Certification Program Counselor - CT/RI

About Achievement First

Achievement First (AF) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization supporting 39 public charter schools across New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. For more than 25 years, AF has been recognized as one of the top tuition-free public charter school networks in the country. We are committed to creating schools of academic excellence within nurturing environments — schools that prepare students to be college-ready and to pursue and succeed in whatever paths they choose in life.

The majority of AF students are Black and Latinx children from low-income families, many of whom will be the first in their families to graduate from college. Across our network, we employ more than 2,200 staff members — 64% of whom identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color — who collectively educate nearly 15,000 students in Brooklyn and Queens, NY; New Haven, Bridgeport, and Hartford, CT; and Providence and Cranston, RI.

Our mission is to prepare every student to excel in college, career, and life; deepen their understanding of self and community; and lead lives of purpose. We believe in the limitless potential within our students and their power to shape a more just society. That belief drives our deep commitment to student achievement: we aim to set a high bar for learning and create warm, demanding classrooms where rigorous instruction is paired with the care, encouragement, and consistency every student deserves.

We are looking for a strategic and dynamic Certification Program Counselor to join our Talent team.

Your Impact

Reporting to the Senior Director of Teacher and Leader Certification, the Certification Program Counselor ensures Achievement First meets state certification compliance requirements while supporting educators in successfully obtaining full certification. This role combines certification expertise, employee advising, and state compliance management to strengthen the educator workforce and ensure all staff are progressing toward certification benchmarks. 

The Certification Program Counselor provides direct support to approximately 200 educators annually who are pursuing full certification and ensures employees remain on track with required milestones, including testing, preparation program enrollment, and college-level coursework.

Certification Pathway Counseling & Progress Monitoring

• Facilitate regular meetings with school leaders to support certification compliance and employee progress.
• Develop individualized certification plans for employees based on their role, credentials, and state requirements in collaboration with school leaders, with clear benchmarks.
• Facilitate educator certification support meetings to provide pathway information, program support, and technical assistance; document meetings with action-oriented recaps.
• Maintain regular office hours for employees and the school leaders.
• Maintain a dashboard to track employee progress. 
• Collect employee credentials and maintain employee certification files.

Certification Expertise and State Engagement

• Serve as the regional expert on educator certification requirements, pathways, and educator preparation programs.
• Produce and maintain certification guidance materials for teachers, leaders, and teaching assistants.
• Serve as the liaison between Achievement First and the State Department of Education certification offices.
• Attend regular state meetings to support certification priorities.

Certification Program Partnership Coordination

• Build and maintain the regional educator preparation program calendar, including admissions, academic, and enrollment deadlines.
• Coordinate partnerships with certification programs and preparation providers.
• Review tuition support applications and manage the approval process.
• Generate required program documentation, including role verification forms.
• Serve as the regional liaison for Rhode Island’s Credential Review Certification Pathway Program.

Compliance Monitoring & Employee Accountability

• Monitor certification trackers for data accuracy and create regional reports to provide progress updates on compliance. 
• Conduct outreach to facilitate the collection of credentials. 
• Partner with the ER Director to support the issuance of employee accountability communications. 

Certification Onboarding, Application Support 

• Oversee regional application workflow to ensure on-time submission of applications; generate district letters and supporting materials.
• Review and submit district applications to the state.

Transcript & Pathway Evaluation

• Review college transcripts and identify certification pathways following organizational benchmarks.
• Review credentials for teaching assistants and determine position eligibility.

Skills You’ll Have

All candidates for this position will support AF core values, lead innovation, and manage projects to ensure our team, like our schools, are setting a high bar in all areas and pursuing it relentlessly. Bachelor’s degree preferred, or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience in a similarly, fast-paced work environment.

An ideal candidate will have the following experience and qualification:

• Bachelor’s degree in education, non-profit management, business, human resources or related field, required. 
• Teacher and/or Coaching Certification and/or previous Charter School experience, preferred. 
• Previous experience, minimum 3 years,  in one or more of the following:  program coordination; employment/career counseling; community organization; education, non-profit or government work experience, required. 
•  Fluency in data management & analysis and/or data tracking, required. 
• Experience with Microsoft Office or Google Workspace, required.
• Fluency in ADP or other compliance systems, preferred.
• Previous experience in Project Management, a plus.
• Transcript evaluation skills, preferred. 

In addition, the following characteristics are required to be successful on this team:

• Results-oriented individual who can independently troubleshoot as obstacles arise.
• Detail-orientation – one who takes pride in planning and execution.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills. 
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships with school staff.
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a broader team in a fast- paced environment.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to prioritize multiple tasks, effectively.
• Ability to manage a project from start to finish. 
• Belief in the Achievement First mission and educational model 
• Maturity, humility, strong work ethic, sense of humor, and “roll-up-my-sleeves” attitude. 
• Strong ethics and ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality. 
• Confident in interacting with and influencing individuals at all levels within the organization.  Must be able to professionally coach and guide, as necessary. 

Travel Expectations 

This is a hybrid role. The expectation is that the person in the role would be able to come into the Network Support office or schools in the region (NYC, CT, or RI) at least 3 days a week. There may be additional travel to regions outside of your own on a monthly basis or as needed. Candidates must reside within the region for which they are applying (Connecticut, New York, or Rhode Island) or plan to relocate at their own expense prior to the start date. 

Compensation

Achievement First sets salaries are set through a lens of equity, and based on the requisite skills, education, and experience relevant to the role.  The salary for this position is $85,295.28.  In order to uphold our commitment to equity, Achievement First does not negotiate pay.  Additionally, Achievement First offers to all regular, full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package that includes paid time off, medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, a 403(b) retirement benefit package with match, and paid Family Leave.

Achievement First is an equal opportunity employer and an organization that values diversity. People from all diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. Spanish language proficiency is a plus. You can learn more about diversity at Achievement First here: http://achievementfirst.org/about-us/diversity/