Program Manager, Parent & Community Engagement

LIFT • Chicago, IL

4d • Hybrid

About The Position

LIFT is on a mission to break the cycle of poverty by investing in parents. Through direct work with families, engaging technical assistance partnerships, and by advocating for policies that drive systemic change, we’re fighting poverty by lifting two generations at once. Our team culture is rooted in deep respect for the parents we partner with and for each other. We’re looking for dedicated team members who share our vision that, 25 years from now, LIFT is no longer needed because we have helped build a social service system grounded in Hope, Money, and Love, where all families can thrive. We’re guided by mission- and strategy-aligned leadership grounded in kindness, curiosity, relationships, and a commitment to equity. Explore our benefits and what it's like to work at LIFT below – or visit our Benefits & Culture Overview to learn more. LIFT operates sites in Chicago, Los Angeles, DC, and New York. LIFT operates as a hybrid work environment. Accordingly, this role will be expected to work in the Chicago office approximately two days a week.

The role is an exciting opportunity for a relational problem-solver who is deeply committed to providing low-income families with the excellent support and resources they need to achieve their goals. The Parent Engagement Manager is the primary liaison between LIFT and the parents and caregivers who walk through our doors. You are responsible for recruiting parents for LIFT’s programs, serving as the main contact for community referral partners, and developing community events that increase parents’ social capital. The Parent Engagement Manager ensures that LIFT’s program data is accurate and thorough so that the program is able to make strategic adjustments and provide the best possible service to parents. This role also contributes to the region’s technical assistance and policy & advocacy goals.

Requirements

• Has a minimum 5 years’ experience working in a direct service role with low-income communities; experience working with families is a plus
• Is a high-energy advocate who is dedicated to find the right solution to a problem
• Is an amazing relationship builder; listening and then delivering on that knowledge is a forte
• Knows a lot about social services and education systems, and is passionate about learning of the latest opportunities; bonus points for deep local knowledge of the community, education systems, and social services
• Is a clear, compelling, and energizing communicator
• Is comfortable setting an agenda and facilitating group dialogue
• Is detail-oriented and comfortable using data systems to track performance, learn and improve

Nice To Haves

• Lives in or has work experience in the city of Chicago (preferred)
• Has access to a car and valid driver’s license (preferred)
• Is proficient in Spanish (preferred)

Responsibilities

• Manage and own all work connected to LIFT’s social connections/capital initiatives; this includes workshops, group coaching, member engagement events and distribution events
• Contribute to the region’s policy and advocacy goals including manage and own all of LIFT’s member voice work
• Develop and implement savvy recruiting strategies to enroll required number of parents into coaching program via partnerships aligned with strategic priorities (TA and/or P&A partnership potential, and/or Fee-for-Service); ensure monthly and annual enrollment targets are met
• Serve as the primary day-to-day point of contact for community partners that provide member resources for distribution events; partner with staff to ensure LIFT’s community resources for parents are thorough and up-to-date
• Develop and execute member engagement strategies and programming that improves parents’ social capital in partnership with the National Program Team (including member engagement events and/or workshops) to successfully retain members, drive member outcomes, and advance P&A member engagement; this may include workshops, parent peer groups, and family engagement events to celebrate parents' successes in LIFT's program, or other virtual and in-person events
• Ensure group sessions/attendance data is entered in Horizon for workshops and social events
• Support member engagement activities including drafting and disseminating the monthly member newsletter and overseeing necessary content update on member resource page
• Coach 1-2 members, as needed.
• Manage and own all of LIFT’s member voice work (e.g. facilitating focus groups, coordinating speakers for various speaking engagements including donor site visits, etc.)
• Provide support with programmatic special projects, as needed
• Build & manage local P&A relationships
• Lead member P&A programming
• Support policy agenda & strategy development
• Support NPT in developing and executing policy and advocacy trainings
• Recruit, provide support on, and ensure member participation and attendance in policy trainings and events, supporting base building efforts and building a foundation for future Fellowship
• Ensure group sessions / attendance data are entered in Horizon for P&A events/activities with member participation
• Ensure lobbying filings, registrations, and lobbying attendance and activities are tracked and up to date for your region, with NPT support
• Conduct ongoing legislative landscape research related to our local agenda focus area, movement, and event tracking; elevate findings to local P&A team members
• Support with implementation of regional activities and tactics to ensure progress towards policy and advocacy goal (e.g. coalition participation, assisting with landscape research, representation at legislator meetings, implementing community conversations, etc.)
• Support regional development leads with corporate engagement events and volunteer opportunities.
• Support the Development and Communications (DevComms) team in collecting member stories for grant applications, newsletters, and other communications and media opportunities.
• Support funder cultivation for P&A in partnership with the Development and Communications (DevComms) team and the Executive Director (ED).

Benefits

• Employer-paid health care coverage (100% for employees, 75% for dependents)
• 403(b) retirement savings plan including an employer match contribution of up to 5% after one year
• Generous paid-time-off policy starting with 4 weeks in the first year (5 weeks in years 2-4, 6 weeks at 5+ years), Federal holidays, the day after Thanksgiving, Cesar Chavez day, and wellness days including a one-week organization-wide paid closure over the winter holidays (the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays), and a one-week organization-wide paid closure over the summer fiscal year transition (the week in which Independence Day is celebrated)
• 12 weeks paid parental leave
• Partial cell phone coverage
• Pre-tax accounts for transit, health, and childcare benefits

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed