CASTLE CARES PROGRAM MANAGER

CASTLE CARES PROGRAM MANAGER @ CASTLEMONT HIGH SCHOOL

Full Time Exempt Position Description

The mission of Oakland Kids First (OKF) is to increase youth voice, leadership, and power to create engaging and equitable public schools where all students learn and lead. OKF empowers youth in Oakland, CA to grow their leadership, transform school culture and climate, and amplify student voice to improve educational equity for low-income youth of color. OKF provides full service community school services at Castlemont high school by offering academic support, care management, workforce readiness, career exposure, enrichment, leadership development and health/wellness programming.

POSITION OVERVIEW

Under the supervision of OKF’s Associate Director, the Castle Cares Program Manager plans, oversees and coordinates a new Castle Cares initiative at Castlemont High School that integrates workforce readiness and individual case management to support students with multiple risk factors who are not on track to graduate. The goal is to increase youth attendance and engagement in school; help them set, track and meet goals for academic and post-secondary success; gain workforce readiness skills through paid internships or job placements; support health and wellness; and ensure students feel safe, welcome and able to make positive decisions for their own lives. The Castle Cares Program Manager will oversee Castle Cares and supervise one Care Coordinator, while also holding a caseload of 15 students.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Program Management

• Provide leadership for Castle Cares by supporting OKF employees, teachers, and other school staff who are working to provide a supportive environment for our highly vulnerable youth; facilitating communication; planning services; completing reports & evaluation; and maintaining safe and engaging spaces for youth
• Attend all relevant internal, Castlemont and district meetings and events, representing OKF and Castle Cares
• Partner with OKF senior leadership to develop, design, evaluate and improve programs, and help develop tools to aid in the tracking of student success
• Supervise, train, and support one OKF Care Coordinator to hold a caseload of 20 students to successfully navigate and complete the Castle Cares program
• As needed, make referrals for mental health, health/wellness, or social services such as restorative justice, counseling, or appointments at wellness or mental health centers

Care Management

• Hold a caseload of 15 Castlemont High School students who meet eligibility requirements. As part of Care Management, develop, monitor and evaluate support plans and progress for each student by leveraging multifaceted approaches including: goal setting, academic support, social emotional learning, positive youth development, workforce readiness training, job placement, restorative justice and life skills
• Complete 1:1 in-take assessments for all new students by reviewing academic records, referral notes, support plans and assess needs and motivations
• Work with health/mental health clinicians, families, school personnel, and community partners to assess each students’ needs, preferences and abilities, and use these to develop tailored student success plans
• Act as the student's advocate in receiving needed services, counseling, classroom support or workforce readiness opportunities aligned to student success plans
• Facilitate, co-facilitate, or assist in leading support groups focused on social emotional learning skills, restorative justice, conflict mediation, etc.
• Refer students to educational workshops, internships, school supports or other resources that address areas identified in the individual success plans

Post-Secondary Readiness

• Develop a post-secondary readiness curriculum that allows students to explore college and career opportunities in alignment with their individual goals
• Build relationships with local organizations and businesses, Castlemont’s Future Center, the Work Based Learning Dept, and counselors to create internship and post-secondary opportunities for youth
• Facilitate and/or coordinate with community partners to lead life skills and financial literacy workshops that include resume writing, professional communication, job-skills, and information about money management, bank accounts, credit cards, etc.
• Engage cohort of students in career readiness activities that build skills through real-world paid work experiences and hands-on learning through the CastleWorks programs and community-based internships

Program Outcomes, Compliance and Reporting

• Coordinate day-to-day operations that ensure compliance of all grant requirements
• Accurately record attendance and participation using database systems and paper files
• Maintain systems of data collection for required documentation including eligibility, registration, emergency cards, permission slips, payroll, receipts, and evaluation tools
• Record students’ progress towards goals through detailed care management notes, including dates/times of meetings, group participation, referrals, family outreach and other notable interactions
• Include parents/guardians, teachers, and other stakeholders in program design, evaluation, and processes to support students
• Track and evaluate students’ progress on their Individual Support Plans and make adjustments as needed to improve outcomes
• Oversee stipend processes including contracts, requests and distribution of funds
• Manage collection and analysis of surveys and photographs for impact reports
• Comply with all school district policies and procedures

Fiscal Management, Fund Development and Contract Management

• Work with the Associate Director to track expenditures and manage Castle Cares budget
• Help to organize and prepare for site visits or other fund development-related activities
• Contribute to grant reports and future grant proposals
• Develop Professional Services Agreements and sub-contracts as needed

Communication and Supportive Environment

• Foster an environment that promotes collaboration and upholds the principles of Oakland Kids First and Castlemont’s Knight Way
• Promote a positive environment and actively ensure student safety at all times in alignment with OKF’s Professional Boundaries policy
• Maintain positive, professional and student-friendly speech, behavior and attire
• Communicate regularly with the Associate Director
• Connect students and their families to interpretation and translation services as needed
• Develop and maintain a high level of communication with key stakeholders through regular, strategic communication and attendance at relevant meetings including those hosted by Castlemont staff, OUSD and other community partners
• Work with Marketing & Communications Manager to recruit and share stories of impact

Additional Job Duties

• Support with Knight Success events to support with positive school culture
• Continuously develop new skills by participating in mandatory trainings and educational opportunities, reading professional publications and participating in professional organizations
• Meet deadlines with consistency
• Help with other duties as needed by the team

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Preference given to candidates with direct experience coordinating programming and providing non-clinical case management to high school aged youth
• Passion for mentoring young people, promoting youth development practices and working towards social change
• At least 4 years of full-time work experience in youth development programming and/or program management
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with schools and work in partnership with administrators, teachers, and community partners
• A detail-oriented person with experience in program evaluation and grant compliance
• Great communication and writing skills
• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree
• Experience working with Oakland youth is desired and experience working with youth in high-need urban environments is a must

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Oakland Kids First’s office is located at 3700 E. 12th St. in the Fruitvale district of Oakland, CA, but this position will be hosted on site at Castlemont High School at 8601 MacArthur Blvd. Oakland, CA 94605. This position’s responsibilities involve continuous sitting, hand/finger dexterity, and typing. Team communications predominantly take place during in-person meetings and virtually over Zoom, using Google suite, Asana, Box file sharing, email, Signal, and text message. Staff are provided with ergonomic office furniture, a laptop or computer, software and tech accessories necessary to complete job related responsibilities.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

• Position is exempt, full time, and functions on a year-round schedule
• Starting salary range is $80,000-$87,000 commensurate with experience
• Paid time off includes holidays, restoration weeks, trainings/professional development, vacation and sick time that accrues per pay period, plus 3 personal days.
• Paid family leave and sabbatical time are dependent on length of employment
• OKF covers 100% of benefits for full time employees including health and dental insurance with an option to add dependents through partial employee cost sharing
• Vanguard 403(b) retirement accounts are available to all employees, and for staff who work between 25-40 hours per week and voluntarily contribute through payroll, OKF offers an employer match up to 3% of salary each pay period.

TO APPLY: Please submit your résumé and a cover letter describing why you’re a good fit for this position to info@kidsfirstoakland.org. Position will be open until filled.

OAKLAND KIDS FIRST DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE IN ANY PROGRAM, ACTIVITY OR IN EMPLOYMENT ON THE BASIS OF AGE, CREED, GENDER IDENTITY, RACE, ETHNIC BACKGROUND, MARITAL OR VETERAN STATUS, NATIONAL ORIGIN, DISABILITY, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, OR RELIGION.