Foster Programs System Specialist (Academic Support Specialist IV)

Title: Foster Programs System Specialist (Academic Support Specialist IV)

Salary Range: $48,168 (Min)- $60,204 (Mid) (Salary is to commensurate with education/experience and internal equity)

Contract Term Length: 12 Months

Standard Hours: 37.5

Work Location: Hybrid

FLSA Status: Exempt

College: KCTCS System Office

Campus Location: KCTCS System Office

Department: SO/Provost

Total Rewards

KCTCS System Office offers a competitive benefits package and an attractive work environment that supports excellence, innovation, and creativity, including:

• Exceptional health care, vision, and dental coverage for you and your family
• Tuition reimbursement/waiver for you, your spouse, and dependents
• 403(b) retirement plan: a 5% employee contribution receives a 10% employer match
• Vacation/Sick Time
• Work-Life Balance
• 9.5 Paid Holidays
• 2 Weeks Institutional Closing Pay (Last 2 weeks of December) for qualifying positions
• Employee Assistance Program

Job Summary

Provide direct support to students in the Earn and Learn & Fostering Success Programs by: 1) Collaborating with local colleges and adult education centers in areas including, but not limited to, financial aid, advising, faculty relations, and student services to insure the success of eligible former foster youth as they transition to adulthood; 2) Collaborating with the grant funder to determine eligibility for the programs and marketing the programs to recruit potential students; and 3) Responsible for leading the grant funder and exteranlly grant funder contracted agencies in creating opportunities for paid work experience, including the monitoring of paid experience hours, onboarding, and reporting. Will assist with administration of grant in regards to reporting and providing expert knowledge on the Foster Care System and grant funder policies.

Positions with the KCTCS System Office located in Versailles, KY are term-contract positions, with the expectancy of continuance based on performance.

KCTCS offers a hybrid work schedule with a requirement to be onsite a minimum of 3 days per work week. Hybrid work schedules are subject to periodic review and may be modified or terminated at any time

Job Duties:

Recruitment and support of Earn and Learn and Fostering Success participants. Work with grant funder and internal departments to enroll eligible former foster youth in KCTCS academic/workforce programs or adult education. Includes, but is not limited to: verifying eligibility and direct support in overcoming non-academic and academic barriers to enrollment. Provides registration and advising support once barriers are removed, including selecting career pathways and goal setting. Works with grant funder on selecting eligible participants via an interviewing process.

Monitoring and onboarding of Earn and Learn and Fostering Succcess participants. Coordinate with KCTCS and adult education faculty to monitor attendance and progress. Works with grant funder contracted agencies to report paid time and assists with onboarding to contracted agencies.

Reporting and Administration assistance: Assists principal investigator to develop reporting per the grant funder contract, including working with principal investigator, ORPA, and IT on developing data reporting and tracking as required in contract.

Engagement: Internal engagement with faculty and staff to promote program and overcome systematic barriers to program success. External engagement in developing paid work experience opportunities for Foster Success participants and developing/finding resources for overcoming student barriers.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's Degree and four (4) years of relevant experience or equivalent.  

Preferred Qualifications:

Master's in Social Work, Education, or related field.

Additional Skills Requested:

Previous experience working with other Department for Community Based Services grants, especially those related to former foster youth in the postsecondary arena.

Typical office setting that will require some overnight travel to colleges and external partners.

This position requires significant knowledge of Department for Community Based Services policies for former foster youth and how that intersects with postsecondary education/adult education. Weight should be given to experience and knowledge of former foster your polices over postsecondary education knowledge.

Employee Rights - Employee Polygraph Protection Act

Equal Opportunity Employer - The Kentucky Community and Technical College System is an equal educational and employment opportunity institution.