WOW Senior Regional Manager

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 Chicago’s 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.

About You:

You have the passion and desire to work in a dynamic non-profit organization, you have the talent and skills to perform the job, and now you’re looking for just the right opportunity.  At Youth Guidance you’ll have the chance to use your passion and skills working alongside a team of talented individuals who share the same values.

Position Summary**:** The WOW Senior Regional Manager works collaboratively with the WOW Directors and Sr. Curriculum Specialists, to provide administrative and operational leadership, training, and program/staff development. The WOW Sr. RM supervises and serves as ongoing support, and consultant for WOW Regional Managers. This role oversees the coordination of administrative systems/workflows, development and evaluation of support required for successful program implementation for Working On Womanhood in the Chicagoland area. The WOW Sr. RM provides administrative leadership by assessing needs of regions, providing coaching and development of the WOW administrative leadership team, making assignments, and managing programs at multiple sites where the program operates. This is a hybrid remote position.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

• Develop and provide ongoing administrative trainings and revision
• Supervise the WOW Regional Managers, and Transition Specialists.
• Communicates program operations and strategic priorities to leadership regularly.
• Collaborates with the Sr Curriculum Specialists to ensure continuity of support for WOW staff and program implementation. Implement program improvements, strengthen the program, and advance the program’s program outcomes
• Supports and tracks systemic engagement and maintains positive relationships with external partners.
• Collaborate across functional areas/departments to provide on-going collaboration and communication, ensuring the WOW program is implemented with the highest level of fidelity and local external affairs needs are met.
• Maintains focus on the achievement of key program outcomes including goals for student performance, retention, and satisfaction ensuring all programs are on-track for desired metrics. Communicates with RM’s to support regional compliance.
• Serves as project manager for the development, refinement, and accessibility of program materials and toolkits, (i.e., team rosters, budget trackers, etc.) which supports the implementation of high-fidelity program delivery.
• Coordinates WOW implementation support to ensure the dissemination, uptake, and refinement of tools (i.e., team rosters, budget trackers, etc.) to meet site needs.
• Supports kick-off by ensuring logistical needs are met for program implementation.
• Develops and implements site reviews: Conditions for success.
• Develops processes and protocols for program sites and partners.
• Participate in WOW and YG Committees
• Documents work completed in documentation system

Budgeting and Fundraising

• Collaborates with WOW Directors and finance to create, plan, and manage regional program budgets; monitors spending to ensure expenditures are aligned with budget scope and addresses issues that impact program goals
• Collaborates with development to ensure grant deliverables are met

Client/Stakeholder Management

• Understands Youth Guidance departments/programs and outside vendors to ensure clear communication
• In collaboration with Marketing/Communications, ensures programmatic stories/ impact is shared, and communicated internally and externally.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Supervises, evaluates, develops WOW Regional Managers and WOW Transition Specialists,
• Collaborates with HR (Human Resources) and Hiring Committee to recruit and retain talented program staff
• Recommends hiring of new WOW Counselors, employee transfers (school to school), promotions, disciplinary actions, terminations, and overall performance management of WOW Counselors and Senior Counselors
• Provides specific guidance in the areas of professional responsibilities, prioritization, time, and resource allocation
• Designs and integrates a professional development plan and opportunities for program staff, working closely with direct reports and WOW leadership to develop professional development plans
• Identify and implement strategies to ensure staff reach program goals and objectives through the interpretation, study of data, use of management plans and other mechanisms
• Identify and implement strategies to ensure staff reach performance and professional goals
• Provides training and technical assistance to WOW Leadership, program, and school staff, as needed
• Other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications:

Education/Experience/Training

• MA Degree in public/non-profit administration, business, social work, human services or a related to area from an accredited university program (required)
• Eight years’ experience in the education, human service, youth development, mental health, or social service field
• Five years' experience supervising staff.
• Experience in program management and administration including experience managing budgets and contracts
• Completion of WOW Curriculum Training

Skills/Abilities

• Strong analytical skills and demonstration of strong interpersonal skills that excel in cultural sensitivity, respect for differences, and effectively motivates others
• Demonstrated ability to be solution-focused
• Conflict Resolution experience and skillset
• Demonstrated passion and dedication to the agency’s mission and competencies
• Flexible and adaptable; open to change, learning, and improvement.
• Willing and prepared to handle demanding situations and unforeseen tasks timely
• Ability to develop and maintain positive/effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders including but not limited to YG programs, School, and Community Partners
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office Products (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) as well as ability to learn new systems

Leadership Core Competencies

• Continuous improvement-minded:  Takes initiative to identify and execute strategies and processes to continuously improve one’s leadership to strengthen organization’s overall impact.​
• Develops and motivates others: Motivates others and supports their development through strong coaching and mentoring. Effectively stewards self and others through both small- and large-scale change**.** ​
• External representation and relationship building: Represents the organization among external stakeholders, and builds strong, trusting relationships with stakeholders​
• Leads with vision: Has an inspiring vision for the future of the organization, beyond the status quo, and communicates it effectively; leads with courage and willingness to take risks in service of impact​
• Manages with data: Understands data; analyzes data and identifies insights and implications​
• Strategic thinking and resource management:  Considers the future of the organization proactively and responsively; weighs diverse inputs to inform strategies; identifies innovative opportunities when relevant; makes and communicates decisions that effectively balance tradeoffs between financial sustainability and impact​
• Team building: Builds strong relationships with teams and colleagues; fosters effective teams and collaborative interactions​
• Growth Mindset: Views growth as important for personal and professional development; seeks out opportunities to expand skills, even if change is required; demonstrates curiosity and eagerness to learn

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, COVID-19 vaccination is required
• Occasional local and national travel

DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) Statement

At Youth Guidance, we understand that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) are fundamental to realizing our vision of bright and successful futures for all young people. We celebrate the diversity of youth 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 are inequitable and unjust.

As such, we are committed to advancing DE&I 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, and communities are impacted by, such as schools, organizational networks, governmental bodies, researchers, and the funding community, to apply approaches that embrace DEI in addressing the needs and supporting the aspirations of young people.

Youth Guidance is an equal opportunity employer and proudly values diversity. 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 these lines. People of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.