Description

About The Organization

The Governor's Prevention Partnership (The Partnership) actively supports Connecticut's youth by focusing on preventing underage drinking and substance misuse. As the Connecticut affiliate of MENTOR, the organization plays a pivotal role in supporting youth mentoring initiatives across Connecticut. The Partnership works collaboratively with businesses, community groups, educators, and families to create safe and supportive environments for young people. Their approach is about bringing everyone together to share knowledge and resources, making sure that young people have the guidance and support they need to make healthy choices and build a promising future.

At The Partnership, we are deeply committed to our core values that prioritize the success of Connecticut’s youth. Our dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion shapes every aspect of our work, ensuring that our efforts effectively meet the diverse needs of the communities we champion and serve. We stand firm in our commitment to provide inclusive and comprehensive support that guides young people toward a positive and healthy future. Our core values are the foundation of our strategic approach, influencing every decision and action we undertake in our mission to support Connecticut's youth.

SUMMARY

The Associate Director of Mentoring Grants and Community Engagement plays a pivotal role in promoting and enhancing adult-youth relationships through community-based mentoring across Connecticut. This position involves assessing the current mentoring landscape, identifying gaps in quality standards, and staying informed about best practices and trends. The role includes developing and launching resources like web-based tools to support local programs, and leading training and technical assistance services for various community stakeholders. Additionally, the Associate Director is responsible for fostering state and local partnerships, managing mentor recruitment processes, and developing and managing specialized community-based mentoring projects and initiatives. They represent the organization at various levels, ensuring the implementation of effective practices and effectively implementing grants to support innovative mentoring opportunities. The role also encompasses the oversight of team members, ensuring their professional development and effective contribution to the organization’s goals.

Requirements

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Advocacy and Promotion of Caring Adult-Youth Relationships

1. Assess current status of mentoring in Connecticut, including gaps in adherence to quality standards and current trends
2. Contribute to strategic leadership for connection to caring adults based on community needs and trends
3. Develop and launch community-based mentoring resources, including web-based tools, to support local programs
4. Remain up to date on best practices for mentoring programs and research about the effectiveness of youth mentoring
5. Participate and present at regional and national conferences, forums and summits

Manage Community-Based Mentoring Program Training and Technical Assistance Services

1. Develop and manage all mentoring related training and technical assistance resources for programs and communities
2. Ensure facilitation of the Elements of Effective Practice Operational Standards and Advanced Trainings and Technical Assistance for mentoring practitioners
3. Leverage opportunities to support the continuous development of advanced trainings and services provided to youth practitioners through National partnerships

State and Local Partnership Development, and Mentor Recruitment

1. Under the direction of the Co-President, Chief Program and Administrative Officer represent The Partnership in local, regional, and national mentoring events/opportunities
2. Ensure “on the ground” relationships with diverse constituents, including key stakeholders involved in mentoring in state agencies and communities, etc. to ensure quick mobilization for grant submissions
3. Contribute to the implementation of moves management systems to track and document mentoring program census data and program enhancements, and resulting youth outcomes
4. Oversee the pipeline of potential mentors through a web-based data systems
5. Ensure the effectiveness of the organization’s youth mentee referral web-based portal and connect referred youth to approved evidence-based mentoring programs listed in The Partnership's mentoring program database

Development, Management and implementation of community-based specialized mentoring projects and initiatives

1. Perform as a specialist in the planning, implementation, and management of innovative mentoring programs and initiatives that involve groups of programs implementing specialized and targeted mentoring services
2. Plan, design and facilitate training for specialized mentoring opportunities, projects and initiatives as needed 
3. Design and implement technical assistance strategies for mentoring programs in response to emerging needs in the state and local program implementation of mentoring quality standards 
4. Liaison and coordinate with federal, state, and community agencies and organizations to establish innovative mentoring opportunities for grant applications
5. Oversee the management of day-to-day operational aspects of grant-funded mentoring programs working with mentoring team members
6. Lead the planning, organizing, and negotiating of mentoring subcontractor agreements and MOUs with locally funded programs, collaborative programs, and mentoring consultants
7. Conduct research to support the application of mentoring grants including needs assessment, program designs, logic models, timelines, and implementation plans aligned with organizational and community priorities 
8. Participate in webinars, conferences, regional meetings, and other events to increase awareness and knowledge of federal grants that support the expansion of youth mentoring opportunities
9. Provide leadership in maintaining accurate data and reporting systems for documenting program and positive youth outcomes; and satisfy funder reporting requirements
10. Increase awareness of the value of quality standards (new version) and correlation to positive youth outcomes

Select, Train, Supervisor Team Members and Professional Development

1. Create workplans and professional development plans for supervised team members
2.  Assign job duties, manage team member performance and daily activities to ensure maximum efficiency in achieving deliverables
3. Conduct performance reviews, provide coaching and in-real-time feedback and guidance to team members

REQUIRED EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND ABILITIES:

1. Master’s Degree in field of social work, human services, youth development or related field or equivalent professional experience
2. Minimum 7 years’ experience in program management and staff supervision, preferably in a nonprofit or related setting
3. Minimum of 5 years’ experience in delivering advanced training and technical assistance (consulting) 
4. Demonstrated ability to develop strategy, conceptualize and develop programs and manage projects and staff; excellent skills in organizing and managing multiple priorities
5. Strong writing and oral communication skills; skills in use of advanced technology desired
6. Demonstrated customer engagement and service delivery skills
7. Able to command the respect and trust of external constituents, customers, Board members and team members and model a high standard of integrity and accountability
8. Experience in the selection, training and supervision of direct reports
9. Experience in evaluating the work of others 
10. Some night and occasional weekend work is required
11. Ability to attend work related events, which may account for 20% of time. 
12. Must have transportation, a valid Connecticut driver’s license and be able to travel throughout Connecticut. Some out-of-state travel required, as well as occasional evenings or weekends

CONTEXT

37.5 hours per week with flexibility, some evenings and weekends as needed. This is a hybrid work model with 50% of work time in the office. The Partnership will provide the necessary equipment: laptop, printer, and office supplies to work remotely. The team member must have access to internet and cell phone to work remotely.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The job requires sitting and utilizing a computer daily and using other office equipment such as copiers, postage machines, and visual display equipment on an as needed basis. The job requires occasionally lifting up to twenty pounds to transport materials to and from meetings events and trainings. The work environment is such that deadlines may fluctuate in accordance with project needs or constraints. Stress may occur when managing priorities across multiple projects and meeting deadlines.