Fast Facts

iMentor is seeking a Program Manager based in Chicago to facilitate impactful mentoring relationships and support high school students in their post-secondary journey. The role involves coaching mentors, leading classroom sessions, and managing events, ensuring students have the guidance to achieve their academic and career aspirations.

Responsibilities: Responsibilities include providing coaching to mentors and mentees, leading classroom sessions, managing program events, and ensuring high-quality support and engagement for approximately 100 mentoring pairs.

Skills: Candidates should possess strong communication and organizational skills, experience in youth development or education, and the ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.

Qualifications: Preferred qualifications include a Bachelor's degree, 2+ years in youth development/education, and familiarity with volunteer engagement or college access programs, along with alignment to iMentor's commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Location: This position is based in Chicago, IL and requires 3-4 days per week in schools, along with travel for events and trainings.

Compensation: $60000 - $60000 / Annually

This role will start on July 28th, 2025.

Program Managers (PMs) will facilitate high-impact relationships between 80-100 mentee/mentor pairs by leveraging iMentor’s programmatic model to deepen pair relationships and help mentors guide mentees toward the goal of developing a robust post-secondary plan by high school graduation and supporting a successful transition into a post-secondary pathway. PMs will work with mentors (adult-volunteers) to position them as a “go-to” resource for their mentee and provide individual coaching to ensure pair growth. Reporting to the Program Director, PMs will facilitate weekly classroom sessions for mentees, lead monthly pair events, and provide individualized support for pairs. They will help develop a strong partnership at their school site and contribute to iMentor’s impact in the post-secondary success landscape.

The ideal candidate will have two (2) + years of professional experience. They will have experience working with high-school aged youth, understanding or interest in the post-secondary landscape and an interest in or experience working with adult volunteers. They will believe deeply in mentoring as a tool for youth success and be confident that, with the right support, a caring, committed adult can build a relationship with a student and support their post-secondary journey. The candidate most closely aligned with the iMentor vision believes that every student deserves a champion and a chance to have a fulfilling post-secondary experience that leads to a financially stable career.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Provide high-quality pair support to ~100 mentee-mentor pairs

• Match mentors and mentees at the beginning of each program cycle
• Provide cohort-level and individualized coaching for mentors to better support and build relationships with their mentees
• Lead targeted case management support for pairs to ensure they meet programmatic outcomes and participation requirements
• Use data to determine which pairs may need additional support or program interventions
• Utilize iMentor’s online platform to document pair support notes and troubleshoot struggling pairs with supervisor
• Create and coordinate in-person meeting opportunities for pairs to increase program participation 

Ensure high-quality curricular engagement

• Lead multiple classroom sessions per week for mentees at partner school locations
• Ensure mentees and mentors exchange deep and meaningful correspondence on a weekly basis via iMentor’s technology platform
• Plan and manage monthly events at school site
• Promote and facilitate mentor-training
• work with manager and Associate Director of High School Partnerships to develop deep partnerships with school staff and administrators to support programmatic/curricular outcomes

Provide robust and targeted post-secondary support

• Work closely with partner school and internal teams to align on post-secondary goals and support strategies for students and mentors
• Document all support provided and maintain high quality, timely notes on progress of all pairs
• Use class sessions and events to build college and career aspiration and help them navigate the post-secondary preparation process
• Providing cohort-level and individual support to mentors so that pairs identify and realize post-secondary goals

Other Responsibilities

• Communicate weekly with mentors via email
• Track weekly class attendance and monthly event attendance 
• Attend weekly Grade Team Meeting and monthly program team and regional team meetings (in person/each week)
• Attend ongoing Program Manager trainings
• Comply with all iMentor safety policies (consent forms, safety escalation protocol, logging safety notes/incidents, monitoring pair communication)
• Other role aligned duties as assigned by supervising manager  

ROLE LOGISTICS & REQUIREMENTS

• This is a school-based role with 3-4 days per week in schools, 3-4 days per month in office
• Willing and able to work 3-5 evenings per month
• Able to travel throughout the region to staff events and trainings on some weeknights (transportation not provided)
• This position begins on July 29th, 2024

QUALIFICATIONS

• Two (2) + years of professional experience in youth development, education and/or volunteer engagement
• A deep belief in the power of mentoring to help students achieve their highest aspirations
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to have tough conversations
• Strong organization and time-management skills
• Ability to look at data, understand its implications, and identify next steps
• Ability to work independently and to collaborate in a team environment
• Experience and comfort with facilitation of classroom sessions and events
• Experience and comfort working with high school students, school staff, and adult volunteers
• College access programming or volunteer management a plus
• Knowledge of regional community, school culture and state college landscape a plus
• Demonstrated alignment with iMentor's mission, values, and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.  
• Views differences between individuals (race, gender, age, cultural heritage, physical ability, education, beliefs, and lifestyle) as an asset and demonstrates an appreciation of the diversity across the iMentor community. 
• Bachelor’s degree required  
• Our organization works in partnership with district public schools across the country. In doing so we must meet all compliance requirements of those districts including background checks. 
• iMentor is committed to ensuring healthy and safe environments for our staff, mentors, and the students we serve. In order to fully comply with the NYC Vaccine mandate, all iMentor employees (regardless of role or region) are required to be fully vaccinated priority to their start date. 

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• $60,000 annual salary
• Up to 100% employer funded comprehensive medical and dental coverage
• 401K match up to 4% 
• PTO: Summer Vacation Benefit (multiple weeks of program shutdown during which Program Managers do not report to work), Spring Break week off, 13 paid holidays + your birthday + one floating holiday, iMentor closed between Christmas and New Year’s Day, plus 6-7 sick days annually,
• Pre-tax commuter benefits
• Dependent care and health care flexible spending plans
• Every staff member is eligible for organization-sponsored professional development annually 
• 1 hour of wellness time off per week for wellness activities of your choosing
• TriNet marketplace where employees can access discounts on various goods and services
• Program Managers receive a company-sponsored iPhone & service plan as part of their core set-up

$60,000 - $60,000 a year

About iMentor 

At iMentor, we believe in the transformative power of mentorship as a force for good. We partner with schools in communities in which a majority of students will be first-generation college students. iMentor matches every 11th and 12th grade student in our high schools with a committed mentor – offering each mentee, regardless of background or GPA, a champion for their success. 

Mentors can provide students with a level of personalized support that cannot be achieved through traditional school counseling alone. Of the most recent graduating high school class, 81% of students learned about a new post-secondary pathway through iMentor and 93% were accepted into college and intend to enroll. Since 1999, iMentor has served more than 42,000 students and is poised to scale our model to make mentoring accessible across the country.

Our Commitment to Community, Educational Access, and Opportunity

Central to our mission is a dedication to creating an environment where all stakeholders, including students, mentors, and staff, feel valued and supported. We are committed to the ongoing effort and investment required to ensure that all students have access to the resources and support needed to succeed. Recognizing that historical and systemic challenges continue to impact educational outcomes, we focus on addressing economic and structural barriers that affect the communities we serve. 

How to Apply

Visit www.imentor.org/jobs to submit a resume and detailed cover letter describing your interest in and qualifications for this position. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. 

iMentor is an Equal Opportunity Employer