Program Specialist

About Us:

SpeakUp! is a nonprofit committed to fostering honest conversations between teens and adults to build stronger relationships and strengthen emotional well-being. Over the past 25 years, we’ve reached over 35,000 students and families through school and community-based programs in the Greater Philadelphia area and New Jersey.

Position Overview:

SpeakUp! is seeking a Program Specialist who can quickly develop mastery of our unique approach and become fully prepared to train, coach and support school adults to deliver our program with fidelity to the model. The Program Specialist must believe passionately in strength-based youth development; they must feel confident in their ability to build productive partnerships with schools; and they must have deep respect for the work of teachers and school counselors and understand how to support their connection to students. This position requires interacting well with a wide array of people including school adults, students, parenting adults, and professionals. This person must be calm under pressure, have a sense of humor, and be committed to learning and continuous improvement.

The Program Specialist works in deep partnership with our schools to:

• Plan their SpeakUp! Program and set goals to maximize schoolwide engagement.
• Train and build school adults’ capacity to gain the skills and confidence to create supportive relationships, inclusive classrooms and bridge students to support.
• Support and coach schools in galvanizing a diverse student leadership team to lead their school wide event where they select topics for breakout sessions. Students build leadership skills and create positive relationships with adults.
• Support schools in the implementation of their evening schoolwide event where school adults, students and parenting adults come together to engage in honest, non-judgmental, facilitated breakout conversations about tough topics.
• Help schools continue the conversation with SpeakUp!’s series that can be implemented within their individual school community and have access to the larger SpeakUp! community events.
• Implement our impact measurement and program assessment strategies to achieve greater scale.

The Program Specialist works with the SpeakUp! program team to:

• Deliver the Continue the Conversation Series;
• Support Parenting Adult Coffees and SpeakUp! Club
• Facilitate data collection and program assessment and refinement with a commitment to continuous improvement
• Participate in ongoing learning and professional development in positive youth development and related fields

The Program Specialist reports to the Program Director and is a salaried, exempt, full time, 10-month employee from mid-August through mid-June. This position requires evening work an average of 35 nights per year and regular and predictable attendance. SpeakUp! offers competitive salaries, health benefits and generous PTO.

Qualifications:

SpeakUp! requires the following qualifications for this position:

• Bachelor’s degree (Education, Social Work, Counseling, Psychology or other related fields).
• Three to five years of professional work experience in youth development and/or education.
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational and project management skills.
• Proficient in training and coaching both large and small groups of adults.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to present to large and small groups.
• Committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Able to thrive in a fast-paced, intense, highly collaborative and flexible work environment.
• Experience developing effective and positive partnerships.
• Strong interpersonal, motivational, and problem-solving skills.

Able to relate to teens in a respectful, engaging, energizing and professional manner.

• High integrity in handling confidential and sensitive information.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office 365, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Required Clearances (current and completed prior to employment):

• Pennsylvania State Criminal Record Check.
• Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance.
• Federal Criminal History Record.

Physical Requirements (Ability to physically perform the duties and to work in the environmental conditions required):

• Traveling to schools: valid driver’s license and access to your own transportation.
• Functioning in office space: reaching file cabinets, filing, faxing, scanning, copying, typing, mailing, making phone calls.
• Must be able to sit for up to two hours looking at a computer monitor, using a keyboard/mouse and typing.
• Ability to lift up to 40 lbs.

Diversity Equity and Inclusion Statement: SpeakUp! is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We welcome and encourage all qualified candidates to apply.