Mentoring Program Specialist

Frederick, Maryland•Frederick, MD

7d•Onsite

About The Position

Hood College seeks a dynamic, organized, and relationship-oriented Mentoring Program Specialist to manage, educate, promote, and maintain constituent relations for College mentoring initiatives. The position is part of the U.S. Department of Education Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) grant, “Student Success in the AI Era: Advancing Retention, Completion, and Workforce Readiness at Hood College.” It is a temporary, grant-funded, on-campus role under the general direction of the Director of Career Development and Experiential Education. The Specialist builds, enhances, and supports career and professional development mentoring opportunities by connecting students with alumni, parents, friends of the College, faculty, staff, and graduate students. Programs may include ongoing paired mentoring and flash mentoring through an online platform. The Specialist develops and administers program procedures, schedules, guidelines, communications, training materials, and resources; recruits and engages mentors; promotes participation and coordinates student onboarding and mentoring matches; supports mentoring relationships and career-readiness activities; and tracks program activity, assesses feedback, prepares reports, and recommends improvements. The role requires collaboration with campus departments and College community members. The position is scheduled for 37.5 hours per week. Some program activities may require occasional evening or weekend availability. The position is benefits-eligible and is contingent on continued grant funding and satisfactory performance. It is anticipated to be funded for the duration of the five-year grant period.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in education, human services, social sciences, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
At least 2 years of experience in higher education, program management, career development, mentoring, student success, volunteer engagement, or a related area.
Strong organizational and project management skills, including the ability to coordinate multiple activities, manage priorities, and meet deadlines.
Experience building relationships with students, alumni, employers, and other community members and constituents.
Proficiency in data analysis and reporting to various audiences.
Ability to exercise sound judgment and respond professionally to questions, concerns, and challenges.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including preparing professional correspondence, program materials, instructions, presentations, and reports.
Ability to communicate clearly and professionally with internal and external individuals from varied backgrounds and levels of professional experience.
Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, email, and the Internet.
Ability to learn new applications quickly, including organization-wide information systems and department-specific software.
Ability to perform basic mathematical calculations and maintain accurate program records, including participation data, attendance, and assessment results.
Ability to organize and interpret quantitative information to support program evaluation and reporting.
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with concrete variables where limited standardization exists.
Ability to interpret written, oral, diagrammatic, and schedule-based instructions.
Ability to work independently and as a member of a group in developing and executing project plans.
Ability to work in the theoretical arena and apply logic as appropriate.
Commitment to valuing diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Ability to perform the essential duties satisfactorily, with reasonable accommodations where applicable.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in higher education administration, counseling, human resources, nonprofit administration, or a related field.
Experience coordinating mentoring, volunteer, career development, or professional networking programs.
Familiarity with career exploration, professional skill development, networking, and the transition from college to work.
Experience sourcing and recruiting participants for programs and events.
Experience designing and facilitating workshops, orientations, training sessions, or networking events in person or online.
Experience working with first-generation, low-income, and other marginalized students.
Familiarity with virtual meeting platforms, online event tools, databases, or student engagement systems.

Responsibilities

Develop, maintain, and revise program procedures, timelines, participant guidelines, communications, and resources.
Manage relationships with external vendors, consultants, and service providers.
Create and update orientation and training materials for stakeholders and resources that support effective mentoring relationships.
Coordinate ongoing mentoring pairings and flash mentoring, aligning activities with student needs, mentor offerings, and College priorities.
Recruit mentors from the Hood College community, including alumni, parents, friends of the College, faculty, staff, and graduate students.
Help build a diverse pool of mentors representing varied industries, age demographics, career paths, and professional experiences.
Communicate program expectations, timelines, and opportunities to prospective and active mentors.
Work with Institutional Advancement on mentor recruitment and messaging, and collaborate with campus colleagues on recruiting and communicating with potential and current mentors.
Promote mentoring opportunities to students and explain participation options and expectations through online and social media communications, published materials, information sessions, and in-person interactions.
Coordinate mentoring-platform matches using internal algorithms and factors including student interests, goals, fields of study, geography, and affinity groups.
Manage student participant onboarding and training, collaborating with campus partners to recruit and communicate with potential and current mentees.
Serve as the primary point of contact for mentors and students, providing guidance, check-ins, and resources.
Help address participant questions or challenges and facilitate appropriate next steps when needed.
Coordinate career-readiness activities that use mentors to present to and interact with students in group settings.
Support participants as they conclude or transition mentoring relationships.
Track participation, communication, programs, and activities using the mentoring platform, Handshake, and other analytical tools; prepare summaries and reports.
Collect and review feedback through surveys, focus groups, and individual meetings.
Use feedback and assessment findings to recommend improvements to program design, accessibility, participation, and effectiveness.
Represent the mentoring program in meetings and College activities as appropriate.