Join the Words Alive Team

Employment Opportunities - Detailed Description

POSITION:  Young Adult Program Manager

COMPENSATION: $22-$24/hour

STATUS: Regular, Part-Time, Non-Exempt

HOURS:  24 hours/week; nights and weekends as needed. Must be available at least 4 days/week. Workdays/hours negotiable based on programming needs.

LOCATION: Office and community sites (San Diego). Requires in-person work; eligible for some hybrid/remote work as determined in coordination with supervisor.

REPORTS TO:  Program Director

SUPERVISES:  Highly skilled volunteers, interns, and contractors

WHO WE ARE: Words Alive connects children, teens, and families to the power of reading.  We serve at-risk students of all ages and their families throughout San Diego County. During the 2021-2022 academic year, we served 5,000 children, teens, and families facing extraordinary circumstances such as homelessness, poverty, foster care, abuse, juvenile justice system impact, and teen pregnancy.

WHO YOU ARE: Our ideal candidate:

  • Has skills and experience developing and delivering young adult/teen programming, ideally for a nonprofit organization or enrichment activities at a school;

  • Is a whiz at organizing data, details, people, and information using spreadsheets, tracking tools, and a delightful personality;

  • Is seeking a mission-driven workplace that values efficiency, impact, flexibility, and growth;

  • Is willing to roll-up their sleeves to do the hard work, including a willingness to explore new opportunities and learn new skills;

  • Has a nonprofit heart and a business mind;

  • Approaches their actions, words, and work with a focus on inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility;

  • Is deeply motivated by the power of reading!

POSITION OVERVIEW: Words Alive’s Young Adult Program Manager develops, implements, and coordinates Words Alive’s work with young adults (primarily ages 12-18) centered on making meaningful connections through books, reading, and writing while advancing teens along the path to become life-long learners.  This Manager guides and grows a signature program of Words Alive by ensuring engaging programming, meaningful events, valuable resources, exceptional support (volunteers), and measurable change.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Program Delivery, Management, & Evaluation (50%)

  • Manage strategy for Words Alive’s young adult/teen programming including direct program delivery (in-person and virtual), trainings, workshops, and online resources.

  • Maintain updated program schedules and resource availability, including coordinating volunteer support for highest quality program delivery.

  • Coordinate program materials (e.g., books, journals, supplies), including sourcing, preparing, bundling, delivering, and troubleshooting.

  • Manage virtual content specifically designed to engage teens with books, reading, and writing.

  • Coordinate events (virtual, in-person), special visits, and activities to deepen teens’ connection to text.

  • Administer regular program evaluations, collect data, compile, and distribute surveys to students, teachers, and volunteers.

  • Maintain data integrity, including data tracking, recording, and regular reporting to invested stakeholders.

  • Support management of the program budget, including tracking expenses, invoices, forecasting.

Partnership Management and Development (30%)

  • Provide exceptional customer service for existing partners, with a keen eye on building more robust and long-lasting partnerships

  • Develop and activate strategically aligned partnerships designed to expand the reach, impact, and revenue in support of Words Alive’s teen programming.

Volunteer Management (15%)

  • Ongoing and exceptional management of a large network of volunteers (50+), including team management, clear lines of ongoing communication, clear role descriptions, time tracking, professional development.

  • Expertly train a robust and diverse cohort of volunteers to support the work of this position, recruit targeted support as necessary.

  • Mitigate issues and address concerns from or related to volunteers. 

Other Duties as Assigned (5%)

EXPECTATIONS & REQUIREMENTS

  • Experience (3+ years) working with teens/young adults in school-based or out-of-school settings; secondary education and/or administration; and/or experience in teacher or educator training.

  • Track record of planning and implementation of successful, engaging, and accessible teen-centered programs and/or events.

  • Experience collaborating and cultivating relationships with community agencies, nonprofit partners, schools, and educational institutions.

  • Highly organized; proven project and human capital management skills.

  • Creative and inventive, with strong interpersonal skills and an ability to work with a diverse variety of individuals and students.  It is especially important that this candidate is a model of inclusion – sensitive to the needs and situations of teens, volunteers, and families.

  • Excellent communication skills (verbal, written, presentation, etc.); including authenticity in communication around our mission.

  • Self-starter who takes ownership of projects, with exceptional time management skills and ease in moving quickly through many priorities simultaneously.

  • Demonstrated ability to initiate, manage, coordinate, and build positive, strong relationships.

  • Comfort with numbers and data, including use data to help make decisions and direct strategies.

  • Optimistic, positive, welcoming, thoughtful, gratitude-driven, and professional demeanor.

  • Ability to respect and uphold confidentiality as required.

  • Unwavering commitment to the mission and population served.

Educational and Technical Expectations

  • Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent experience.

  • Excellent computer skills and ability to use virtual platforms with proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), remote working platforms (e.g., Teams, Zoom, AirTable), online applications, and search engines.  

  • Ability to perform basic math and learn new organizational systems.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Written and verbal fluency in a language in addition to English

  • Proven success managing staff or volunteers serving various roles within an organization

  • Prior experience volunteering with or working for a literacy, education, or nonprofit organization

  • Lived experiences aligned with the organization’s mission, e.g., participation in Words Alive’s programming.

This position requires:

  • Ability to work on a computer and phone for at least 50% of the day.

  • Role includes in-office work. The office is on the second floor of a building with no elevator.  Reasonable accommodations will be made.

  • Ability to drive to and from meetings, activities, and events mostly in the metro San Diego area, but occasionally throughout Words Alive’s service area. Overnight travel is a rare possibility.

  • Available early mornings, evenings, and weekends to engage with key stakeholders as required. 

  • Able to lift 30 pounds regularly to transport books and program materials, including to/from our office. All staff support in receiving and delivering program supplies. Reasonable accommodations will be made, as necessary.

Words Alive Values & Culture
At Words Alive, our programs and impact made in the community are driven by our core values, which represent the motivation, dedication, and focus of our Words Alive staff and volunteers. Our values include:

  • Commitment: by pledging to make reading matter for everyone

  • Equitability: by working to level the playing field

  • Empowerment: by investing in lifelong learners

  • Responsiveness: by listening to community needs and developing innovative solutions

  • Collaboration: by partnering with the community

  • Connectedness: by creating a familial environment that includes all Words Alive participants and supporters

To Apply

Carefully review this job posting, expectations, compensation, and criteria to ensure it is a good fit.

Submit via email (only) to [email protected]:

1) a letter or introductory video sharing why you’d like to work with Words Alive and specifically what draws you to this role, and

2) a resume or summary of experiences qualifying you for this position.

Posting Date: July 18, 2022. Start Date: As soon as possible.