About iMentor
In a world where talent is equally distributed, but opportunity is not, iMentor is fighting to rebalance the odds and give every young person a chance to realize their dreams. iMentor builds mentoring relationships that empower students in low-income communities to graduate high school, succeed in college, and achieve their ambitions. Students work with their mentors one-on-one, in-person and online, to develop strong personal relationships, nurture a college aspiration, navigate the college application process, and build critical skills that lead to college success. iMentor partners with public schools to ensure every student in the schools receives a mentor.
Since 1999, iMentor has connected more than 25,000 students with mentors, and this year iMentor is serving nearly 9,000 students across the country. iMentor Chicago launched in 2015 with 207 pairs and has grown to serving 1,334 students at 4 schools in 2018-19.
iMentor has been recognized through funding from many of the leading education funders in the country, including the Ballmer Group, the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, the Robin Hood Foundation, the Bezos Family Foundation, New Profit Inc., and the Kresge Foundation. As a team, we are collaborative, fun, bring passion and joy to our work, and deeply believe in human potential. iMentor was recently named one of the Best Nonprofits to Work For by The Nonprofit Times. Read more about our work and values at:
http://www.imentor.org
Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
We believe that people of all backgrounds deserve equal access to educational opportunities. Recognizing that our country’s history of racism and systemic oppression continues to drive educational disparities for students of color, we give special focus to addressing the economic and racial divides that impact the communities we serve. We are committed to the collective work and intentional investment necessary to consistently move in the direction of educational equity and inclusion.
Position Overview
Program Managers (PMs) will facilitate high-impact relationships between 100 and 120 mentee/mentor pairs by leveraging iMentor’s programmatic model to deepen pair relationships and help mentors guide mentees toward the goal of college entrance and graduation. PMs will work with mentors (adult-volunteers) to position them as a “go-to” resource for their mentee and provide individual coaching to ensure pair growth. Reporting to the Associate Directors of Program, PMs will facilitate weekly classroom sessions for mentees, lead monthly pair events, and provide individualized support for pairs. They will help develop a strong partnership with teachers and administrators at their school site and contribute to iMentor’s impact in the college success landscape.
The ideal candidate will have three (3) + years of professional experience. They will have experience working with high-school aged youth, and an interest in or experience working with adult volunteers. They will believe deeply in mentoring as a tool for youth success and be confident that, with the right support, a caring, committed adult can build a relationship with a student and support their post-secondary journey. The candidate most closely aligned with the iMentor vision believes that every student deserves a champion and a chance to graduate from college.
Responsibilities
Provide high-quality pair support to ~120 mentee-mentor pairs
• Match mentors and mentees at the beginning of each program cycle
• Provide cohort-level and individualized coaching for mentors to better support and build relationships with their mentees
• Lead targeted case management support for pairs to ensure they meet programmatic outcomes and participation requirements including detailed pair notes, updated frequently
• Use data to determine which pairs may need additional support or program interventions
• Utilize iMentor’s online platform to document pair support notes and troubleshoot struggling pairs with supervisor
• Create and coordinate in-person meeting opportunities for pairs to increase program participation
Ensure high-quality curricular engagement
• Lead multiple classroom sessions per week for mentees at partner school locations
• Ensure mentees and mentors exchange deep and meaningful correspondence on a weekly basis via iMentor’s technology platform
• Plan and manage monthly events at school site or on a college campus
• Promote and support mentor-facing curriculum and cultural competency training
• Work with Associate Directors to develop deep partnerships with school staff and administrators to support programmatic/curricular outcomes
Provide robust and targeted post-secondary support
• Work closely with partner school and internal teams to align on post-secondary goals and support strategies for students and mentors
• Support and train mentors on post-secondary preparation process and high school graduation requirements
• Document all support provided and maintain high quality, timely notes on progress of all pairs
• Use class sessions and events to build college and career aspiration and help them navigate the post-secondary preparation process
• Providing cohort-level and individual support to mentors so that pairs identify and realize post-secondary goals
• Partner with CBOs on campus to streamline
college research, application and transition process
• Monitor application and tracking of
post-secondary transition steps, including enrollment in PSP
• Ensure cohorts have completed
post-secondary planning
Requirements
• Three (3)+ years of professional experience in youth development, education and/or volunteer engagement
• Bachelor’s degree
• Comfortable working at both the iMentor office and at schools
• Available and excited to work 2-4 evenings per month
• Our organization works in partnership with district public schools across the country. In doing so we must meet all compliance requirements of those districts
• Able to travel throughout the Chicago area and to staff events and trainings on some weeknights and Saturdays; transportation not provided·
• Alignment with iMentor’s values (http://www.imentor.org/values)
Qualifications
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to have tough conversations
• Strong organization and time-management skills
• Ability to look at data, understand its implications, and identify next steps
• Ability to work independently and to collaborate in a team environment
• Experience and comfort with facilitation of classroom sessions and events
• Experience and comfort working with high school students, school staff, and adult volunteers
• Bilingual (Spanish) a plus
• College access programming or volunteer management, a plus, but not required
• Knowledge of Chicago community, school culture and state college landscape a plus
Compensation & Benefits
• Salary commensurate with experience
• Up to 100% employer-funded comprehensive medical and dental coverage
• 18 days paid annual vacation and 13 paid holidays + most iMentor functions closed between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• 401K match up to 4%
• Significant opportunities for professional development and growth
How to Apply
Visit www.imentor.org/jobs to submit a resume and detailed cover letter describing your interest
in and qualifications for the position. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, so it is in
candidates’ best interest to apply as soon as possible. No phone, email, mail, or fax inquiries will
receive a response.
iMentor is an Equal Opportunity Employer with a Strong Commitment to Diversity