OST Program Manager, Lenfest Center

Posted by Lenfest Center on May 21, 2018

The Lenfest Center is a community center serving the Hunting Park neighborhood. The Center offers a wide variety of programs for young people (whom we call ‘scholars’) in grades K through 12.

The Lenfest Center has reimaged its role as an Out-of-School-Time provider. At the core of this work is a commitment to build a diverse cohort of programs that provide year-round, learning experiences which allow participants to build confidence through Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) enrichment programming, College or Career Readiness instruction, in additional to the already robust athletics offerings.

We now offer a more diverse and comprehensive set of programs serving K through 12th graders, with specific partnership with leadership, faculty, and students from the Mary McLeod Bethune School (K-8), Alexander K. McClure School (PreK-5) and Baryard Taylor (K-5). All of our programs are safe, structured, and fun.

Mission: Through academic, athletic, and enrichment programming and community partnerships, the Lenfest Center will foster the educational, physical, and social-emotional health and growth of community members, school-aged scholars, and their families in Hunting Park, thereby supporting current and future generations to thrive and live happy, healthy lives.

Vision: By 2028, the Lenfest Center will be a state-of-the-art urban community center that hosts and provides high-quality, trauma-informed, community-focused programming and resources for at least 25 percent of all school-aged scholars and their families in the surrounding community. Functioning as a vibrant hub that facilitates neighborhood engagement, advocacy, culturally relevant education, and improved community health outcomes the Lenfest Center will serve as a transformative model from which all can learn.

About the position:
We are currently seeking a dynamic, passionate, committed, and experienced OST Program Manager who will oversee coordination of our programming for youth K-12. Reporting to the Chief Programming Officer, the OST Program Manager will provide direct supervision for all Out of School Time, K-12, programs at the Lenfest Center.

Key Job Responsibilities:
• Manage and support the Program Coordinator who is responsible for daily operations of programming
• Manage process for student enrollment
• Play a lead role in the informal and formal observations & evaluations of all OST programming for quality
• Actively build, maintain and champion The Lenfest Center’s culture and climate
• Assist with special event planning
• Assist in coordinating programming schedule
• Identify and cultivate new program opportunities and partnerships
• Serve as primary point of correspondence and coordination with program partners
• Actively build relationships with scholars and their families
• Serve in a “Dean of Culture”-like capacity, managing and tracking student behavior & supporting others in the management of behavior

A sample day might look like:
• Greet scholars as the enter the center, ensuring smooth transition into OST program schedule
• Supervise and support Lenfest Youth Leaders (high school students who volunteer as program assistants)
• Observe a classroom in the OST program, assessing level of quality and alignment to Lenfest’s expectations for Center culture and program partner standards
• Participate in a leadership meeting with other senior managers in the organization
• Meet with Chief Program Officer to review programming standards and discuss the outcomes of recent evaluation of programming as conducted by program assistants
• Submit a weekly report on attendance, incidents, and expenditures to the Chief Programming Officer and Director of Operations
• Engage with parent committee around concerns, follow ups, and updates
• Orient a program partner in Center’s mission, vision, procedures, expectations, and community
• Outreach to a parent to discuss student’s attendance or performance

Other responsibilities and duties include, but are not limited to:
• Participating in continuing educational opportunities for personal growth and development
• Assisting the Chief Program Officer with the development of an professional development for program team
• Ensuring education programs meet the accreditation standards or other compliance requirements
• Ensuring quality control in execution of documentation for all certified activities, trips, incident reports, and daily attendance
• Managing and ensuring program compliance of the daily attendance for all programs
• Ensuring the execution of regularly scheduled parent meetings in order to address the needs of the families
• Assisting with recommendations of disciplinary actions up to and including dismissal
• Participating in supervisory and administrative staff meetings
• Completing supervision notes, plans, and performance evaluations consistently

Ideal Candidates:
• Are culturally proficient and are affirming of the diversity of all human beings
• Deeply believe in the mission and vision of the Lenfest Center, demonstrated by prior experience working in neighborhoods with high poverty and other systemic barriers to success
• Have at least three years’ experience working in educational environments such as after school or other educational centers
• Have at least a bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree preferred, preferably in Education, Urban Studies, Social Work, Public Administration, or related areas
• Have a passion for social justice work and improving outcomes for people born into and/or living in poverty and bring excitement about working on the ground and in partnership with the local community (Hunting Park and East Tioga) ideally through a meaningful connection to or experience with North Philadelphia
• Energetic team players who can adapt to fast-paced, evolving working environments; thrive working as part of a team to identify needs and develop strategies to meet those needs
• Understand trauma on micro and macro levels; Possess empathetic understanding of complex trauma and its effects on families and communities
• Demonstrate strength in community engagement, relationship building or managing community partnerships; ideally in communities like ours
• Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of family/kinship connections to youth and adults in the community
• Demonstrate ability to form and maintain positive, nurturing relationships with youth and adults by building trust and actively engaging program participants
• Have awareness of how physical and emotional environments contribute to program participants feeling safe, nurtured, engaged, and stimulated
• Have case management knowledge and experience including needs assessment, goalsetting, and progress documentation and can document planned interventions, behavior incidents, and general observation of youth and assessment of their skills, behavior, and moods in an objective and professional manner
• Are comfortable engaging in and promoting interactions with parents/guardians, families, and members of support networks, as well as community resources, to coordinate support services for program participants
• Demonstrate outstanding organization and project management skills
• Demonstrate outstanding written and oral communication skills
• Demonstrate proficiency in computer technology, including MS Office
• Are flexible with work schedule, understanding that some weekend and evening hours are required
• Are ideally fluent Spanish-speakers

To Apply:
This search is being managed by Axis Talent Partners. Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume to: http://axistalentpartners.applytojob.com/apply

The Lenfest Center strongly believes in being an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a diverse organization which reflects the communities in which we work, live and partner. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, ancestry, age, disability, sex or gender or condition, gender identity and/or expression (including a transgender identity), sexual orientation, military or veteran status, genetic information or any other characteristic protected under federal, state or local law.