Exploration Director jobs in Bellingham, WA

Job Overview

The Program Coordinator will collaborate with staff, community partners, schools, businesses, and students to plan and manage all aspects of the Learning with Leaders (LWL) pathways exploration program events. LWL connects 9th-12th grade students with in-demand career opportunities by providing exploration that focuses on kinesthetic learning experiences and corresponding local education pathways. The Program Coordinator will also implement the organization’s Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) for qualifying students with disabilities. This program focuses on providing 9-12th grade students with the tools needed to live an independent and self-directed life after high school graduation.

Key Responsibilities:

Learning with Leaders Program Planning and Implementation: 60%

• Organize and implement three LWL career exploration events per academic year (one in Fall, one in Winter, and one in Spring)
• Collaborate closely with host colleges to identify educational programs to be featured, faculty to be involved, and industry partners to recruit; establish partner collaboration plans with host colleges for event role clarifications
• Update and abide by program planning timelines for each event
• Organize event workshops by hosting planning meetings with workshop facilitators; ensure that each workshop curriculum is aligned with Universal Design for Learning and demonstrates a hands-on, kinesthetic approach
• Manage consistent communication with all event participants including students, teachers, volunteers, educational professionals, and business partners
• Secure food donations and sponsorship funding for each event
• Recruit volunteers and facilitate a volunteer training preparation meeting for each event; update and distribute volunteer handbooks
• Oversee outreach to all high school contacts in Whatcom and Skagit Counties to reach the most students possible
• Create and distribute all registration materials to appropriate school officials and students
• Complete specific outreach to students in our priority populations; ensure these students are enrolling within the priority registration timetable
• Conduct relationship-building and networking with community members and school representatives
• Monitor and analyze LWL program outcomes to support quality improvement
• Create pre and post-event surveys in alignment with programmatic goals
• Ensure incorporation of youth voices into program implementation by continual monitoring of student input and feedback
• Ensure the LWL program integrates and remains up to date with High School and Beyond Plan
• Develop strategies to sustain and grow LWL’s effectiveness within the community
• Work closely with Marketing Assistant to create promotional, marketing, and social media materials
• Other programmatic duties as required, assigned, or requested

Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) Program Planning and Implementation: 30%

• Collaborate with Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) staff, teacher partners, and FNW staff to coordinate Pre-ETS workshop scheduling and curriculum planning
• Create and facilitate culturally responsive and cognitively engaging workshops, including visual aids that feature Universal Design for Learning principles and approved curriculum that corresponds to our contracted service deliverables:
• Workplace Readiness Training: Guidance to acquire or enhance commonly expected skills that employers seek from most employees
• Self-Advocacy Training: Instruction to build an individual's ability to effectively communicate, convey, negotiate, or assert their interests and desires
• Work-Based Learning Activities: Leading activities that teach a student about various occupations and workplaces that are based on their vocational interests, including job site tours, job shadow visits, peer mentoring, and informational interviews with professionals
• Ensure workshops are in alignment with classroom and student need
• Complete and submit proper documentation of workshop attendance
• Organize and sustain a near-peer mentoring program to meet individual work-based learning activities outlined in the contract (if a school or student shows interest)
• Recruit guest speakers for work-based learning activities
• Other programmatic duties as required, assigned, or requested

Compliance and Reporting: 5%

• Monitor LWL program-related income and expenses to ensure budget compliance, effective due diligence, and compliance with all grant timelines and deadlines
• Ensure DVR Pre-ETS contract service deliverables and requirements are being met
• Learn required technology and security protocols for student privacy regulations

Personnel: 5%

• Manage assigned program assistants, interns, and/or near-peer mentors in accordance with personnel policies, applicable laws, and best practices
• Attend all weekly team meetings
• Assist fellow FNW staff with other duties as assigned

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and depth perception. While performing these job duties, the employee is regularly required to listen to others and provide verbal feedback. The employee is required to frequently sit for extended periods, stand, walk, climb, or balance.

Required Core Competencies

To perform the job successfully, the candidate should demonstrate the following competencies:

• Communicativeness: Actively seeks and shares information; creates an open and accessible environment that encourages the flow of information.; possesses strong oral and written communication skills
• Organize & Planning: Plans and organizes so that work is accomplished effectively; prioritizes multiple competing tasks; maximizes the use of available time
• Relationship Building: Recognizes the importance of relationships; devotes energy to cultivating relationships and networking
• Attention to Detail: Attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines; able to multitask
• Initiative: Self-starter with a strong desire to learn; motivated team player with innovative and creative thinking
• Sensitivity: Communicates empathy and respect for individuals; able to appreciate diverse perspectives and experiences
• Change Agility: Able to embrace needed change; able to provide and implement feedback; effective in the face of ambiguity
• Integrity: Must be honest and take responsibility for actions; ability to set healthy limits
• Creativity: Capable of finding ways to improve and advocating for change when necessary; fosters creativity in others

Minimum Qualifications (Required):

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Services, Social Work, Education, or a related field
• One year of professional work experience (preferably in an education setting, event planning, or working with youth)
• Computer literacy
• Excellent communication skills
• Washington state driver’s license
• Reliable transportation to be able to travel to multiple school (job) sites throughout Whatcom and Skagit Counties
• Authorization to work in the US
• Able to pass background checks

Preferred Qualifications:

• First-Generation college graduate status
• Two or more years of professional work experience
• Demonstrated experience in event planning, program planning, or workshop facilitation
• Experience working with students with disabilities

To Apply:

Following the instructions on the "Join Us" page of the FuturesNW website (https://www.futuresnw.org/joinus), please send a cover letter, resume, and 2 professional references.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $46,000.00 - $50,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person