Pathways Career Coach

Help Young Adults Build Their Future

At Friends of the Children, we are committed to breaking the cycle of generational poverty through long-term, salaried, professional mentoring relationships. Our model pairs youth facing the greatest obstacles with a dedicated professional mentor, called a Friend, from kindergarten through high school graduation and beyond, for 12+ years, no matter what.

As we expand our Pathways for Young Adults strategy, we are seeking a dedicated, relationship-centered, and youth-focused professional to join us as a Pathways Career Coach.

This is a unique opportunity to support young people ages 16-22 as they navigate one of life's most important transitions: moving from high school into adulthood. As a Pathways Career Coach, you will guide youth and program graduates as they explore postsecondary education, career pathways, workforce opportunities, and the life skills necessary to thrive as independent adults.

Working closely with youth, professional mentors, families, employers, educational institutions, and community partners, you will help ensure young people have the tools, resources, and encouragement they need to successfully pursue their goals and unlock their full potential.

The transition from high school to adulthood is a critical period that often determines long-term educational, career, and economic outcomes. Through individualized coaching and sustained relationship-building, the Pathways Career Coach helps young people develop and execute personalized Life Plans that reflect their strengths, interests, values, and aspirations.

This position plays an essential role in helping youth:

• Meaningful work that directly impacts the lives of young people during a critical life transition.
• The opportunity to be part of an innovative national initiative focused on postsecondary success, workforce readiness, and economic mobility.
• A passionate team committed to youth-centered practice and lasting outcomes.
• Professional growth within a nationally recognized youth development organization.
• A culture grounded in belonging, collaboration, empowerment, and continuous learning.
• Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits package.

Curious to learn more? The job description is below:

The following statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work to be performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended as a comprehensive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.

The Pathways Career Coach supports between 50-75 young people ages 16-22 (youth in the Friends of the Children program and program graduates) in exploring, planning, and achieving their goals for life after high school. This role combines individualized coaching, career exploration, and postsecondary readiness support to ensure that young people develop clear, actionable pathways aligned with their strengths, interests, and values.

The Pathways Career Coach builds sustained relationships with young people and serves as a trusted advisor, guiding them through decision‑making related to postsecondary, career training, and workforce opportunities. Success includes supporting youth to advance through key milestones in their individualized Life Plans, youth engagement and program satisfaction, and the achievement of postsecondary opportunities and persistence.

This position reports to the Associate Director of the Pathways for Young Adults Program housed within the Friends of the Children National Center of Excellence for Professional Youth Mentoring and is a member of the National Strategy and Innovation Team. The position will be assigned to partner with the Portland…