Partner with youth programs team to support 7th-12th grade students as they graduate from high school, pursue higher education, and prepare for future careers

Chicago Lights Tutoring supports the academic and personal growth of 440 students a year. We help make bright futures a reality for students by matching them one-to-one with caring adult mentors. These relationships, combined with innovative educational and enrichment resources, mindful practices, and career development, help prepare our students for higher education and future jobs.

The Program Coordinator is responsible for the operations of the Tutoring and Summer Day Programs. The Program Coordinator serves as the point person and main contact for all participants of the Tutoring and Summer Day programs and manages student and volunteer recruitment and retention, data management and reporting, relationship facilitation, and day to day operations. The Program Coordinator works in partnership with Director of Tutoring and Summer Day in ensuring that both programs meet educational goals and fulfills the organization’s mission.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and manage the year-round student and volunteer recruitment and application process from initial interest to onboarding.
• Partner with the Data Administrator to enter, update, and maintain accurate student and tutor information in the database.
• Manage the student-tutor matching process (including matching substitute tutors with students) and assist pairs in building successful and meaningful relationships year-round.
• Organize and execute Student Check-In and Tutor Check–In (greet students and volunteers, track attendance, and distribute information). Communicate with students/families and tutors regarding lateness, absences and other inappropriate attendance patterns.
• Facilitate positive relationships between students and tutors. Serve as the point person for questions, concerns, conflict resolution, parent intervention, etc. Enlist and lead other Tutoring and Summer Day team members to support this effort as needed.
• Ensure that facilities are available and prepared for student, volunteer, and teacher use, including reserving space and submitting room set up requests.
• Regularly and effectively communicate with students, volunteers, and parents through emails, phone calls, Tutor Talk, robo texting, and more.
• Establish new partnerships as well as maintain current community partnerships for program, tutor, and staff resources, including the Fourth Church Christmas Wishes program.
• Lead monthly new volunteer orientations and provide volunteers with continued resources, training, and social events.
• Serve as a positive role model for students and partner with all Tutoring and Summer Day staff to address student behavior concerns, communicating with parents as needed.
• Mange the logistics of the transportation service contract for Tutoring and Summer Day.
• Oversee reports on participant demographics (zip code, gender, race, age/grade, longevity with the program, etc.), attendance, retention rates, and tutor, student, parent satisfaction surveys.
• Develop new initiatives to support the strategic direction of the organization. Develop and implement short- and long-term goals and objectives to achieve the successful outcome of the program.
• Participate in the Tutoring and Summer Day leadership team to evaluate the programs and implement new projects.
• Manage all operational aspects of the Summer Day Program including organization of field trips, supervision of students and volunteers, and student behavior management.
• Provide trauma informed care to all, ensuring that program environments and interactions are safe, inviting, and demonstrate best practice.
• Use the S.P.I.R.I.T. principles of hospitality when interacting with visitors, guests, members, and staff of Fourth Presbyterian Church and Chicago Lights.
• Attend staff meetings as required.
• It is impossible to convey every single task into one job description. As the role evolves over time, this job description will be adjusted accordingly.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required (social work, psychology, sociology or education preferred).
• Excellent organizational and time management skills with special aptitude for detail, multi-tasking, working at a fast pace, and the ability to prioritize and meet deadlines.
• Excellent oral and written communication, good interpersonal skill, and comfortable public speaking.
• Proven ability to manage projects with interpersonal and logistical complexity .
• Strong computer skills including proficiency in Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint.
• Experience in managing volunteer programs; experience with children’s programs preferred.
• Understanding of and commitment to providing trauma informed care.
• Strong work ethic and judgment, apparent collaboration skills, and a commitment to Chicago Lights’ mission.
• Commitment to racial equity and social justice: Recognize the role of race, income, age, immigration status, and other identities in shaping disparities, and work toward amplifying community voices to advocate for equity. Recognize how your own identities show up in the work, and welcome, reflect on, and act on feedback with an eye toward continuous learning about race, ability, and other lines of difference.

Schedule

Tutoring season: September–May: Monday–Thursday, 12:00–8:00 p.m. Flexible daytime hours on Friday.

Non-Tutoring season: June–August: Daytime hours, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. are expected.

Paid Time Off days should preferably be taken when the programs are not in session.

Apply

Please send cover letters and resumes to jobs@fourthchurch.org. No phone calls, please.

Fourth Presbyterian Church and Chicago Lights are committed to equal employment opportunity for all qualified persons, without regard to race, color, citizenship status, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, age, creed, physical or mental disability, marital status or familial status, veteran status, military status, source of income, political affiliation, or any other factor protected by law.