Program Manager, Experiential Learning Centers

Impact

We are one of nearly 100 Junior Achievement markets in the U.S. and part of the global family of Junior Achievement Worldwide, giving incredible opportunities for long-term growth within our organization. Our mission is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. JA NorCal is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area and operates in 26 counties throughout the state. Through our network of education partners, JA NorCal provides relevant, hands-on learning experiences that teach young people to manage their money, plan for their economic future, run their own businesses, and develop readiness for careers and college.

Primary Responsibilities:

Reporting to the Head of Financial Literacy, the Program Manager will support programs and partnerships in the Bay Area, with an emphasis on the Silicon Valley / South Bay. Additionally, the Program Manager will support implementation of mobile experiential learning programs, which will require local travel as well as travel to program events outside the Bay Area (up to 6 weeks per year.) This role will particularly emphasize educator support and volunteer recruiting, training, placement, and recognition. The Program Manager will maintain the organization’s high-quality standard, ensure adherence to Junior Achievement’s program implementation standards, and develop and maintain positive relationships with educators and community partners.

The Program Manager, ELC will be organized and detail-oriented, striving to provide high-quality work and meet deadlines while building effective relationships with colleagues. The Program Manager will possess a friendly, professional demeanor, a positive attitude, and the ability to work independently.

Primary Responsibilities:
• Program Management: Manages and implements programs (JA Learning Experiences) and student events according to our market’s Strategic Plan, with a primary emphasis on JA Finance Park Pop-Up, our mobile experiential learning center. Click here to see Finance Park in action.
• Volunteer Management: Manages programs with a focus on volunteer recruitment, training, placement, support, and recognition.
• Volunteer & Educator Training: Organize and implement effective volunteer and educator orientations and training in accordance with JA USA and JA NorCal standards.
• Excellent Customer Service: Builds and maintains strong relationships with educators, community members, and additional key stakeholders.
• Community Outreach & Partnerships: Identify and develop key partnerships with corporate, community, and non-profit partners to support us in achieving our program goals.
• Fundraising Support: In cooperation with the leadership team and the development department, support the organization’s efforts in securing funding and stewarding donors.

JA Finance Park Pop-Up Facilitation:
The Program Manager, Experiential Learning, will play a pivotal role in facilitating the JA Finance Park Pop-Up simulation, an immersive experiential learning program which travels to multiple destinations around Northern CA. To effectively lead JA Finance Park, the Program Manager must:
• Deliver a best-in-class experience for every student, volunteer, educator and guest that participates in JA Finance Park Pop-Up and other JA learning experiences.
• Understand and embrace “showmanship,” the practical skill of entertaining, presenting and engaging large audiences.
• Lead presentations, trainings and program events engaging 100+ students and adults for up to 8 hours, multiple days in a row.
• Bring boundless energy, passion and contagious enthusiasm to motivate learners of all ages as well as volunteers and community partners.
• Steward partner brands within JA Finance Park to provide a strong return on investment.
• Embody organizational culture and reflect guiding principles to build strong working relationships with peers.

Finance Park Pop-Up Operational Responsibilities:
• Help maintain the physical infrastructure / components of our Experiential Learning Center on-site in Fremont and anytime our ELC unit travels to a “pop-up” location.
• Maintain proactive and consistent communication with schools and educators to maintain program fidelity and meet student participation goals.
• Facilitate effective and dynamic volunteer training and provide guidance throughout the entire volunteer experience.
• Design and execute a best-in-class learning experience during JA Finance Park Pop-Up events, aligning simulations with curriculum learning objectives and creating authentic opportunities for students learning and volunteer engagement.
• Manage onsite engagement of students by facilitating daily activities, coordinating daily simulation schedule and other logistics to ensure completion of simulation.
• Travel locally (Bay Area) as needed and travel outside of the Bay Area for program events up to 6 weeks per year.

Additional Responsibilities:
• Lead engagement with education partners and support JA program implementation in the SF Bay Area across all grade levels / content areas.
• Assess program quality and impact through educator, volunteer, and student surveys.
• Attend in-person programs and events to welcome volunteers, recognize educators, and represent JA NorCal in the community.
• Manage general records and correspondence with volunteers, file class registration forms, communicate with marketing on volunteer needs, and supervise procurement and delivery of all program materials.
• Prepare materials for Board and Committee meetings.

Qualifications (required)

Qualifications:
• Passion for JA’s Mission and Commitment to Equity
• Positivity, optimism, and a solutions-oriented mindset
• Commitment to healthy and professional communication to form trusting relationships, to collaborate, offer feedback and guidance, and to motivate and inspire others.
• Commitment to working with at-risk students and families from historically marginalized communities that have been systematically underserved.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Extreme flexibility, strong work ethic, and an entrepreneurial spirit to accommodate joining a growing and constantly improving team. 
• Self-starter, comfortable in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.
• Ability to self-direct and prioritize competing goals and to initiate process improvements.
• Goal-oriented, with strong initiative and creative problem-solving skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills: ability to work with a wide range of people, including teachers, counselors, parents, students, and administration teams
• Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook).
• Knowledge of Zoom, MS Teams, and other virtual communication platforms.
• Commitment to innovation and to leveraging technology to improve the volunteer and student experience.
• Driver’s License and reliable transportation.
• High School Diploma required. Additional post-secondary education is preferred.

Physical Requirements:
The physical demands described below represent those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and walk; occasionally required to reach with hands and arms; continually required to talk or hear; occasionally required to bend, lift, or climb; frequently required to lift and carry light weights (25-50 pounds.) Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, and ability to adjust or focus.

Qualifications (desired)

Preferred Qualifications:
• 2-3 years of work experience in a similar role
• Bachelor’s Degree Preferred
• Experience working with BIPOC Communities
• Experience in Youth Development and/or Workforce Development
• Experience with Blackbaud or another CRM, including report generation.
• Knowledge of California K-12 education system
• Bi-lingual ability (Spanish/English) preferred.

Application Process

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