Academic Coach

ORGANIZATION

Rainier Scholars is a comprehensive academic enrichment program that supports students of color over a 12-year journey – from 5th grade to college graduation. We seek to serve those who are most under-represented on college campuses and have the greatest number of barriers to achieving a college education: 85% qualify as low-income, 90% would be the first in their family to earn a college degree. Our program offers rigorous academics, leadership development and personalized support for scholars, providing access to educational pathways and myriad opportunities previously unimagined. 

With a budget size of $10 million, a staff team of 50+ full-time employees and 715+ scholars and families whom we currently serve in Seattle and Tacoma, Rainier Scholars has established a positive brand for our unwavering commitment to education, proven success rate, and sustainable impact. We grow new generations of diverse college graduates, career professionals, and community leaders. 
 

POSITION SUMMARY

The Academic Coach provides direct, ongoing individual support to Rainier Scholars students in 6th – 12th grade who are currently enrolled at various public and private schools. The Academic Coach works collaboratively with other departments and staff to ensure that scholars sustain high academic achievement at their schools and connect with appropriate services when needs arise.

The tasks listed below provide a general framework of this position's responsibilities. Flexibility and a commitment to continued quality improvement are essential at Rainier Scholars. 

KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Scholar Support & Coaching (60%) 

• Meet consistently with 50-60 assigned students, providing academic and emotional support through face-to-face contact to support students striving for academic excellence and engagement in their schools and communities. 


• Understand each student’s academic progress, including collecting class schedules and grade reports. 


• Report regularly on challenges and progress, submitting complete reports by established deadlines to provide appropriate and timely responses and support. 


• Evaluate the needs of students and implement new ideas and supports based on those needs, often in collaboration with other Rainier Scholars team members and staff. 


• Keep assigned students informed about activities and opportunities at Rainier Scholars and counsel students to take advantage of best fit opportunities. 

Family & School Engagement (25%) 

• Regularly interact with parents/guardians of assigned students to develop trusting relationships. 

• Build and maintain relationships with appropriate public and independent school personnel. 

• Maintain ongoing communication with supervising and support staff regarding significant issues impacting assigned students. 

Facilitation & Program Support (15%) 

• Collaborate with the Leadership and Careers team to support the planning, coordination, and facilitation of student workshops.  

• Support with homework center, and under the guidance of the AC manager, assist with learning support duties. 

• Lead small group discussions and support other scholar programming, including Academic Enrichment, as needed. 

Other programmatic, operational, and organizational responsibilities may be assigned. 

The successful candidate will be able to: 

• Prioritize projects effectively, take initiative, demonstrate resourcefulness, and respond flexibly to changing work demands. 

• Demonstrate strong organizational skills, time management, attention to detail, and follow-through. 

• Support the culturally, racially, linguistically, and economically diverse population we serve. 

• Show exceptional judgment and integrity, including maintaining confidentiality as appropriate. 

• Demonstrate a passion for working with and mentoring students. 

• Demonstrate a professional presence, strong interpersonal skills, and excellent written and verbal communication skills (including public speaking).

QUALIFICATIONS

REQUIRED: 

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field. 

• 2+ years of professional working experience. 

• Access to a vehicle, a valid driver's license, and active insurance coverage (federal mileage reimbursement for work travel is provided). 

• Experience working with students and families of color.  

• Service mentality towards families, with the ability to exercise discretion and good judgment when handling confidential information. 

• Functional knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Adobe), Google Docs, SharePoint, and familiarity with databases (Salesforce) and ease with analyzing data. 

DESIRED: 

• Bilingual proficiency in Spanish.   

• Knowledge and/or experience working with independent/private schools; this could include knowledge/awareness of the local Seattle independent/private school landscape. 

• Preference will be given to candidates who majored in education, youth development, sociology, psychology, social work, or a closely related field. 

Note: This role is not a school counselor position. Candidates with a school counseling degree or an advanced degree in psychology are encouraged to review the job responsibilities carefully to ensure alignment with their skills and career goals.

COMPENSATION, BENEFITS & WORKING ENVIRONMENT   
Compensation for this role is $30.77- $32.69/hr (equivalent to $64,000 – $68,000 annually), commensurate with experience and qualifications. This is a full-time, non-exempt position. Rainier Scholars offers employer-paid medical and dental benefits, employer-paid life and AD&D insurance, 403(b) retirement plan with employer match, generous vacation, all-staff holiday closure, personal days, sick leave, and holiday pay.

Rainier Scholars is a workplace committed to wellness and sustainability. This is a hybrid role based out of our Seattle office. This role will regularly require work in the evenings and weekends which could include, but is not limited to, attendance at meetings or events outside of regular office hours. This affords a flexible schedule and remote work options with the understanding that those hours will be shifted during the week to accommodate a 40-hour work week.

Priority consideration will be given to candidates who submit their application by July 6, 2026. Position will remain open until filled.

Our work is rooted in ensuring that people from marginalized communities have the opportunity to thrive in education and careers that they are passionate about. Rainier Scholars is an equal opportunity employer committed to promoting an equitable and inclusive environment for our scholars, families, and staff. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and strongly encourage people of color, first-generation college graduates, and people from working-class backgrounds to apply.