Program Manager - Transitional Aged Youth Programs

The Program Manager, Transitional Aged Youth is responsible for delivering Defy Ventures’ Young Entrepreneurial Leaders (YEL) program, a 4 – 5 month entrepreneurship-themed leadership and reentry readiness program for incarcerated Transitional Aged Youth (ages 17 – 24). Additionally, the program manager will support program graduates after their return home to the community.

The goal of the Young Entrepreneurial Leaders program is to support young adults in a carceral setting develop skills to critically think, make decisions, relate to others, self-identify and navigate real-world situations and ultimately, prepare for a successful reentry. Through a structured, cohort-based experience, participants develop skills in problem-solving, resource management, relational intelligence, communication and leadership using entrepreneurship as the learning framework. By the end of the program, participants demonstrate these capabilities through the development and presentation of a business concept.

After YEL program graduates return home, the Program Manager will be responsible for supporting them as a case manager through their reentry. Individuals with lives experience are strongly encouraged to apply

Key Responsibilities

Session Preparation and Program Facilitation

• Deliver sessions in alignment with the curriculum and program design, ensuring learning occurs through structured facilitation and purposeful discussion.
• Establish a clear standard for participation through consistent expectations and facilitation presence.
• Maintain a focused and productive learning environment while managing group dynamics in real time leveraging skill aligned with motivational interviewing.
• Connect program content to real world situations to support applied learning.
• Observe, track, and assess participant growth over time using structured indicators aligned to program objectives.
• Review and internalize a provided session guide that outlines how discussions may be guided through key questions and intended outcomes.
• Minimum of 8 hours per week per cohort dedicated to session preparation, including developing a clear plan for facilitation approach, coordination of materials, sequencing of transitions, and learner differentiation.
• Maintain continuity across sessions and monitor participant progress to ensure alignment to program objectives and completion of assigned work.

Program Operations and Administration

• Record attendance and maintain accurate documentation for each session
• Track participant work in a timely and organized manner
• Communicate regularly with supervisor regarding class progression and participant engagement
• Support planning and execution of program volunteer events
• Collaborate with program staff to ensure consistency in delivery across sites
• Other duties as assigned

Case Management and Reentry Support

• Review reentry plans for program participants within six months of release and serve as the primary point of contact for YEL graduates after they return home from incarceration.
• Build trusting, collaborative relationships with released graduates and provide reentry coaching, employment support, barrier removal, and case management aligned to their goals.
• Develop employment and service partnerships in New Jersey to strengthen available supports for returning graduates.
• Maintain accurate documentation of case management activities, participant progress, and outcomes.

Required Qualifications

• Experience with trauma informed facilitation
• Experience planning and leading interactive/experiential sessions aligned to clear learning objectives
• Experience working with young adults in multi-session or cohort-based programs
• Experience working within a highly relational learning environment, including comfort with self-disclosure (“use of self”) consistent with professional boundaries
• Basic computer proficiency, including Google Docs, Sheets, and email
• Ability to obtain required clearances for NJ Juvenile Justice Commission facilities
• Ability to lift 15 pounds
• Reliable transportation and valid driver’s license

About Defy Ventures

• Defy Ventures is an entrepreneurship, employment, and personal development training program that recognizes the potential in many formerly and currently incarcerated people to become successful, legal entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs-in-Training (EITs) “defy the odds” through our program which includes intensive leadership development, Shark Tankstyle business pitch competitions, and executive mentoring. We build a redemptive, authentic community between EITs and our executive volunteers as they bond in their humanity through their collaboration along the entrepreneurial journey.

Defy Ventures is an equal opportunity employer. Defy Ventures uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires in the United States. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

• Comprehensive health benefits
• 15 days of vacation per year
• 401k savings program