief that NAZ scholars will succeed in school, college, career and in life. The Scholar Success Coach will work with scholars and families to set developmental, academic and social and emotional goals to encourage behaviors that support enhanced academic outcomes and well-being, and connect them with promising and proven strategies to support success. Scholar Success Coaches are accessible to scholars and families by being co-located at NAZ anchor early childhood or K - 12 partner organizations. The location of the Scholar Success Coach determines their focus area. *Focus Areas: Early Childhood, Kindergarten-8th grade, High-School, college and career. 

Primary Responsibilities

Scholar Developmental and Academic Success:

• Work with scholars to develop individualized Scholar Success Plans.
• Stay current on academic resources to support scholars in early childhood programs, schools, extended learning programs and at home; and make relevant referrals.
• Maintain high expectations and a supportive environment that fosters scholar confidence, respect, and trust.
• Communicate scholar progress consistently by distributing and reviewing bi-weekly progress reports to families.

Family Engagement:

• Build strong, trusting relationships with scholars and their families focused on the academic success of scholars.
• Collaborate with parents to engage in goal setting in relation to their scholar’s developmental and academic goals. 
• Assist families in accessing resources and other wrap around supports designed to support scholar academic success and social emotional wellbeing.

Data Monitoring:

• Use developmental and academic data to support scholars and families in developing effective Success Plans to improve scholar academic and wellbeing.
• Develop & track goals for scholars to encourage, support, and facilitate progress on Success Plans that are maintained in the NAZ database. 
• Support parent’s ability to support their scholars along NAZ’s cradle to career pipeline.
• Maintain data integrity through daily documentation of all communication with scholars and families in the NAZ database.

Collaborative Communication:

• Work collaboratively with the NAZ Scholar Success Team, anchor early childhood programs and K-12 school staff, and Expanded Learning partners to coordinate developmental, academic, social-emotional and attendance support strategies.
• Engage in regular, transparent communication with scholars and families regarding scholar progress.
• Collaborate with internal NAZ staff to provide a unified and coordinated ecosystem of support for NAZ scholars and families. 
• Follow NAZ recruitment strategies and recruitment targets to reach, encourage, and sustain scholar enrollment and involvement in NAZ.
• Work with the Wealth Builds team to support Scholar Success within the program.

Professional Development:

• Participate in ongoing professional learning opportunities to improve skills and stay informed on best practices.
• Actively contribute to a learning-oriented team culture focused on scholar achievement.

Skills and Abilities

• A devotion and ability to build close relationships with scholars and their families, and the ability to motivate them through positive reinforcement.
• Ability to listen to and understand scholars’ academic needs, set goals and develop individualized plans focused on moving scholars toward successful academic outcomes.
• Ability to learn and grow through a professional development plan process and succeed within a results-oriented culture.
• Knowledge/willingness to learn about the barriers and effective solutions to family success in raising college ready children.
• Ability to Inspire scholars to engage and persist and recognize their achievements to help to build confidence.
• Communicate both verbally and in writing with scholars and their parents on goal-setting.
• Uphold a strong belief that children growing up in North Minneapolis are destined to be successful in their own meaningful way.

Minimum Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent and a minimum of two (2) years of experience working in an urban educational setting, including experience supporting the success of Black and Brown scholars. Equivalent combinations of education, training, and experience will be considered. 
• Displays a positive attitude and works to promote high morale within the co-located organization, as well as the NAZ ecosystem.
• Experience and proficiency with technology and the use of data management systems. 
• Previous knowledge of Google Workspace, ZOOM, and MAC OS is preferred, but not required.
• Maintains and keeps up to date, all contact, referrals, case-noting conversations, and goal progress for families.

Focus Areas:

• Early Childhood, K-12, college and career.

Preferred Experience

• North Minneapolis residents or knowledge of North Minneapolis.
• Ability to connect and work with scholars within a school/early childhood setting, to set goals and encourage developmental and academic achievement.
• Experience working with scholars to improve academic success.
• Experience with Salesforce database.

Working Conditions

• This is a hybrid role, and the individual will complete a portion of their work onsite at the NAZ Main Office or a partner site located in Minneapolis, MN.
• Work includes frequent walking, lifting, sitting, and bending.
• Regular operation of office equipment, including computers and office machines, is required.
• Occasional evenings and weekends may be required for special events and community engagement activities.
• Limited travel may be required.

Why Join NAZ?

At NAZ, you will join a passionate, mission-driven team committed to creating generational change in North Minneapolis. This role offers the opportunity to lead innovative wealth-building strategies that support long-term educational, social, and economic mobility for children and families.

Your work will directly contribute to expanding opportunities, strengthening community impact, and helping build pathways toward generational wealth and long-term success for North Minneapolis families.

Benefits: We offer a comprehensive Benefits Package, including Health, Dental, Vision, Disability & Life Insurance; Health or Flexible Spending Accounts; Lifestyle Spending Account; Retirement Plan; generous Paid Time Off; Support for Professional Development, and more! 

NAZ is a qualified employer under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)

Note: When applying, you must include a COVER LETTER & RESUME

NAZ is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.