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 Youth Programs Coordinator (Scholarship and Alumni) for the Chicago Lights Tutoring program partners with the Youth Programs team and 7th-12th grade students, their tutors, and their parents to engage in robust initiatives to develop their leadership potential, provide academic and financial support that enable them to complete high school and attend college, gain understanding and practice in all aspects of seeking, obtaining, and performing in an employment situation, and support their success in college and beyond. Specifically, the Youth Programs Coordinator will focus on our dynamic high school scholarship, college scholarship, and alumni activities.

Responsibilities

High School and College Scholarships

• Coordinate all aspects of the high school and college scholarship projects, from recruitment to application process to programming.
• Partner with the Youth Programs Team to engage students, tutors, and parents in the high school and college selection process. Inform and encourage students to apply.
  • Identify grade school students interested in or needing a private, tuition-based high school experience.
  • Identify high school students who fit the criteria for college scholarships.
  • Partner with the Youth Programs team to identify rising 9th graders attending Chicago Public Schools for the Ferguson Fellowship.
• Execute the scholarships application and selection processes seamlessly and on time.
• Partner with the high schools and colleges our scholars attend and create effective lines communication to fully support students academically, financially, and social emotionally.
• Plan and execute monthly high school scholarship meetings that provide meaningful and engaging supplemental learning to support students’ growth.
• Create and execute a plan for supporting and checking in with Greer and Peace Club scholars a minimum of four times per school year. Create winter break and summer gatherings of college scholarship recipients.
• Complete the January and July Greer reports on time. Partner with the Executive Programs Director to communicate regularly and effectively with Greer.
• Research and disseminate other scholarship opportunities to students. Recruit and engage donors to fund new scholarship opportunities for students.

Alumni Engagement

• In partnership with the Program Coordinator, Scholarship and Alumni, design and implement a plan to enhance and track alumni engagement through special events, career opportunities, service and leadership opportunities, connection, and more.
• Develop strategy to engage program alumni, with a focus on student persistence and success within the first two years of post-secondary education.

Other

• Develop goals and objectives, track and collect related metrics, utilize measurement tools such as participant surveys, and create yearly reports summarizing these findings for all initiatives. Capture success by keeping accurate records of attendance, participation, and performance.
• Research and disseminate outside leadership opportunities for students. When funds allow, plan and implement leadership trips for current students and alumni.
• Effectively work within a budget to equip the program with the necessary resources.
• Assist in program services for Tutoring and Summer Day, including recruitment, retention, volunteer orientation, relationship management, 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

• Associate’s degree required; bachelor’s degree preferred
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills
• Excellent organizational skills with ability to multi-task and work at a fast pace
• Strong computer skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office applications
• Appreciation for working with youth as well as adult volunteers
• Experience in teaching and leading workshops; knowledge in youth and leadership development
• Collaborative leader with a management style that regularly includes others in decision-making
• Understanding of and commitment to providing trauma-informed care
• Strong work ethic, judgment, collaborative team member, 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.

Compensation

This is a full-time position with a salary range of $37,000-$40,000 and includes our robust benefits package:

• Medical insurance (church pays 85% of employee monthly premium and 75% of eligible dependents)
• Optional dental and vision insurance plans
• Generous PTO plus eleven holidays
• 403b retirement plan (employer contributions after one year of employment)
• FSA for unreimbursed medical and dependent daycare expenses
• Mass transit and commuter parking benefits
• Life and short-term disability insurances, optional life insurance and long-term disability plan

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.