Who we are

Across the country, college completion rates are abysmal. Here in California, for instance, just over a quarter of students enrolled at a California State University (CSU) campus graduate within four years. Of students who do graduate from college, around four in 10 end up underemployed in a first job. Traditionally underserved populations — like working students, parent learners, and those who are the first in their families to attend college — disproportionately suffer.

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We think this status quo is unacceptable. Rivet School is college built for real life — a new type of college experience designed from the ground up to support traditionally underserved students. Rivet School students earn an accredited, job-relevant bachelor’s degree in as little as 2-3 years, and for around $10,000 total.

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​​Rivet School is a fast-growing nonprofit currently supporting ~420 students across California, LA, Chicago, and New Orleans, and aiming to enroll another 200 new students by 2025. We’re a tight-knit, supportive, and diverse team of almost 40.  ‍

Why we need you

As we work to recruit more Riveters and grow our impact, we’ll need more capacity to support a growing number of new applicants. We’re not here to duplicate the traditional admissions experience where a student can get lost in the countless tasks and to-dos needed to enroll in college. Instead, we think innovatively about how to offer a different admissions experience, one that is streamlined, easy-to-navigate, and supportive. We’re quick on our feet when problems arise, and we make decisions with our students in mind. As our next Admissions Specialist, you’ll work on the front lines, managing and supporting all aspects of our admissions process alongside the rest of our admissions team. 

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We need you to work directly with prospective students, advising on program fit, helping to navigate federal financial aid and alternative financing options, and preparing them for handoff to our Credit Evaluation/Financial Planning Specialist. 

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As an Admissions Specialist, you’ll be managed by Alanza Mirabella, Senior Admissions Manager, and will work directly with a team of Admissions Specialists. Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Pipeline support/Applicant Management (~95% of the role):
  • You’ll complete 1:1 calls with prospective fellows, track follow-ups for your assigned cohort of prospects, offer application support, review submitted applications and support Onboarding students to confirm a viable financial plan before you hand them off to our Credit Eval/Financial Planning Specialist.
  • You’ll also support the team by leading one student Orientation per month to help our incoming students prepare for their Rivet School Onboarding.
  • Operations: Keep detailed and organized data by inputting student information into our CRM, maintaining airtight task documentation, and consistently following internal processes. 
• Admissions Projects (~5% of the role): Outside of executing your daily work, you’ll also think critically about how we communicate with applicants, how we manage our admissions process and pipeline, and how we can best set up new students for success. You’ll do this by working with the admissions team on strategic projects to support prospective students through the admissions pipeline (e.g. leading conversion strategies at each stage of the pipeline). 

Who you are

Below we list some of the specific skills, experiences, and dispositions we're looking for in a candidate. We also don't expect all strong candidates to excel at each and every one of these skill areas! So if you're intrigued by this role, but have less familiarity with one of the bullets below, we strongly encourage you to apply anyway.

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Characteristics & qualities

• You have a deep interest in helping traditionally underserved students access opportunity. A typical Riveter is in their late 20s; a first-generation college student; Black, Latino, and/or AAPI; a parent or has significant family responsibilities; and has previously enrolled in and stopped out of college. You understand that our current education system discriminates against low-income people and people of color in systemic ways, and you want to be part of changing outcomes.
• You’re a “people person” who draws energy from relationships and working with others. You are exceptional at quickly building rapport with people that you’ve just met. You’re charismatic, but more importantly, you care.
• You sweat the small stuff and are meticulous about documenting, communicating, and organizing your work.
• You love using technology, and have a knack for using and customizing tech systems. Bonus points if you’re proficient in Google Docs, Google Sheets, and/or Salesforce.
• You hustle (in the best sense of the word) and are relentless in pursuing your goals. You love the thrill of a big, meaningful challenge and aren’t easily discouraged by setbacks.
• You’re creative, adaptable, and like variety. You’re a fast learner and are comfortable navigating complexity and ambiguity.
• You’re an excellent writer and a keen communicator. You can readily tailor a message for a variety of audiences.
• You have experience in applying for federal financial aid using the FAFSA or helping others do so. We especially welcome candidates who have worked in an educational institution’s financial aid office, have helped students complete the FAFSA, and/or have helped students navigate financial aid options and resources. For those without this experience, training will be provided.
• You have experience navigating the college transfer process or have helped others do so. We’re particularly interested in candidates who have worked in an educational institution’s college transfer office or have supported students to complete the transfer process.

Our Core Value Expectations

• Not Yet: You’re open & receptive to feedback, acknowledging gaps and taking steps to correct them.
• No BS: You are honest, communicative, and balance competing interests appropriately, and help foster an environment in which the full team can do the same. 
• We are the Riveters: You treat Fellows and team members as whole people with whole lives and do not shame team members or fellows for falling short of expectations.
• Own the Journey: You adopt a low-ego, self-responsible approach to work and collaboration, taking accountability for mistakes and proactively seeking solutions to challenges.

Work experience and background

• You should have experience in direct student work — and you might also be a savvy problem solver with a track record showing how you meet or exceed your goals. We’re particularly interested in candidates that have worked in some type of student enrollment, financial aid support, matriculation capacity, or higher education fields prior to this role. 
• You’ve likely worked on a team towards a shared goal or objective — perhaps working towards sales goals, recruitment targets, or student enrollment goals.
• In general, we define “work experience” broadly, and we care as much about work experience as we do your character, potential, and belief in our mission of building a better college experience for low-income and working students.
• ‍We do not absolutely require a bachelor’s degree, but we do view it as an asset. Rivet School also supports staff members without a BA on their pathway to earning a college degree. We also are particularly enthusiastic about candidates who share proximity to our learners — candidates who worked while attending college, attended a community college en route to a BA, were an adult or parent learner, or in some other way deviated from the so-called “traditional” pathway.

Why you should apply

As a member of our admissions team, you’ll play a crucial role in taking Rivet School to the next level. Your work will directly impact the organization’s ability to grow and serve thousands of students in the coming years.

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You’ll also join a committed, high-performing, thoughtful, and very fun (if we say so ourselves) team. On our quarterly surveys in 2023, our team members rated (with a 100% response rate) an average 4.9 out of 5 on the question "My manager creates a trusting and open environment," and 4.8 out of 5 for "I would recommend Rivet School as a great place to work.”

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Here’s what a few team members say about working at Rivet School:

I've never worked in a more supportive organization. The team fosters a culture of collaboration and openness that makes me feel comfortable bringing my whole self to work everyday.

It’s hard to imagine a better workplace. Team members are genuine, empathetic, open to feedback, and competent.

Collaborative work is woven into the Rivet School culture. As an introvert who usually prefers to work alone, I find collaborating with my team to be fun, productive, and supportive.

I appreciate our open discussions on race, equity and inclusion and how each of us takes responsibility to use this lens in our work.

Learn more about the Rivet School team on our website here, or on Glassdoor. 

The nitty gritty

• We’re currently hiring for one position and will consider another strong candidate for a future team opening. For our current open position, the target start date is end of January to early February. For strong candidates we’ll consider for future team openings, the target start date is estimated for April 2025. We’re looking to fill this role as soon as possible, and will consider applications as they’re submitted.

• This is a full-time role. We're flexible on location, and are open to a fully remote team member. Because many of our applicants and students work during the day, 1:1 admissions support often happens in the late afternoon or evening. Ideally, you’ll be comfortable working shifted hours (for instance, 11am - 7pm PST) for up to 3 days per week. 
• We offer comprehensive health benefits (medical, dental, vision, and life), including 50% premium support for dependents. We also offer 15 days of PTO per year, 17 recognized holiday days off in 2025 + 3 Rivet Rest Days, 10 days of Wellness Time (formerly known as sick time), access to a professional development fund, and generous leave policies (parental leave, bereavement, etc.).
• To ensure equity in our hiring process, we assess candidates using pre-set questions, and evaluate each step in the hiring process against a pre-set rubric. The steps in this hiring process are as follows: Initial application form (below), phone screen (30 minutes), performance task (75 minutes), video interview (60 minutes), final-round video interview (2 hours), and reference checks. While we reserve the right to adjust this process, we’re committed to holding all candidates to the same process and sharing updates as soon as possible. 
• At Rivet School, we use a competency-based hiring and leveling framework to ensure equity and fairness in promotions and compensation. For this position, we are open to candidates with a wider variety of experience levels. The associated salary range for these levels is $58,900 - $60,900.

Rivet School works to upend historically entrenched inequities by reimagining the post-secondary school experience, especially for first-generation and non-traditional students. We commit to living our mission and values by hiring a diverse team, and especially welcome candidates who reflect the identities and experiences of the students we serve — who are majority parents, Black and Latinx, and low to middle-income — to apply.

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As an equal opportunity employer, Rivet School is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified individuals and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, parental status, genetic information or characteristics, or any other basis prohibited by applicable laws.

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