Manager, Programs

Chicago Cares•Chicago, IL

1d•$60,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Program teams builds a culture of volunteerism and civic engagement in Chicago. The team is responsible for volunteer engagement and capacity building models that diversify service opportunities, advance civic action in our city, and help volunteers find, champion and lead on causes about which they care. The team is a catalyst for change by promoting diverse civic action opportunities and equipping organizations and corporations, small and large, and civic leaders, young and old, to build a more vibrant and equitable Chicago. Through the Program teams, Chicago Cares: Diversifies civic action in partnership with organizations that provide pathways to deeper engagement in service, philanthropy, voice, vote and collective action. Develops leadership across the corporate, non-profit, and civic landscape and cultivates volunteers for civic leadership. Strengthens the non-profit and corporate sectors’ strategic use of volunteers through capacity building engagements, training, and employee engagement opportunities. Connects volunteers, across lines of difference, to community-led and collective impact change efforts. Builds empathy and a deeper understanding of the assets and challenges of Chicago’s neighborhoods. Cultivates and inspires volunteers to serve in new and different ways. The Manager, Programs is a strategic leader and skilled executor responsible for the development, management, and evolution of a portfolio of volunteer engagement, leadership development, training and facilitation, and civic action models. Through these models, the Manager, Programs: 1) connects volunteers across differences and to community-led and collective impact change efforts, 2) builds empathy and a deeper understanding of the assets and challenges of Chicago’s neighborhoods, 3) develops civic leadership across the corporate, non-profit, and civic landscape through training and capacity building, and 4) cultivates and inspires volunteers to serve in new and different ways. They execute best in class engagements and programs for volunteers, corporations and non-profits that advance Chicago Cares’ strategic priorities and develop civic leaders for a stronger, more equitable Chicago.

Requirements

A 2-year proven track record in civic engagement, volunteer management, project management, group facilitation, community organizing or leadership development.
Outstanding relationship building and networking skills and demonstrated success building and sustaining partner relationships in person, on the phone, and virtually.
Emerging subject matter expertise in civic engagement, volunteerism, community engagement, adult learning, and collective impact and geographic expertise specific to Chicago and metro region non-profits and collective and social impact considerations.
Demonstrated commitment to service, civic engagement and/or social justice. Desire to support and nurture programs that connect people, communities, and causes.
Ease and experience working with individuals and groups from diverse cultural, ethnic, and geographic backgrounds. Ability to practice creativity and flexibility.
Ability to take initiative, work independently, meet deadlines, and handle multiple projects in a rapidly changing, agile environment – including interruptions and adjustments to priorities.
Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills with ability to make effective oral presentations to large and small groups and write clearly and persuasively.
Excellent collaboration skills, including the ability to navigate conflict, hold others accountable productively, delegate effectively and structure group processes.
Excellent PC and desktop application skills, including Microsoft Suite, Office 365, SharePoint, and Teams. Experience with Salesforce preferred.
Ability to maintain a flexible schedule that may require work outside of traditional hours, including the ability to work occasional evenings and weekends.
Ability to adjust to various physical and environmental conditions as the position may require (computer work, sitting or standing for long periods of time, etc.).

Nice To Haves

Bilingual language skills (ENG/SPAN) highly preferred.

Responsibilities

Portfolio Performance Management: Meet annual programmatic projections. Develop and lead efforts to grow impact as it pertains to the assigned portfolio. Participate in departmental budgeting, reforecasting, and expense management processes. Strategically manage expenses for the assigned portfolio.
Portfolio Project Management: Lead on the development and execution of projects to develop Chicago Cares stakeholders as civic actors and Chicago Cares as a sector leader. Manage a portfolio of projects, ensuring high-quality, impactful, strategically aligned, within budget project execution for all projects
Program Strategy, Planning and Road-mapping: Implement comprehensive program strategies that will enhance engagement from volunteers and partners. Develop and lead efforts to strategically grow influence and engagement.
Continuous Quality Improvement: Leverage continuous quality improvement, feedback, and evaluation structures and processes to continuously evolve and improve the impact and quality of programs within the assigned portfolio in a collaborative and transparent manner. Develop a data-driven innovation design cycle that encourages agile ideating, piloting, evaluating, innovating, and adoption.
Data Management & Evaluation: Ensure necessary programmatic data is provided accurately and within the requested timeline. Leverage data to evaluate and inform efforts related to program health and sustainability, compliance, benchmarking, planning, and forecasting, and risk-management.
Partner and Volunteer Cultivation and Stewardship: Manage key strategic programmatic relationships. Strategically communicate Chicago Cares’ impact to prospective and current partners and volunteers (including leaders), to move them towards greater civic engagement. Steward partners and volunteers (including leaders) through a continuum of high-quality, transformational experiences with Chicago Cares that lead to greater engagement in community-driven efforts aligned to best practices in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Anti-Racism.
Partner and Volunteer Accountability: Ensure partner and volunteer (including leaders) needs are met through the entire lifecycle of their relationship with Chicago Cares, including producing high-quality scoping, ensuring accurate data entry, planning, and executing volunteer engagements, identifying and cultivating leaders and reporting on impact and financial data.
Interdepartmental Collaboration: Support and lead interdepartmental teams as they relate to program and external affairs Manage project teams assigned to the execution of strategic projects, work closely with external affairs staff to coordinate project planning efforts, and ensure partner and community needs are met. Ensure the health and relevance of partner engagements and manage standards collaboratively with other managers. Participate in cross-departmental committees and task forces, as requested and appropriate.
Team Management: Provide supervision and management support to consultants, contract employees, interns, and volunteers, including recruiting, hiring, onboarding, and training, coaching, and mentoring, and performance management. When working with consultants, ensure the deliverable meets expectations and hold consultants accountable to meeting expectations and deadlines. Cultivate the team though supervision consistent with Chicago Cares’ supervision philosophy and strategic objectives.
Team Resourcing and Troubleshooting: Resource others to advance program strategy, inclusive of designing evaluation and feedback loops, problem-solving and escalating, and training staff.
CRM Data Management: Enter and track information on partners and volunteers (including leaders) and build and generate reports within the CRM database (Salesforce) that support effective strategy and relationship management.
Strategic Program Development and Evolution: Evolve the portfolio of programs (new and existing) so that Chicago Cares programs and partnerships reflects present priorities and future potential.
Positionality and Growth: Know Chicago Cares’ constituents and environment. Develop an awareness of the landscape in our city and sectors that afford deeper engagement as it relates to volunteerism, leadership development, and civic action.
Influence and Expertise: Continuously develop expertise on current volunteer engagement and civic engagement trends and competition, particularly with an anti-racism and equity lens. Develop Chicago Cares leadership in inclusive, equitable and anti-racist volunteerism, leadership development, and civic action, by developing compelling and strategically aligned projects and thought leadership. Represent Chicago Cares at external functions, including local, regional, and national forums on service and volunteerism.
Operational Planning and Execution: Participate in departmental specific strategic planning, budgeting, and evaluation processes to inform organizational strategy and action plans. Contribute to efforts to set annual program expense projections, conduct regular reforecasts, and help manage expenses to the annual budget.
Advance brand identity by reinforcing strategic messages and organizational values.
Ensure the economic viability of activities.
Participate in, support and steward fundraising activities and events.
Contribute to and execute on strategic vision and plans.
Represent Chicago Cares at external functions, including local, regional, and national forums on service and volunteerism.
Participate in cross-departmental leadership activities. Develop a strong, responsive, and collaborative relationship with departmental leadership across the organization to effectively align operational priorities to the needs of other departments.
Provide support for large projects and special events, including event planning and implementation assistance.
Complete other duties as assigned.

Benefits

Flexible work schedule.
Hybrid work environment – Currently, all staff must be in the office two days a week.
Group medical (PPO or HMO) for the employee (90% coverage) and dependents.
Group dental available for employee and dependents.
Vision coverage for the employee (100% covered by CCI).
Group life insurance and LSTD insurance for the employee (100% covered by CCI).
Access to 401(k) retirement plan after three months with a 4% employer match.
Generous paid time off, wellness days and holiday pay.
Paid parental leave.
All staff, paid, wellness days where office is closed.
Access to sabbatical leave after three years of service.