Lead Mentor - Middle School

JOB TITLE: LEAD MENTOR – MIDDLE SCHOOL

LOCATION: Baker Middle School Tacoma, WA

DEPARTMENT: Programs – Groups

REPORTS TO: Regional Director, Tacoma-Pierce County

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS: $55,000 - $57,500 annually, paid as an hour wage DOE.

We understand that many cultural and historical factors can inhibit candidates from negotiating a salary offer. Therefore, we have worked to ensure an equitable approach to compensation across the organization; using our salary ranges and compensation philosophy to ensure transparency in earning potential as well as placement on the range. The salary range may be inclusive of several career levels and will be narrowed during the interview process based on a number of factors, including the candidate's experience, skills and qualifications.

Happy, healthy staff are essential to our success. Therefore, our staff enjoy benefits that contribute directly to their professional and personal well-being. This full-time, non-exempt, position is eligible for the following:

Comprehensive well-being programs which include:

• 100% employer-paid medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D and LTD insurance benefits
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Employee Assistance Programs
• 401k with 3.0% match of annual salary
• Professional development opportunities
• 9 Business Holidays a year
• Vacation, Sick, and Personal Holiday paid time off
• Personal and Family Leave

WORK LOCATION/SCHEDULE:

• This position will be based out of Baker Middle School. Attendance at the BBBSPS Tacoma office will be required when school is not in session and as needed (Hybrid, 2 days onsite & 3 days remote with one week with 3 days onsite & 2 days remote).
• Regular hours will be Monday through Friday, aligning with the school hours.

UNION: This position is represented by International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 751.

FLSA STATUS: Non-Exempt, Full-time

LAST REVIEWED: October 2025

OUR VALUES: Trusted and Transparent | Respect and Dignity | Relationship Building | Inclusivity and Belonging (JEDI) | Rise to Meet Youth

OUR MISSION: To create and support 1:1 mentoring relationship that ignites the power and promise of youth.

BBBS believes all youth should have the chance to reach their potential and achieve success in life- we believe the same thing about our team members. Rooted in the Puget Sound region for more than 60 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound is the nation’s largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network. BBBSPS has an urgent mission and is searching for dynamic individuals to help us deepen and broaden our impact in Puget Sound Regions.

Each employee in Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound helps to extend the mission of the agency in particular ways as outlined in the position description. The essential functions of the position include, but are not limited to the following:

JOB SUMMARY:

Reporting to the Regional Director, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound (BBBSPS) is seeking an enthusiastic and mission-driven Lead Mentor to join the agency located in Tacoma, WA. This is a full-time, non-exempt position focused on supporting youth through dedicated mentorship within a school setting.

The Lead Mentor will work out of an assigned middle school, specifically Baker Middle School, supporting 50 middle school-aged youth (Littles) by facilitating both group and individual mentoring sessions. The Lead Mentor will provide positive role modeling and exposure to help Littles plan and set goals, increase social and emotional skills, as well as their self-confidence and sense of belonging. The support will be provided by facilitating group-specific curriculum along with individual mentoring sessions as needed, in addition to volunteer management and collaboration. The Lead Mentor will collaborate with a Regional Director to enroll participants and effectively deliver the program’s curriculum. An ideal candidate will be able to form relationships with youth that lead to positive outcomes.

AN IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL HAVE:

• Passion for the mission of BBBSPS
• Strong commitment to the values of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion
• Ability to promote an inclusive, welcoming, and respectful mentoring environment that embraces diversity
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced environment, show strong attention to detail, handle logistics, and organize time and priorities
• Strong understanding of child development and family dynamics
• Ability to form and sustain appropriate youth and adult volunteer-based relationships based on positive youth development and volunteer satisfaction
• Ability to effectively assess and execute the following relational support skills: guiding, supporting, confronting, advising, and/or negotiating
• Ability to maintain positive and productive relationships with school personnel
• Ability to relate well in multicultural environments
• Ability to effectively and proactively communicate and collaborate with school and program staff
• Strong group facilitation and public speaking skills, specifically working with youth
• Ability to work autonomously with drive, enthusiasm, and flexibility to go along with a willingness to work as needed to accomplish job requirements

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Facilitate group mentoring sessions to build relationships, deliver lessons, and co-lead with volunteers, following a schedule developed with Baker Middle School.
• Provide group and one-on-one mentoring to middle school students ("Littles") on a regular schedule, offering both collective and individualized support in coordination with the school.
• Conduct both group and individual mentoring sessions as planned with the school, focusing on helping students set goals, build social and emotional skills, and achieve academic success.
• Monitor and track student progress by keeping detailed records for each mentee.
• Develop and implement mentoring activities and curriculum, adjusting materials as needed to meet the specific needs of high school students.
• Apply positive behavior management strategies to create a safe and supportive group environment.
• Keep accurate attendance records for all group and one-on-one mentoring sessions in Matchforce.
• Participate in weekly check-ins with the Regional Director review student progress and adjust programming as needed.
• Meet monthly with the school's point of contact and the Regional Director receive feedback and make program improvements.
• Integrate into the middle school staff team to provide additional support and ensure alignment with school policies, culture, and goals.
• Communicate effectively with parents/guardians, teachers, the Regional Director, and other key supporters in the students' lives as needed.
• Assist with additional tasks and responsibilities as required.
• Support enrollment and assessment of new students and volunteers during the summer, including conducting interviews and managing reference and background checks.

Requirements

• High School Diploma with a minimum of 4 years relevant work experience in related fields, such as social work, counseling, social services, child development, or education.
• Previous experience working in schools preferred.
• Associate or bachelor’s degree in a related field preferred but not required.
• Ability to write and speak Spanish fluently preferred but not required.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office; including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Working knowledge of and use of a customer relations management (CRM) system is a plus (Matchforce preferred).

COMPETENCIES NEEDED TO BE SUCCESSFUL WITHIN BBBSPS:

We seek to hire for, and further develop with each employee the following competencies that we have identified as critical to success for individual employees and for achievement of the BBBSPS mission:

Core Competencies

• Accountability/Workload management
• Customer Service Orientation
• Growth Mindset, Adaptability
• Cultural Sensitivity
• Collaboration
• Expertise in Area of Focus

Leadership Competencies

• Develops and Motivates Others
• External Relationship Builder
• Team Effectiveness
• Emotional Intelligence
• Organizational Growth Orientation
• Problem-Solving
• Initiative and Results Driven

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The environmental conditions described are representative but not all inclusive of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the functions of the job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions.

• Routine office environment
• Frequent independent travel
• Physical demands: while performing duties of job, employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, sit, reach with hands and arms, talk, and hear. Employees must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 lbs. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Work environment: The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• Phone time: Approximately 30% of the work will be spent on the phone contacting volunteers, parents/guardians, and Littles.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, physical demands, and required skills. BBBSPS may add to or change the position's duties at any time.

Employment with BBBSPS is “at will” meaning that either the employee or BBBSPS may end the employment relationship at any time and with or without cause.

Equal Employment Opportunity

BBBSPS is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all qualified individuals. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, family medical history, or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.

Americans with Disabilities Act

Applicants as well as employees who are or become disabled must be able to perform the essential duties and responsibilities wither unaided or with reasonable accommodation. The organization shall determine reasonable accommodation on a case-by-case basis in accordance with applicable law.

We understand that many cultural and historical factors can inhibit candidates from negotiating a salary offer. Therefore, we have worked to ensure an equitable approach to compensation across the organization; using our salary ranges and compensation philosophy to ensure transparency in earning potential as well as placement on the range. The salary range may be inclusive of several career levels and will be narrowed during the interview process based on a number of factors, including the candidate's experience, skills and qualifications.

Happy, healthy staff are essential to our success. Therefore, our staff enjoy benefits that contribute directly to their professional and personal well-being. This full-time, non-exempt, position is eligible for the following:

Comprehensive well-being programs which include:

• • 100% employer-paid medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D and LTD insurance benefits
  • Flexible Spending Accounts
  • Employee Assistance Programs
  • 401k with 3.0% match of annual salary
  • Professional development opportunities
  • 9 Business Holidays a year
  • Vacation, Sick, and Personal Holiday paid time off
  • Personal and Family Leave

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