Career Pathways Coordinator (Grades 6-12)

Urbana School District #116

TITLE: Career Pathways Coordinator (Grades 6-12)

LOCATION: Urbana High School (office site) Urbana Middle School Urbana Sixth Grade

Center

SUPERVISOR: Urbana High School Principal

The Career Pathways Coordinator (Grades 612) supports implements and sustains a comprehensive equitable career readiness system that prepares students for postsecondary success in college careers trades and life. This role serves as a connector across middle and high school settings aligning career exploration academic planning Career Technical Education (CTE) AVID and work-based learning to ensure all students especially those historically underserved have access to meaningful pathways and opportunities. The Coordinator will collaborate closely with counselors administrators teachers families higher education partners trade unions and business and industry leaders to build meaningful pathways from grade 6 through graduation and beyond.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

CAREER PATHWAYS DEVELOPMENT (GRADES 6-12)

• Design support and continuously improve a structured developmentally appropriatecareer-readiness framework aligned with the Illinois PaCE Framework.
• Support career exploration awareness and planning beginning in grade 6 andextending through postsecondary transition.
• Assist students and families in developing and monitoring individualized career andeducational plans.
• Support student transitions (6th to middle school middle to high school high schoolto postsecondary pathways).
• Operationalize the Portrait of a Graduate through aligned PaCE implementationacross all grade bands (6th 7-8 and 9-12).
• Support career awareness experiences that build social awarenessself-management and goal-setting aligned to the Portrait of a Graduate.

COLLEGE CAREER AND WORK-BASED LEARNING

• Coordinate and support college and career fairs campus visits career panelsworkshops guest speakers and employer site visits to expose students to variouspathways.
• Build and sustain work-based learning opportunities including job shadowsinternships apprenticeships and youth employment experiences.
• Support dual credit and dual enrollment opportunities with a focus on expandingaccess for students of color and other underserved populations.
• Assist students and families with understanding graduation requirements promotionand postsecondary options.
• Advance the Districts Portrait of a Graduate by ensuring that career explorationpostsecondary planning and work-based learning experiences intentionally develop the academic social-emotional skills and competencies outlined in the Portrait.

CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION (CTE) AND AVID ALIGNMENT

• Collaborate with the CTE department to align academic programs with careerpathways and high-demand industry sectors.
• Collaborate and support the completion of documents that align with state and national CTErequirements.
• Support the integration of AVID strategies across CTE and core academic pathways.
• Assist with the development implementation evaluation and promotion of AVIDprograms in grades 612.
• Participate in AVID District Team and site team meetings professional learning andAVID Summer Institute.

PARTNERSHIPS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

• Serve as a primary liaison between district schools and external partners includingcommunity colleges four-year universities trade unions workforce agencies and local businesses.
• Proactively build and maintain partnerships that expand career exposure andpostsecondary access.
• Collaborate with chambers of commerce workforce development partners andcommunity organizations to identify high-growth industries and career trends.

COLLABORATION AND STUDENT SUPPORT

• Work closely with school counselors administrators department chairs andteachers as well as the UHS High School College and Career Coordinator and the GEAR Up Grant Coordinator to ensure a cohesive aligned college and career-readiness system.
• Support counseling teams in planning and coordinating events tied to the counselingcurriculum.
• Provide consultation and technical assistance to staff and families related to career.pathways the PaCE Framework CTE and AVID.
• Serve as a visible supportive presence for students across school sites.

COMMUNICATION OUTREACH AND MARKETING

• Assist with the development and maintenance of College and Career Readiness andPaCE content on district and school websites.
• Create newsletters presentations and marketing materials for students familiesand community stakeholders focused on Career Readiness and the PaCE Framework.
• Inform families and students of upcoming college and career events andopportunities.

DATA EVALUATION AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

• Collect analyze and use data to identify gaps in access and outcomes acrossstudent groups.
• Monitor student participation and progress within career pathways andpostsecondary preparation activities.
• Use data to inform program improvement and equitable resource allocation.
• Stay informed of emerging trends in education workforce development and industryneeds.
• Possess and maintain a working knowledge of the annual Urbana High School Course
• Description and Planning Guide.
• Maintain knowledge of the Urbana High School curriculum.
• Maintain knowledge and understanding of Illinois high school graduation requirements.
• Participate in ongoing professional development.
• Attend Board of Education meetings and prepare reports as requested.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Strong knowledge of college and career readiness systems postsecondary pathwaysand workforce development
• Understanding of the Illinois PaCE Framework CTE pathways and AVID Systems
• Ability to build and sustain collaborative partnerships
• Strong organizational project management and event coordination skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to analyze data to inform decisions and improve equity
• Cultural humility and commitment to equity and inclusion
• Ability to engage and motivate students across diverse backgrounds
• Proficiency with educational technology and data platforms

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelors degree from an accredited institution in education counseling socialsciences or a related field (required)
• Valid Illinois teaching school counseling or administrative certificate (required)
• Minimum of 35 years of experience in an educational setting
• Demonstrated experience with college and career readiness programming CTEworkforce development or postsecondary transitions
• Minimum of 5 years of successful secondary (6-12) teaching experience preferred
• Work-based learning certification preferred or willingness to acquire the certification
• Prior leadership coordination or program management experience preferred
• AVID experience or training preferred

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• Salary and Benefit information can be found on the Human Resources webpage.
• This is a position within the collective bargaining unit and is not an administrative position.
• Student Contact Days and other days stipulated on the work calendar in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement.
• This is an exempt position that will follow the teacher coordinators work calendar. 185 days with 20 additional days to be used as needed.

EVALUATION: The performance of this job will be evaluated in accordance with the

provisions of the Boards policy on the evaluation of professional personnel.

Start Date: ASAP

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Created: January 2026

Required Experience:

IC