Program Specialist

Organization Overview:

SpeakUp! Is a nonprofit 501c(3) organization located in Devon, PA . We are dedicated to empowering teens to thrive by strengthening communication, relationships and help-seeking among teens and adults in their lives. We train and coach our partner schools to use the SpeakUp! model to build a supportive school community where students, school adults, and parenting adults gain the skills and opportunities to engage in honest and non-judgmental conversations that build relationships.

Partnering with a large portfolio of middle and high schools in the Greater Philadelphia area, SpeakUp!’s innovative, youth-led, school-based programs engage over 3,300 youth and adults each year. This is complemented by our Continue the Conversation programs that empower adults to have the opportunity to dive deeper into topic-specific conversations that build and strengthen relationships with their youth.

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:

• Plain 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 program team to support the Continue the Conversation Series:

• Parenting Adult Coffees
• SpeakUp! Clubs

The Program Specialist works with the program team and will be engaged in:

• Data collection
• Program assessment and refinement
• Commitment to continuous improvement
• 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. 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.

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 experience in youth development and/or education.
• Committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to present to large and small groups.
• Proficient in training and coaching both large and small groups of adults.
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational and project management skills.
• 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.

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

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, and 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.

TO APPLY:

Please send a resume and email of interest to the hiring team at HR@speakup.org with Program Specialist in the email subject line.

Please visit speakup.org for more information about SpeakUp!