Program and Partnership Manager, TFI

About Our Organization:

At Youth Guidance, we believe that no matter what challenges a young person faces, they are more likely to succeed when they have caring adults in their lives. Our highly-trained staff guides kids to overcome the life and academic challenges facing the  youth. We meet kids where they are — physically and emotionally — to help them focus on their education, make positive choices, and remain on the right path toward life success.

Founded in 1924  today Youth Guidance is a leading provider of outcomes-driven programs serving more than 8,500 youth while touching the lives of more than 14,000 youth, parents, teachers, and community members.

Position Summary: The Program and Partnership Manager is responsible for the planning, development, coordination, execution, and evaluation of The Fellowship Initiative (TFI), an intensive academic and leadership training program to help young men of color complete their high school education prepared to excel in college. The Program and Partnership Manager oversees the implementation of all program elements, including Fellow recruitment and onboarding, fellowship program activities and training, Fellow and parent communication and supports, and stakeholder relationship management.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

• Provides leadership for the TFI  program, including but not limited to, day-to-day program functions, budgets and financials, completion of accurate quarterly reports.
• Leads the strategy and implementation of TFI in alignment with the established program model and funder expectations
• Plan and execute TFI curriculum and coordinate operations of Saturday sessions for participants, parent workshops, summer intensives, college tours, and special trips
• Must be able to work a flexible schedule, including programming three Saturdays per month during the school year, summer intensives, and multiple overnight college and career exposure tours per year
• Leads documentation and compliance for Youth Guidance’s TFI Program.
• Supports the creation of new program curriculum, workshops, and tools
• May travel to conferences and national team meetings 2-3 times a year

Stakeholder Relationship Management

• Establishes positive and constructive relationships and serve as a positive role model to youth
• Serves as primary liaison and communicates with Fellows, parents/guardians, school personnel, community partners, and other stakeholders regarding program goals, activities, and outcomes
• Assist with the recruitment of JP Morgan Chase (JPMC) Mentors, coordinate Mentor/Fellow engagement and provide support to Mentors
• Maintains an excellent relationship with external funder(s) and ensures the timely submission of all contract deliverables
• Participates in regular meetings with the national TFI team to plan, develop, align, and implement program goals and objectives together

Project Management

• Creates and manages program implementation project plans and timelines
• Identifies and manages agreements and relationships with partner organizations providing programmatic services and elements (i.e. tutoring, civic leadership, career readiness, etc.)
• Oversees the learning agenda for TFI and partners with the Evaluation and Quality Improvement Department to develop systems to monitor Fellowship progress and collect data to document program impact
• Collaborates with Finance and CRS Director to plan and manage program budget; monitors spending to ensure expenditures are aligned with budget scope

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Provides inspired leadership, coaching, and supervision to TFI coaching staff (3-4)
• Collaborates with Human Resources to recruit and retain talented program staff
• Designs and integrates professional development plans and activities for program team members
• Identifies and implements strategies to ensure staff reach program goals and objectives through the interpretation, study of data, use of management plans and other mechanisms
• Performs other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

Education/Experience/Training

• Bachelor’s degree in a public/non-profit administration, business, social work, human services or a related area from an accredited university program; master’s degree preferred

• 2+ years of program leadership experience in a social service organization or educational setting

• 2+ years of experience with supervision and managing a team in a manner that cultivates and sustains a strong team-oriented culture, with an emphasis on results and accountability

• 3+ years’ experience managing complex and multi-faceted programs or projects that include deliverables for multiple partners, funders, and/or senior level decision makers

• Experience providing career development or postsecondary supports to young adults preferred

Skills/Abilities

• Communication: Able to use effective written and oral communication with internal and external audiences and stakeholders; demonstrates empathy and listening

• Client orientation: Can recognize needs of diverse stakeholders and approaches relationships with a service orientation to ultimately maximize impact

• Equity mindset: Understands and is committed to goals of equity; consistently brings an equity mindset to the organization’s work and workplace

• Growth mindset: Views growth as important for personal and professional development; seeks out opportunities to expand skills, even if change is required; Demonstrated ability to be solutions-focused, self-reflective, and dedicated the continuous improvement of service quality

• Ownership and quality of work: Effectively manages own work and work of teams ensuring delivery of high-quality work. Proven ability to be innovative and a self-starter

• External representation and relationship building: Represents the organization among external stakeholders, and builds strong, trusting relationships with stakeholders

• Manages with data: Understands data; analyzes data and identifies insights and implications

• Proficient use of Microsoft Office Products (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• This job operates in a professional office environment, school setting and working with the public.
• Occasional local and national travel

DEIB Statement

At Youth Guidance, we understand that diversity, equity, inclusion and Belonging (DEI&B) are fundamental to realizing our vision of bright and successful futures for all young people. We celebrate the diversity of youth and staff and recognize them as empowered leaders, problem-solvers, and experts of their own experiences. At the same time, we acknowledge that many systems and institutions meant to support youth and staff are inequitable and unjust.

As such, we are committed to advancing DEIB through our words and our actions, both internally and externally, by:

• Strengthening cultural competence as well as policies, practices, and organizational structures that foster belonging and leverage the unique backgrounds and talents of staff;
• Offering youth-centered programs that are accessible and responsive to people from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, abilities, sexual identity, gender identity and expression, language, and cultural and religious beliefs and practices;
• Influencing systems that youth, their families, staff, and communities are impacted by, such as schools, organizational networks, governmental bodies, researchers, and the funding community, to apply approaches that embrace DEIB in addressing the needs and supporting the aspirations of young people and those around them.

Youth Guidance is an equal opportunity employer and proudly values diversity, equity, inclusivity, and belonging. Youth Guidance does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law and is committed to creating a dynamic work environment that values diversity along all of these lines. People of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

EEO/M/F/D/V/SO