Youth Service Manager

Boston, MA, United States

**Youth Service Manager**

Programs Boston, Massachusetts Minimum Experience **Entry-level** Compensation **$40,000** The Youth Service Manager plays an integral role in fulfilling our organization's mission of closing the opportunity gap.

The Youth Service Manager has five primary areas of focus: 1) practice and promote diversity, equity and inclusion so the diverse population we serve is represented among our staff and volunteers and that they bring knowledge of social and racial justice as it pertains to the opportunity gap for low income youth 2) to fulfill our mission by engaging each enrolled youth in each applicable element of our program model 3) to recruit and build a corps of volunteer mentors from college campuses 4) to support our team of AmeriCorps members and supervisors who engage in direct service with our youth, families and volunteers and 5) to manage and maintain DREAMs relationships and general operations in their assigned region.

The DREAM Program is committed to dismantling systems of oppression that affect our youth and families. This organizational commitment means that members should join this space with an intention of learning, unlearning, and diving into ways that your involvement will directly contribute to DREAMs mission of reducing the Opportunity Gap while also supporting the dismantling of other systemic inequities. We seek members who contribute to s diverse community, as having different perspectives, identities, and skills are what allow us to excel in our service. DREAM seeks members who are ready to engage in and foster an inclusive environment, and who strive to deliver culturally appropriate and relevant programming to the youth we serve. Incoming members and staff should understand that we serve marginalized communities, which means that it is imperative that diversity, equity, and inclusivity are infused into every aspect of our work as an organization.

Objectives:

* Build a relationship with every volunteer mentor.

* Express a passion for and an understanding of social and racial justice as it pertains to the opportunity gap for low income youth.

* Assure each volunteer is prepared, trained and provides a culturally appropriate experience to the youth and families served.

* Build a relationship with every youth and their family.

* DREAM youth and families have agency over their DREAM experience.

* DREAM youth engage in weekly Village Mentoring and report a high quality experience and relationship with their mentors.

* DREAM youth attend and succeed in school.

* DREAM youth make learning gains over the summer and have a lot of fun.

* DREAM youth gain a broader sense of the world.

The experience:

* Managers should expect to work a schedule that fits the schedule of those they are serving. This means there will some regularly scheduled hours and some hours that are responsive to volunteers, youth and family demands. Additionally, the schedule will be a mix of daytime, evenings, weekdays and weekends. Managers will have agency over their schedule as long as it serves those they are supporting well.

* The experience is heavy with person-to person communication and support (whether that is actually in person or online)

* The experience is broken up into a few main foci that impact the day-to-day:

+ recruiting, training and supporting volunteers (both AmeriCorps and mentors)

+ attending to youth, families and partners that rely upon DREAM for varying reasons

+ operating the organizations programs and activities with fidelity to its models

* Communication with mentors, parents and partners occurs every week (or more frequently as circumstances may direct).

* Communication with DREAMs broader community occurs monthly in multiple ways (reporting to our Board of Directors, building new partnerships in each community, and connecting with local organizations and resources that offer supplemental services to youth and families, for example).

* Participate as a member of DREAMs leadership team by attending regular meetings and driving strategy and execution of initiatives.

* Participate as a member of at least one committee.

* Lead and follow up with weekly experience/support meetings for AmeriCorps members.

* Regularly partner with the leadership team to provide AmeriCorps members a successful and valuable experience.

* Lead discussion regarding weekly member professional/experience enrichment activities.

* Summer months will transition to creating and delivering activities that fight the summer slide and build engagement, academic enrichment and fun for youth (daily and weekly schedule will likely change to lead out-of-school time in the summer).

Position type/expected hours of work: This is a full time, non-exempt position. The position will average 35-45 hours per week with regular evenings and occasional weekend events over the course of the year. Participation and leadership at regular multi-day retreats is required (typically one each quarter).

Supervisory Responsibility: This position supervises the team assembled to support the programs DREAM operates in the locations they are assigned. Teams may consist of AmeriCorps members, volunteers and/or full or part-time employees. Additionally, this position is responsible for the supervision of any office or program space and its assets that DREAM occupies/owns.

Work environment/physical demands: This position operates in multiple spaces. The spaces included may have characteristics similar to a professional office environment, an indoor/outdoor environment with active children and students, a community center, a classroom/campus, and/or the homes of our members and/or participants. This role routinely uses standard office/school equipment (such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and printers) as well as equipment characteristic of an outdoor youth day camp (pop-up shade canopies/tents, hand tools, food preparation equipment, storage spaces and sports equipment/toys).

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee/member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

This position requires comfort working in outdoor environments, regardless of the weather. This position can be very active and frequently requires standing, walking, bending, kneeling, stooping, crouching, crawling, and climbing. While performing the duties of this job, the employee/member is regularly required to communicate with individuals who talk and hear. The employee/member must occasionally lift and/or move items over 50 pounds. While performing the duties of this job, the employee/member is regularly required to observe and comprehend using vision abilities that include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Travel: Travel includes local travel (colleges, partners and communities with which we work) and regional travel (visiting other DREAM geographies and for retreats and special events) during the work hours described. Out-of-the-area and overnight travel will be expected.

Preferred qualifications/experience:

* Experience working or living in a diverse and inclusive environment with elevated, demonstrated awareness of issues of social equity and social and racial justice.

* Demonstrated practice or education serving diverse communities or populations of people of color in an equitable manner and a manner that is respectful and aware of the community's experience.

* Experience supervising and leading a staff of employees, service members and volunteers with forward thinking and strategy.

* Exceptional communication and facilitation skills with a focus on direct communication.

* Experience supervising and maintaining the organizational property, office, and program space.

* Computer proficiency: comfort with Microsoft Office apps, Google's GSuite and