Job Description

Application deadline: June 20, 2025

Location: Philadelphia/Newark/Camden Preferred (remote)

About Us

Our country's education and workforce systems are inequitable, failing to meet the needs of our most marginalized citizens. Historically, workforce education has led to low-wage jobs disconnected from ongoing higher education, which has created significant barriers for career advancement. At the same time, traditional higher education has increasingly become unaffordable for Americans from lower-income backgrounds while also lacking direct connection to the labor market. The consequences of these systemic failures are dire. 

At Propel America, we believe a better system should and can exist. We believe high school graduates shouldn't have to choose between forestalling income and accruing significant debt while pursuing a traditional college degree, or forestalling education and mobility for low-wage, entry-level work with few opportunities for advancement. Propel is building that better system: a Jobs-First Higher Education allowing young adults from low-income backgrounds to access an affordable and efficient pathway to a good job, propelling them into a choice-filled life. 

By privileging both the needs of young adults and those of our employer partners, Propel America:

• Partners with employers to assess talent needs, create relevant training programs, and hire diverse, local talent for their in-demand roles.
• Recruits, guides, and supports opportunity youth (18-24 years old), particularly those from low-income backgrounds, through a blended, technology-enabled career accelerator inclusive of a suite of products and supports (e.g., career exploration, cohort learning, one-on-one coaching, etc) to ensure Fellows have what they need to be successful in their job interview, persist in the workforce, and a plan for ongoing education and career advancement.
• Partners with training and higher education organizations to offer in-demand credentials that allow young adults to earn college credits

To learn more about Propel America, please visit  

The Opportunity

The Externships & Employment Coach plays a vital role in supporting Propel Fellows—emerging healthcare professionals—as they complete clinical externships, transition into entry-level healthcare roles, and remain employed in the field. This role directly supports Fellows on their journey to become successful, high-performing contributors within the healthcare workforce, including positions such as Medical Assistants, Patient Care Technicians, and other allied health roles.

You will coach a caseload of approximately 50–60 Fellows throughout three key phases of their fellowship experience:

• Externship engagement and performance
• Job search and healthcare role placement
• Retention and early employment support

This position is ideal for someone with firsthand experience in healthcare—such as a former or current Medical Assistant—or someone with deep expertise in recruiting or developing allied health talent. You understand the demands of fast-paced clinical environments and can coach young professionals to meet and exceed workplace expectations in hospitals, clinics, or community health centers.

The core responsibilities of a Externships & Employment Coach are: 

• (50%) Externship Coaching and Clinical Readiness Support:
  • Coach Fellows to meet clinical externship expectations, focusing on professional conduct, reliability, and technical skill development.
  • Monitor externship progress in partnership with training providers (e.g., CHCP, Cengage, BRCC) and healthcare sites to monitor attendance, performance, and site feedback 
  • Adopt a standardized support approach while remaining flexible to personalize support based on Fellow needs and employer feedback
  • Provide direct feedback to Fellows, based on employer partner discussions, that ensures Fellows successfully complete their externship, on-time, at a high standard of professionalism
• (25%) Job Search and Onboarding Support 
  • Support Fellows in navigating the healthcare job market, with guidance on applications, resumes, interview prep, and role alignment.
  • Help Fellows transition into full-time healthcare employment, working closely with employer partners.
  • Create and manage 30/60/90-day onboarding and retention plans to help Fellows acclimate and thrive in healthcare roles.
  • Troubleshoot early employment challenges to reduce turnover and improve long-term outcomes
• (15%) Employer Partner Management: 
  • Serve as a key point of contact for site supervisors, practice managers, and hiring partners to ensure strong Fellow performance and satisfaction.
  • Act quickly on employer feedback, addressing performance issues and coaching needs in real time.
  • Identify employment opportunities with existing and potential partners, helping to streamline the recruitment process for Fellows.
• (10%) Cross-Functional Collaboration and Data Insight:
  • Work in close collaboration with internal teams (e.g., Hire Ready Coaches, Program Managers) for seamless handoff of Fellows entering externships.
  • Share individual Fellow updates and trends with the Program team and leadership to ensure understanding of Fellow progress and job readiness.
  • Use Salesforce and other systems to track Fellow progress, identify support trends, and inform program improvements.
  • Share insights collaboratively across the Propel team to the continuous improvement of Propel's coaching model. 
  • Continuously reflect on data/analytics to increase impact, with an eye toward positive fellow experience, outcomes, and scalability

What Success Looks Like: 

• Fellows are placed in externships, complete them successfully, and transition into healthcare employment with confidence and preparedness.
• Employer partners see Propel Fellows as reliable, coachable, and skilled early-career professionals.
• Fellows remain in their roles beyond the first 90 days, equipped with the tools and support needed to grow in their careers.

Key Qualifications:

• Experience in healthcare (e.g., Medical Assistant, Clinical Trainer, Allied Health Recruiter) or supporting early-career healthcare workers.
• Proven ability to coach, mentor, or develop talent, particularly in high-accountability, high-support environments.
• Deep understanding of the professional expectations in clinical settings (e.g., reliability, communication, patient care professionalism).
• Strong relationship builder who can collaborate effectively with both young adults and healthcare employers.
• Comfortable navigating data systems and using insights to inform action.

Additional Expectations: 

• Travel 25–35% for externship site visits, partner meetings, and occasional team gatherings.
• Maintain detailed Fellow records, coaching notes, and outcomes data to inform organizational decision-making.
• Participate in evening professional development sessions 1–2 times per month (6–8pm or 7–9pm PST).

Note: This is a newly created position within our Externships & Employment team. As we pilot and refine our extern-to-hire model, specific duties and priorities may shift. We're looking for a professional who is comfortable iterating and is eager to help shape the role as the program evolves.

Who You Are

The Externships & Employment Coach is deeply passionate about supporting our young people to achieve their full potential and thrive in professional healthcare environments. The Externships & Employment Coach embraces the rewards and challenges of working directly with young people, and is willing to go above and beyond for individual Fellows who need unique interventions. The ideal Externships & Employment Coach understands the healthcare field and employer expectations. They know that data is vital to our programmatic success, and leverages technology to collect and analyze data meaningfully. 

Core Competencies:

• Mission & Core Values Alignment : Demonstrated commitment to our mission and values, particularly in promoting equity and advancing a Job-First Higher Education approach for our fellows, with in-depth knowledge of the population we serve.
• Equity Focus: Dedicated to fostering inclusivity, actively addressing bias and building strategies to promote diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) within our organization and programs.
• Student Coaching & Mentorship: Coaches effectively by both building strong relationships and supporting through accountability.
• Social & Self-Awareness: Navigates diverse cultural contexts.
• Impact & Results: Focuses on results and desired outcomes and how best to achieve them in order to get the job done.
• Communication: Communicates clearly and effectively across multiple channels.
• Problem Solving: Able to resolve issues quickly and develop practical solutions for fellows in real-world work environments.
• Curiosity & Learning Orientation: Takes a proactive approach to learning and growth.
• Healthcare Knowledge: Familiar with expectations and what it takes to be successful in healthcare roles

Preferred Qualifications:

• Direct experience or knowledge of healthcare career pathways; prior experience as a Medical Assistant or similar role strongly preferred
• Experience using relevant technology including Zoom, Salesforce, Google Suite, texting platforms, and learning management systems (LMS).
• Ability to work flexible hours (e.g. nights and weekends) as necessary 

Compensation

The salary for this position is between $62,000 - $77,000 annually . We consider candidate experience and location when determining where a candidate may fall within that range. Propel America offers a competitive total rewards package including coverage of 90% of health insurance premiums, unlimited PTO, 401k contribution up to 5% of base salary, and a flexible work environment.

Propel America is an equal-opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. 

We encourage candidates from historically underrepresented backgrounds to apply.

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