Join our team!
We are hiring for an Education Program Manager. Please see details below.
Education Program Manager
Priority application deadline is August 25th, 2024. We know there are great candidates who may not check all the boxes or who hold important skills we haven’t listed. Don’t hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself. People with lived experience in foster care, BIPOC individuals, and LGBTQ2S+ individuals are strongly encouraged to apply.
Foster Advocates was founded in 2018 to address the lack of policy and advocacy organizations working to improve the foster care/child welfare space in Minnesota. We believe that those closest to a problem are the closest to solving them and organize and develop the leadership of Fosters to direct advocacy, policy, and research to improve outcomes for our community. Read about our approach here, and our leadership principles here.
Education Program Manager
Classification: Exempt, Full-Time
Reports to: Director of Support Programs
Compensation: $55,000-$65,000
Health Partners insurance (no employee contribution)
Humana vision & dental (no employee contribution)
6 weeks PTO, as well as the week of July 4th off and the last two weeks in December off
1 hour/pay period paid wellness time
Simple IRA with 3% match
Cell phone stipend
Location: This position is Minnesota-based and primarily remote, with expected travel to team/program events in the Twin Cities 1-2x per month.
The Program Manager (PM) will manage Foster Advocates’ programs that focus on advancing educational attainment for and with Fosters. In this role you will wear a few different hats in order to meet Fosters where they are at, and the unique barriers that arise for those who have experienced the child welfare system. This could include helping in support of basic needs, supporting housing resources, and navigation, and provide support with different Support Programs initiatives. The PM will collaborate with staff, Fosters, and partners to advance Foster Advocates’ mission, and lead programmatic operations related to the education initiatives while supporting other organizational priorities that align with Foster Advocates’ core values. The PM will oversee efforts to build community and elevate the voices of Fosters in education spaces. The PM will have a passion for foster care empowerment and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a start-up organization.
Primary Responsibilities
50% - Work with our Foster network by providing 1:1 coaching and group support to high-school and transition- age Fosters, focusing on post-secondary goals and completion
• Support Fosters with resource and stability navigation
• Maintain a manageable caseload of Fosters
35% - Strategic planning and education program management
• Manage and grow our network of partnerships in education, including other aligned nonprofits, scholarship-granting organizations, high-school and district partners to increase engagement, accelerate shared learning, forge new connections, and raise up priority issues
• Develop strategies to support Fosters in overcoming barriers internal and external, to college and career readiness
• Work with the Director of Support Programs to develop overall structure and pilot programs for the Education Program
15% - Program Administration
• Organizational support, including team meetings, communications, fundraising
• Budget management
• Program evaluation: Track and maintain notes, surveys, etc. on our data reporting tool, Apricot
• Contract support/management: Lead/ facilitate monthly meetings with any county contracts focused on education support
Desired Qualifications and Skills
• 3+ years of experience in education and/or leadership development work
• A college degree is not required, but a deep understanding of the post-secondary education process is, as well as a passion for helping others get to and through college
• Strong relationship-building skills with demonstrated experience working in diverse communities
• Strong communication skills, including comfort with public speaking and strong writing skills, with the ability to convey accurate, persuasive messages to multiple audiences
• Experience facilitating meetings and/or organizing groups around a common goal
• Familiarity with local child welfare and education landscape through work in and/or advocacy in Minnesota
• Have lived experience in foster care and/or experience with child welfare systems
• Demonstrate commitment to the philosophy of young people as leaders in deciding and advancing their own priority issues and passion for working with young people
• Have an understanding of racial, LGBTQ2S+, and gender equity, and have an appreciation for how these identities intersect and impact people’s lives
Application Instructions
Please reach out to [email protected] with any questions or comments. Use “Education Program Manager” as your subject line. The priority deadline is August 25th, 2024. However, if you are really awesome please apply anyway and send us an email letting us know why we should still consider your application. Those selected for an interview will be notified by September 9th.