The Organization: Merit America

The American economy is broken. Today, 53 million working adults–nearly half of the U.S. workforce–do not earn a living wage. These talented workers have few options to advance: college is too long and expensive, full-time boot camp programs don’t offer enough flexibility, and online courses don’t have the structure or support to translate learning into a new career. The result? Talented workers, disproportionately people of color and women, get stuck in low-wage roles with no way to build a better life for themselves and their families.

Merit America is a national nonprofit that creates pathways to family-sustaining careers for Americans stuck in low-wage work. Our fast, flexible solutions are built for working adults: We start by analyzing tens of millions of job postings to identify in-demand, high-paying tech careers and then work with industry-recognized partners to train for these roles with part-time programs that combine flexible online learning with best-in-class coaching. Finally, we support our learners in their job search, helping them connect with a broad constellation of local and national employers such as JPMorgan Chase and Infosys to land higher-earning, family-sustaining jobs. Merit America is on a mission to build a scalable pathway for workers to join the middle class through merit, not money. Since our founding in 2018, we’ve generated a projected $1 billion in near-term wage gains for our learners.

The College

The College is a new kind of not-for-profit online college, built from the ground up to meet the needs of working adults and career-changers who’ve been overlooked by traditional higher education.

The problem is clear: only 33% of Pell grant recipients complete their degrees at two-year colleges within six years. College has become too rigid, too expensive, and too disconnected from both learner realities and career outcomes. The College is different. Our online, asynchronous programs and "workplace as laboratory" approach allow learners to learn and apply new skills directly to their jobs, while receiving personalized support from dedicated Learner Success Partners every step of the way.

We focus on real-world skills and stackable credentials in high-demand fields, ensuring graduates are prepared for today's jobs and tomorrow's opportunities. Founded in 2025 with an inaugural Associate of Applied Science in Technology and Innovation degree, The College is building a mainstream pathway to economic mobility—one designed not for the privileged few, but for the talented many who’ve too often been left behind.

Role Overview

At The College, coaching is not an add-on, it is core to how the institution operates. As a Learner Success Partner (LSP), you will be central to launching, iterating on, and perfecting a coaching program aligned with curriculum, persistence, and job readiness that drives learner success and scalability.

The LSP is the primary driver of learner persistence, engagement, and completion at The College. We believe that every learner is capable of achieving their educational dreams. LSPs are responsible for guiding and supporting each learner through their unique educational journey at The College.

Each LSP owns a caseload of learners from acceptance through completion, serving as the consistent point of contact and accountability. This role is responsible for proactively identifying learner risks, driving learner momentum, and coordinating support across instructors and learner services.

This is not a reactive support role. LSPs are expected to:

Monitor learner progress and engagement in real time
Intervene early when risk signals emerge
Drive accountability through structured coaching
Creatively problem-solve obstacles preventing learner success and completion
Connect academic work to career outcomes throughout the learner journey

You will work closely with faculty, academic advising, and support services to ensure every learner receives coordinated, timely, and effective support. As an inaugural LSP, you will also be responsible for providing subject matter expertise to the coaching program design, iteration and experimentation cycles, and assist in the development of scalable coaching. This is a high-impact, high-accountability role designed for scale. This is an exempt role reporting to the Director of Learner Innovation.

Responsibilities

The responsibilities of the LSP will include, but are not limited to, the following:

Learner Success & Persistence

Own the learner relationship from acceptance through completion, ensuring consistent engagement and progress through academic milestones
Guide learners through The College systems and processes to identify and pursue paths aligned with their goals and desired outcomes
Conduct regular 1:1 coaching sessions focused on goal-setting, accountability, and persistence
Monitor learner progress and engagement using institutional systems and data signals
Identify at-risk learners early and implement targeted interventions to re-engage and support progress
Prioritize outreach and coaching efforts to maximize impact across a large caseload

Proactive Intervention & Case Management

Diagnose learners’ barriers to progress, including academic, logistical, and personal challenges
Develop and execute intervention plans tailored to learner needs
Coordinate with instructors, academic advisors, and support services to ensure aligned and timely support
Maintain consistent follow-up to ensure interventions result in measurable progress

Career Integration & Professional Identity

Integrate career development into coaching conversations from the start of the program
Help learners connect academic work to career goals and long-term opportunities
Support the development of professional identity, confidence, and workplace readiness
Guide learners in translating their learning into career-relevant skills and experiences
Provide ongoing support after completion, including identifying opportunities for further education and guiding career paths

Learner Engagement & Belonging

Establish early connection with learners, including outreach prior to the start of coursework
Foster a sense of belonging and community, particularly during early program phases
Normalize help-seeking behaviors and create an environment where learners stay engaged during challenges
Reinforce learner identity as a college learner and emerging professional

Data, Systems & Collaboration

Use SIS, CRM and learning systems to track learner progress, engagement, and outcomes
Document coaching interactions and interventions accurately and consistently
Partner closely with faculty to align on learner performance and academic needs
Collaborate with learner support services (academic, wellness, etc.) to ensure coordinated care

Skills and Competencies

We recognize that some individuals from underrepresented backgrounds may hesitate to apply if they don’t meet 100% of the listed qualifications. Please don’t let that discourage you from applying! We value the unique skills, experiences, and perspectives that each applicant brings, and we encourage you to apply if you believe your background demonstrates the required skills and competencies:

Must-haves for all roles at The College:

Committed to The College's mission to expand access to higher education and career pathways for working adults who have been overlooked by traditional higher education
Demonstrated history of embodying our values, which inform our work and drive our organization's culture
Shared sense of responsibility and ownership for our collective work in making a positive impact on the community we support, true to our value of Win & Lose Together
Committed to continuous learning and growth in advancing inclusive excellence and closing gaps across lines of difference
Passionate about fostering a workplace culture that embraces and values individual differences, aligned with our core value of inclusivity

Must Haves for this role:

Coaching & Relationship Management

Demonstrated experience supporting adult learners, or participants in education, workforce development, or similar environments
Strong ability to build trust and maintain accountability in 1:1 relationships
Excellent communication and relationship-building skills across diverse populations

Data, Systems & Case Management

Experience using data or systems to monitor progress and inform decisions
Coaching & Relationship Management
Demonstrated experience supporting adult learners, or participants in education, workforce development, or similar environments
Strong ability to build trust and maintain accountability in 1:1 relationships
Excellent communication and relationship-building skills across diverse populations

Data, Systems & Case Management

Experience using data or systems to monitor progress and inform decisions
Ability to manage a large caseload with structure, prioritization, and consistent follow-through
Ability to manage multiple priorities and operate effectively in a fast-paced, evolving environment

Technology & Tools

Comfort learning and working within institutional platforms (SIS, CRM, LMS, or similar tools)
Openness to using AI tools to support documentation, outreach, and learner engagement - and enthusiasm for learning new tools as they emerge
Ability to manage multiple priorities and operate effectively in a fast-paced, evolving environment

Nice to Haves for this role:

Experience in learner success, advising, coaching, or case management in higher education
Familiarity with learning management systems (LMS), CRM tools, or learner data systems
Experience supporting learners from historically underserved backgrounds
Experience integrating career development into education or coaching contexts

Other Logistics

This position is full-time: 4-day work week (Fridays are an operating day if there is a holiday closure during the week)
Location: Remote
Salary: $75,900

Our goal is to have competitive and equitable compensation. We have a market-based compensation approach, which means we benchmark each role from reputable data sources. We compare our benchmarks against similarly sized non-profit organizations with comparable annual budgets and geographical areas. We pay the same rate for the same roles and adjust to comply with statutory mandates.

We take care of our employees by providing the following perks and benefits(please note that some of the benefits do not apply to temporary employees) :

Medical, Dental and Vision insurance (100% Paid Employee Only Coverage)
Flexible Spending Account and Health Savings Account
Dependent care Flexible Spending Account
Health Reimbursement Account fully funded by Merit
Education & personal development reimbursement
Catalog of courses for professional learning and development
Short and long-term disability
Unlimited vacation (after a 90-day introductory period)
Paid Parental Leave and Adoption benefits (after 1 year of employment)
11 federally recognized holidays
2 week holiday office closure in December/January
401(k) retirement plan with automatic Merit contribution
Wellness Benefits/Wellness Resources
Discount perks at work program
Phone/technology stipend
Home office setup stipend
Affinity groups and community building via virtual, in-person, and/or regional meetups

*Eligibility for some benefits may vary based on employment status, full-time or part-time. Eligibility will be outlined during the hiring process.

Remote Work & Sponsorship

Candidates must reside within the 50 states or District of Columbia and have full authorization to work in the 50 U.S. states & the District of Columbia (international work abroad, including the U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, and other islands are excluded). In addition, Merit America doesn't offer employment visa sponsorship.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Building an inclusive, high-performing team that is diverse across lines of personal identity is integral to our success and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

This means we do not discriminate against any job applicant or employee because of their race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This applies to all terms and conditions of employment.

We actively strive and evolve to develop and maintain workspaces that are fully inclusive. We encourage candidates from underrepresented groups to apply.

Still excited about our work? You can learn more about our work in this video we made with our founding partner, Google.

Fair Chance Ordinance

Applicants who have arrest or conviction records and are in unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County will be considered in accordance with the state’s fair chance ordinance law. Employment under the ordinance includes part-time work, seasonal work, contract work, contingent work, work on commission, and work through the services of a temporary or employment agency.

E-Verify Statement

This employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment. Employers can only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the I-9 Form.