Summer Employment Program Coordinator

Position title:              Summer Employment Program Coordinator

Position reports to:        Director of Employment Programs

Status:                                Part Time Hourly, Seasonal

Salary:                                $25-27/hr

About the Gary Comer Youth Center

Opening our doors in 2006, Gary Comer Youth Center is the flagship organization of the Comer Education Campus (CEC). Located in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side, the campus is anchored by the state-of-the-art Gary Comer Youth Center, Gary Comer College Prep High School and Gary Comer Middle School, we serve over 2,000 young people annually.  The CEC has been recognized as one of the most unique youth-serving organizations in the nation.  Our mission is to prepare young people, aged 11-24, for college, careers and futures as well rounded, global citizens. We operate programming in five focus areas: Academic Success, Arts & Technology, Culinary Arts & Nutrition, Sports & Leadership, and Urban Agriculture.

Position Summary 

The Summer Employment Program Coordinator at the Gary Comer Youth Center is an essential piece of the ecosystem of programmatic staff. The Program Coordinator plays a key role in recruitment, program execution, and the maintenance and cultivation of strategic partnerships to improve and strengthen the experience of GCYC summer youth employment. With guidance from the Director of Employment Programs, the Program Coordinator executes daily programming, specialty programs (e.g. field trips, special events, etc.), and advances their program area in support of our mission, vision, and values.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Program Operations:
  • Coordinates program delivery by external partners and contractors
  • Acts as a point person in planning and executing consistent, cohesive, high-quality professional development programming across multiple youth employment cohorts
  • Collaborates on recruitment and retention of youth to programs to ensure 100% enrollment and 80% program completion
  • Ensures that assigned youth employees complete all orientation and onboarding tasks and manage their timecards according to existing policies and procedures
  • Coordinates required program activities with other employment program leads
  • Represents GCYC at external and internal events to recruit new members
  • Ensures program delivery is equitable for all members – considering all age groups, genders, races, abilities and sexual orientations feel welcomed, supported, represented, and have access to all programs and services
  • Contributes to the organization and implementation of special activities/events (e.g. showcases, career days, youth PD), organizing and facilitating OSC orientations, events, and team building opportunities
  • Keeps abreast of current best practices, research, and trends in youth development, workforce development, and career readiness to contribute to the development of staff and advancement of organizational practices
  • Responsible for managing and executing deliverables and compliance for grants assigned, ensuring completion of trainings and other grant deliverable like My Chi My Future playlists, Summer PD sessions, etc.
  • Plans and implements programming in accordance with overall organizational goals, methods and objectives (e.g. Quality Program Outline, Daily Program Plan, etc.). Utilizing and creating evidence-based and researched curriculum, lesson plans, and educational materials
  • Manages classrooms through positive youth development practices
  • Ensures the timely and accurate entry of data into internal data systems (e.g. Salesforce, Paycom), as well as assigned external systems (e.g. Cityspan) for grant compliance.
  • Responsible for special projects assigned by direct supervisor, the Center Director, or the Executive Director.

• Culture/Values:
  • Embrace/demonstrate the values of the Comer Education Campus: 
    • Youth Power
    • Innovation
    • Wellbeing
    • Community Commitment
    • Equity and Inclusion
    • Joy
  • Contribute to and maintain a productive and engaging work environment where employees feel safe, comfortable, engaged, and capable of being successful.
  • Believes in continual improvement and has high expectations of themselves and their colleagues
  • Contribute to and maintain ways to support employee collaboration, celebration, and team building.
  • Intentionally and continuously strives to promote a culture that values and strengthens diversity and inclusion.
• Organizational Leadership:
  • Seek out partnerships and relationships that will create deeper, more relevant, and more impactful experiences for members
  • Serves as Leader on Duty as needed

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• 1-3 years’ experience in roles working in youth development, employment/workforce training, or education of youth and young adults especially with individuals facing barriers to economic stability.
• Experience leading multiple programs in a nonprofit environment strongly preferred.
• A proven commitment to delivering quality enrichment programs through documented work experience in program planning and execution.

Core Competencies  

• Strong project management and organizational skills.  Must be able to initiate and finish projects.
• Able to communicate effectively with youth, co-workers, stakeholders and families in a respectful and culturally competent manner via written and oral communication. 
• Must enjoy working with teams but can also work independently. 
• Enjoys being the leader but is also confident enough to take directions from others. 
• Must be able to take initiative and problem solve.  Must be a creative thinker. 
• Demonstrates strong accuracy in all areas of work and possess adaptive vitality. 
• Must have basic computer literacy skills, including Microsoft Office, independent use of the internet and ability to learn and properly utilize software systems.  
• Abides by the employee handbook and established GCYC policies and procedures. 

Physical Work Requirements & Environment:  

The GCYC environment is consistently bustling with youth and community members.  The Center’s work is fast paced and varied.  Our work is done on site where our youth and families are.   Therefore, it is required that team members meet the following requirements: 

• Have the ability to lift up to 25 pounds. 
• Able to complete administrative work in a shared office space within a bustling youth center. 

Salary : $25 - $27