MENTOR Program Director, Judge Michael Erdos

Posted by The Honorable Michael Erdos on January 22, 2018

Employer: The Honorable Michael Erdos, First Judicial District of Pennsylvania, Court of Common Pleas
Application Deadline: February 1, 2018
Hours: Full time, 40 hours/week. Occasional evening hours required.
Salary Range: $42,662-$47,000

Responsibilities and Opportunities:
• Supervise MENTOR Program Coordinator and MSW interns
• Manage coordination of Mentors and Participants
o Oversee all day-to-day operations of program
o Manage recruitment, screening, training, matching and support of mentor volunteers and participants
o Facilitate intake of new program participants as needed
o Address issues involving mentor and participant (i.e. mentoring concerns, providing pairs with reentry resources, etc.)
o Support two monthly Status hearings with participants, mentors and Judge
o Implement ongoing MENTOR volunteer and participant trainings and events
o Research best practices for reentry and mentoring formerly incarcerated adults
o Monitor and implement the program’s policy and procedure manual
• Oversee community partnerships
o Support existing partnerships and develop new relationships as needed
• Manage development efforts and existing grant funding
o Monitor program outcomes; assess program strengths, limitations and overall impact
o Develop annual budget and program reports as necessary
o Oversee federally-funded outcomes evaluation in coordination with the program evaluator
o Manage consistent data collection, data entry and use of PAJCIS case management system
• Develop and oversee Steering Committee (MENTOR’s advisory board)
o Facilitate meetings with Judges and representatives of the District Attorney’s Office, Defender Association, Adult Probation and Parole, and other criminal justice stakeholders and community partners
o Encourage stakeholder buy-in and support for program mission

Required Qualifications:
• MSW degree or LSW preferred
• Experience developing and managing social service programs for young adults
• Highly organized, self-motivated individual who is capable of managing multiple projects with minimal supervision
• Strong sense of appropriate boundaries and ethics
• Comfort working in prisons and court rooms and one-on-one with individuals who are/have been incarcerated and experienced other trauma
• Ability to quickly develop relationships
• Critical and creative thinker (i.e., able to respond to participant needs when faced with individual challenges and structural barriers)
• Able to navigate situations involving conflicting interests/priorities
• Punctual and reliable
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work occasional evening hours

Preferred Qualifications:
• Familiarity with Philadelphia reentry resources, network of social service providers, and public benefits
• Experience working with young adults involved in the justice system
• Experience working in Philadelphia’s criminal justice system
• Experience with grant writing and reporting
• Prior supervisory and team management practice
• Forward-thinking and big-picture oriented

Application Process:
Applications are currently being accepted on a rolling basis. Please send your resume and cover letter via email directly to The Honorable Michael Erdos: Michael.Erdos@courts.phila.gov

For any questions, please contact 215-686-3731.

Program Overview:
MENTOR is a 12-18 month voluntary reentry program that offers mentoring and case management services pre and post-release. Over mentees’ 12-18 months in the program, mentors provide rich emotional support and unique strengths-based coaching to help their mentee overcome barriers to reentry. The pair is required to communicate via technology at least twice per week and meet in person at least once per month for a minimum of 1.5 hours. Mentors respond to the needs of their mentee, whether it’s applying for a job, designing a resume, decompressing after a stressful week, setting personal goals and more. In addition to building a relationship with their mentor, mentees are required to appear before Judge Michael Erdos or Judge Kai Scott each month for a 3 hour status hearing at which the Judge provides additional support and encouragement to each pair. MENTOR works with various partners to provide essential resources to mentees, including employment, housing, education, legal services, and public benefits. Additionally, MENTOR provides case management services for all mentees and makes appropriate referrals based on mentees’ initial biopsychosocial needs assessment and ongoing needs. Participants who complete 12 successful months of mentoring will receive a reduction in their remaining probation sentence upon graduation.