Program Manager

OVERVIEW:


Reporting to the Site Director, the Program Manager position is a core component of the Year Up program. This position is responsible for leading and managing a Learning Community comprised of approximately 40 young adults, and approximately 10 professional skills coaches, with the ultimate mission of providing high-quality service to the students in the community as they prepare for corporate internships and careers in Year Up-related job fields. Successful outcomes for this role include maintaining 85% retention during the Learning and Development phase and no more than 10% attrition in the internship phase, student satisfaction with the Program, and 75% positive outcomes 4 months after graduation.

To be successful in this role, you will bring excellent communication, administrative, and management skills as well as the ability to interface with students, functional departments, and outside stakeholders as we work to achieve our mission. This position will work with our Academic/instructional staff, Student Services, Internship Services, Employment Placement departments, as well as all Learning Community members to help provide students with individualized support by addressing challenges and understanding when to leverage other resources.

The Program Manager will also interact with students as a professional skills coach, group facilitator, and advocate, participating in creating and sustaining a positive environment, with trust among students, faculty and staff.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:


Team Leadership

• Train, lead, support and coach a core team of approximately 10 coaches; coach/train staff on Year Up's Program model, and key elements such as facilitation, the student contract, and professional skills coaching
• Run weekly meetings with Learning Community staff and participate in staff trainings
• Coordinate efforts and schedules while maintaining a positive group dynamic amongst both staff and students
• Work collaboratively with other Year Up functions to coordinate support for students and ensure alignment across departments

Drive Student Success

• Serve as a role model by reflecting and maintaining Year Up culture and embodying our values and operating principles while preparing students for corporate internships
• Manage, uphold, and track student contracts in a consistent manner to ensure timely and accurate student payment.
• Work in collaboration with the Internship Services team to coordinate intern performance management
• Oversee student performance to ensure seamless transition from learning and development phase to the internship phase
• Work with the Site Director to oversee student performance evaluation processes
• Balance serving students and ensuring the overall success of the Learning Community by making appropriate decisions that are both student-centered and in line with our Year Up's mission, vision, and values
• Collaborate with Student Services, Academic staff/instructors, Internship Services, Employment Placement, and all Learning Community members to identify and respond to student needs; ensure students receive high-quality services and individualized support
• Drive the development and management of individualized student performance/professional development plans in coordination with aforementioned stakeholders to ensure student success
• In our co-located college partnership channel (the Professional Training Corps), build and manage relationships with critical college faculty to align around student performance, academic excellence and ensure that the needs of both parties are met and drive a process to share information on an on-going basis

Learning Community Management

• Manage the day-to-day and annual operations of the Learning Community, including the calendar, and staff assignments/accountabilities
• Ensure all activities are planned, organized, and executed with high quality
• Plan and run new student orientation; in collaboration with the Admissions team, oversee student transition into the program, coordinate orientation activities and ensure that students become acquainted with resources, staff, and program expectations
• Develop and maintain healthy and high functioning relationships with other functional areas of the organization that are critical to success in serving students
• Represent the Program Manager perspective when working with various functional areas at Year Up, including but not limited to Admissions, Corporate Engagement, and other partners.
• Identify students and interns for events; track student involvement with onsite guests, help prepare students for donor/outreach meetings, graduation, etc.
• Collaborate with Development team on stewarding mentor relationships
• Understand learning community-related data and synthesize/report out on trends (ex. contract, student performance)

Learning Community Member

• Serve as a coach for a small number of students
• Participate in and sometimes facilitate weekly group sessions with students
• Participate in staff meetings and trainings

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Previous work in student affairs, first-year orientation, college guidance counseling, residence life, multiculturalism/diversity or related higher education roles
• Extensive work with Year Up's target population in high stakes environments with clear performance outcome measures
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams and to administrate multiple projects and tasks simultaneously, prioritizing and delegating as needed
• Interest in working a fast-paced, dynamic, complex start-up and/or entrepreneurial environment
• Coaching ability and high comfort level in having one-on-one coaching conversations with staff and students alike
• Sense of vision, prudence, and purpose using collaborative/servant leadership style to direct the overall vision of team
• Proven ability to make good, proactive decisions in potentially emotionally charged situations and/or in the absence of complete clarity; comfortable taking risks
• Ability to build strong professional relationships with others across the organization
• Sound judgment, maturity and the ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• A passion for working with young adults, an unshakable belief in their potential and a strong commitment to the mission of Year Up
• Commitment to diversity and inclusion
• Understanding of the Opportunity Divide and its drivers

ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION:

Year Up is an award-winning, national 501(c)3 organization that enables motivated young adults to move from minimum wage to meaningful careers in just one year by providing the skills, experience, and support they need to reach their full potential. Through a one-year, intensive program, Year Up utilizes a high-expectations, high-support model that combines marketable job skills, stipends, coursework eligible for college credit, and corporate internships at more than 250 top companies. Its holistic approach focuses on students' professional and personal development to enable young adults with a viable path to economic self-sufficiency and meaningful careers. Year Up has served more than 30,000 young adults since its founding in 2000. Year Up has a presence in 27 U.S. cities, including Arizona, Baltimore, Bay Area, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Greater Atlanta, Greater Boston, Greater Philadelphia, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, the National Capital Region, New York City/Jersey City, Pittsburgh, Puget Sound, Rhode Island, South Florida, Tampa Bay, and Wilmington.

Voted one of the Best Nonprofits to Work For in the country by The NonProfit Times, Year Up is a rewarding place to work. Our staff is passionate, supportive, mission-driven, and committed to positive change and continuous learning. We set high standards for both ourselves and our students, and live by a set of core values that reflect an unshakable belief in the talent and full potential of our young people. The work we do is life-changing, and we know that our team is the greatest asset in achieving our mission.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY:

Year Up actively engages individuals from all backgrounds. We are committed to embracing diversity within our organization because we firmly believe that diverse employee teams help us to achieve our best organizational outcomes and provide the most effective support to our young adults as we work to close the Opportunity Divide. We are deeply dedicated to creating and maintaining an inclusive and supportive work environment. Learn more about our commitment to diversity: http://www.yearup.org/about-us/careers/commitment-to-diversity/

As an equal opportunity employer, Year Up 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 law.

TO APPLY:

Please submit a thoughtful cover letter and resume through our website.

Note that applications without a cover letter will not be considered. We respectfully request no phone calls.