Student Advocacy Center is seeking an education justice leader passionate about mentoring, youth voice and power, developing leadership, providing supportive and flexible supervision, and implementing an evidence-based program with fidelity. This position will be part of our leadership team, support up to 5-6 mentors, manage the program (including grant reporting, quality control and evaluation). Our staff is committed to ongoing learning about other cultures, reducing power imbalances, anti-racist practices such as dismantling oppressive behaviors that show up in ourselves and systems, and working in partnership with those whose voices too often go unheard. A minimum of a two-year commitment is required. The ideal candidate will be organized, relationship-focused, independent, visionary and have supervisory and mentoring experience.
Title: Check and Connect Program Manager
Status: Full-time
Salary
Classified: Exempt
Compensation: Starting at $65,000 + relevant experience.
Benefits: Health insurance, mileage reimbursement, vacation, holiday pay, sick leave, cell phone reimbursement
***** To apply, submit a resume and a cover letter that discusses the following:
- How do you build team rapport, while overseeing program quality?
- Describe your approach to individual and group supervision.
- AND complete this suvery by copying the url below into your browser.
- https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdrBtHv9oYofuZ3ColL6yfoa9j4dHDv2i1nVmsMpBRapgSXFQ/viewform.
Qualifications:
- Minimum of a Master’s degree in social work, education, sociology, guidance & counseling, psychology or criminal justice or the equivalent combination of knowledge and experience.
- At least 1 year of professional experience preferred in leading a team of staff or volunteers.
- Past experience supervising staff or interns preferred.
- Commitment to the right to an education, advocacy, youth voice and power, collaboration, collective action, anti-oppressive action, accessibility, trauma-responsive care, transformative and restorative practices, courageous conversations, community-centered decision making and community-centered fundraising.
- Strong interpersonal, data analysis, and writing skills will be required
- Highly organized, detail oriented, flexible and able to work independently
- A valid Michigan driver’s license, reliable vehicle, driver’s record clearance and proof of insurance that meets SAC’s underwriting criteria
- Experience working with BIPOC, low-income youth, LGBTQIA+ youth, unaccompanied youth, youth agencies, social services, and school systems.
- Persistence and the belief that all youth and staff have the ability to learn.
- Ability and willingness to work with families using a non-blaming, strength-based approach.
- Comfort conducting home visits in the community.
- Advocacy skills, including good communication skills and the ability to negotiate, compromise, and confront conflict.
- Knowledge of community and educational resources.
- Proficient and accurate in Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and online databases.
- Background check clearance, including ICHAT, national and state sex offender registry and Central Registry clearance
Scope of services:
Program Manager:
- Administer and oversee Check & Connect across the agency.
- Oversee, solicit and process community-based and school-based referrals. Manage caseloads of mentors.
- Assist with hiring, onboarding and training for program staff and interns.
- Provide weekly face to face reflective supervision to assigned program staff and applicable interns.
- Assist in evaluating the program, including data collection and the utilization of data collection tools, data quality monitoring, calculating impacts on clients served. Oversee qualitative evaluation.
- Evaluate program staff, assist in developing and monitoring professional goals.
- Assist with grant oversight, compliance, reporting (quarterly and annually), grant budget oversight, expense approvals and timecard approvals.
- Participate in grant-related training and phone calls.
- Conduct audits of case notes and files for supervisees.
- Facilitate communication with school, community agencies and other community partners.
- Oversee outreach and marketing of the program.
- Participate in supporting community organizing interventions, when capacity allows.
- Assist with grant/courtesy reports writing for funding sources and school partners.
- Assist the Executive Director(s) in grant research, writing, and tracking.
- Attend community partner meetings as assigned.
- Create and support outcome trackers for SAC programs.
- Other duties as assigned.
Check and Connect Mentor:
- Building positive relationships with each individual student and serving as a positive role model.
- Engaging the parent/caregivers in the youth’s education when appropriate.
- Assessing the educational status (skill level, credit accrual, special education needs), career and work interests, and support system of each youth.
- Conducting and documenting weekly checks on target students’ attendance, grades, and behavior.
- Using collected data to design personalized interventions for target students.
- Determining and documenting student progress and mentor efforts on a regular basis (i.e., complete monitoring forms and contact logs).
- Facilitating communication and problem solving at the individual student level, and between school, community and home.
- Attending school-based meetings (e.g., team meetings, IEP meetings, suspension re-entry meetings, etc.) and advocating for support services as needed.
- Providing linkages to appropriate community services.
- Connecting students to extracurricular programs, including tutoring, when appropriate.
- Facilitating meetings where students are able to explore and plan ways to impact the policies and laws that impact their lives.
- Conducting outreach to referral sources and helping to secure referrals until caseload is full.
- Promptly documenting all plans, contacts and activities done for and with the assigned student.
- Periodically conduct and complete home and community visits.
- Assessing and implementing what is learned on individual cases to support students, families, and caregivers in affecting systems-level change
- Engaging in interventions to build the power of students, families, and caregivers
- Engage students and families in community organizing interventions.
- Identifying and building the bridge between youth and youth organizing activities, including Youth Action Michigan, as appropriate
- Identifying youth that can attend YAM meetings when appropriate
- Other duties as assigned.
Personal Responsibilities:
- Actively support the Student Advocacy Center’s mission, vision, values and principles of practice.
- Uphold and ensure appropriate implementation of all agency policies and procedures.
- Maintain utmost confidentiality and professionalism.
- Maintain excellent work attendance.
- Be willing to engage in learning and current practices of the organizations Anti-Racism/Anti-Oppression work.
NOTE: SAC celebrates diversity, has a deep commitment to cultural humility, and expressly prohibits discrimination in regard to race, color, national origin, age, familial status, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, veteran status, height, weight, associational preference, or genetic information. We strive for diversity and cultural humility in its hiring, orientation, training, ongoing supervision, internal dialogue, and everyday practices.
Pay: From $65,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k) matching
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply
Work Location: In person
