College Counselor - College Success
About the job
- A bachelor's degree is required.
- At least 2 years of experience in internship placement, student advising, and using data-driven methods to increase student success in internship completion.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to complete tasks accurately and on time.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and Outlook.
- Ability and willingness to work a flexible schedule, including evenings and some weekends.
- Commitment to the mission of Harlem Children's Zone.
- Manage a caseload of up to 65–70 or more college students using the appreciative advising model, with a focus on college transition, persistence, completion, and career readiness.
- Assist students with class selection and registration, financial aid renewal and verification, academic appeals, and college transfer and re-enrollment.
- Assist students with summer career opportunities, programs, and internships.
- Monitor progress toward educational goals and meet with students to review academic and financial eligibility and satisfactory progress toward graduation.
- Collaborate with Career Services to ensure students engage in and gain career awareness and exposure.
- Collaborate with the Social Services team to address socio-emotional issues.
- Provide support to HCZ and Promise Academy high school sites with college matching, financial aid, the application process, and transition from high school to the College Success Office.
- Collect and record college and career data for the full caseload, including transcripts, résumés, bills and schedules, financial aid information such as FAFSA, TAP, and Pell, and graduate confirmation.
- Create and implement Appreciative Advising Action Plans for each assigned student twice a year.
- Maintain updated student case files and records related to student progress and success, including bursar bills, class schedules and calendars, degree audits, and syllabi.
- Input daily and monthly case notes for assigned students.
- Collect students’ grades and transcripts twice a year.
- Maintain frequent and regular contact with students to monitor progress and troubleshoot academic, financial, and socio-emotional issues.
- Conduct college campus visits for students, transfer students, and high-need students.
- Conduct home visits for students who have limited contact or are at risk of becoming missing in action.
- Establish and maintain relationships with campus liaisons through ongoing communication and campus visits.
- Advocate for students with college and university offices, including financial aid, academic support, and admissions offices.
- Perform additional duties as assigned.
- A master's degree in Education, Counseling, or a related social services field is preferred.
About the company
Harlem Children’s Zone coordinates a place-based set of programs across early childhood through adulthood in Harlem to help children and families thrive. It operates directly through schools, community centers, and outreach to deliver education, career pathways, health and wellness, and family supports. Programs are integrated, meaning services at different stages coordinate for each family, rather than one-off initiatives. This approach distinguishes HCZ from peers by offering a wraparound, long-term support system in a single community, focusing on mobility and prosperity rather than only schooling. The goal is to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty by creating opportunities in education, work, and life for residents of Harlem.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
New York City, New York
Founded
1970
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- September 2026 Wealth Builds CSAs are live, with Ascensus and New York's 529 Program.
- HCZ opened Promise Academy II Elementary at 70 East 112th Street, expanding capacity.
- HCZ reports active hiring in 2026, with about 1,530 employees and 104 postings.
What critics are saying
- July 2026 fraud indictments stole $288,529 from HCZ; controls need tightening immediately.
- Wealth Builds depends on $300 million fundraising; a shortfall stalls expansion beyond Harlem.
- Scaling to ten cities strains execution, and charter politics can choke funding by 2027.
What makes Harlem Children's Zone unique
- HCZ runs cradle-to-career schooling, health, and family services inside a 97-block Harlem footprint.
- Wealth Builds pairs $500 CSAs with financial education, internships, and family wealth-building incentives.
- HCZ combines charter schools with social services, unlike standalone nonprofits or pure-school operators.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Life Insurance
Disability Insurance
Paid Vacation
Paid Sick Leave
Commuter Benefits
Employee Referral Bonus
Wellness Program
Hybrid Work Options
Employee Discounts
Company News
The New York Times: New hire in Newsroom Operations. Posted Monday, July 27, 2026 2:00 pm Juanita Powell-Brunson | The New York Times I am excited to share that Aubrey Armstrong has joined Newsroom Operations as an executive assistant. In this critical role, she will support Solana Pyne and Charlotte Greensit as the newsroom's video expansion continues to scale in complexity and output. Most recently Aubrey was an operations and project manager at Harlem Children's Zone in New York. She holds a B.A. in anthropology from the University of Texas at Austin and a master's in sociology from Arizona State University. She is endlessly curious and considers learning a lifelong pursuit. Outside of work, Aubrey enjoys baking and sharing the results with friends, running, walking outdoors, and taking barre pilates classes. She also loves getting creative through sewing, jewelry-making, photography and floral design, and is always working on a handmade gift for someone. She is an avid reader, a fan of live performances, a board game enthusiast, and loves hunting down the city's best bakeries - always accompanied by her Australian shepherd. Please join me in welcoming Aubrey to the team. She starts today. Juanita Powell-Brunson is director of Newsroom Operations at The New York Times.
William Julius Wilson Institute and EdRedesign host fourth annual Summer Institute.
The Harlem Children's Zone, an influential anti-poverty organization, said it is raising $300 million for an initiative called Wealth Builds that will launch in Upper Manhattan, where the group operates, and expand to 10 other cities, including Atlanta and Minneapolis.
Additive Agency LLC is proud to have partnered with Harlem Children's Zone (HCZ) to develop the name and visual identity for Wealth Builds, an innovative initiative designed to close the racial wealth gap and open pathways to social and economic mobility for more young people in more communities.
The Harlem Children's Zone, an influential anti-poverty organization, said it is raising $300 million for an initiative called Wealth Builds that will launch in Upper Manhattan, where the group operates, and expand to 10 other cities, including Atlanta and Minneapolis.