About Youth Job Center (YJC)
Youth Job Center (YJC) is a leading provider of employment-related services for youth in the Chicagoland area, serving more than 20,000 young people during our 40 year history. YJC was founded in Evanston, IL on the belief that young adults are an undeveloped community asset— a valuable, untapped source of energy, talent, and productivity in the workplace.
YJC is a workforce development and job placement agency that prepares young people, ages 14-25, for success in the workplace and in life. We do this by providing our clients with employment opportunities, workforce readiness training, personalized career coaching, and barrier reduction services.
Position Overview
This position is responsible for leading the This Way Onward (TWO) Partnership Program and supporting new enrollees into Career Pathways Training programs. This person works closely with YJC staff and participants to provide support toward employment with advancement opportunities, resulting in long-term career success. They will participate in recruitment, customized training programs, placement with our This Way Onward (TWO) partners, referrals for employment and training programs and securing / providing continued support.
- This is a hybrid role that requires 2-3 days of work from the Pilsen office and additional, local travel throughout the Chicagoland area and surrounding suburbs for in-office meetings, trainings, employer worksite visits, & special events. A reliable method of transportation is needed.
Responsibilities
Lead This Way Onward
Oversee project staff assignments, and provide support for program success, goals, recruiting, training, and partner relationsWork with the YJC Training Manager to facilitate training opportunities for participantsWork with schools and YJC Career Coaches year-round, to engage and enroll participantsConnect participants to agency resources including financial health, career exploration, goal setting and moreWork with participants to ensure successful completion of the programOversee and manage participants throughout the program lifecycle, and coordinate with other YJC team members to ensure clients’ successful program completionProvide participants with training, advising and ongoing hiring opportunities for This Way Onward (TWO) partnershipsEnsure successful onboarding and retention of participants who complete training, and work toward goals of permanent placementCareer Pathways Support & Recruitment
Partner with Career Pathways team to provide personalized support for all participantsWith Career Pathways team, align other education, certification, and training program partnersShare information about current market trends and growth areas, guiding young adults in goal setting aligning with their skills / interestsProvide support for participants to identify barriers and challenges, and refer participants to partner agencies to mitigate barriersSupport YJC programs and other staff through recruitment efforts at schools, fairs, and outreach & training eventsPartnership Management
Serve as primary liaison for Old Navy / Gap partnership staffWork with Employment Relations Manager to support participants as neededServe as an ambassador in partnership, employer, and participant meetingsWork with This Way Onward (TWO) partners and training department and to review, revise and implement TWO’s training programData and Recordkeeping
Maintain current and accurate participant notes, narratives, assessments, reports, follow-ups, and file maintenance for client caseloadEnsure continuous management of data in YJC’s Salesforce based Client Management SystemClimate and Culture
Reinforce a positive culture of teamwork, continuous learning, solution orientation, and accountability. Serve as ambassador, participating in community and organization eventsSupport a high-performing culture, committed to delivering short and long-term results prioritizing continuous learning, goal orientation, accountability, and data-driven decision-makingEnsure consistent administration of program policies and proceduresFoster a positive working environment for all employeesParticipate in Board Meetings and Executive Committee Meetings as neededOther duties as assignedQualifications
Education / Work Experience
Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience1 year of Project Management experience requiredStrong business acumen in project planning and managementExperience in youth development training and / or workforce development programsExperience supervising staffCore Competencies & Job-Related Skills
Strong relationship building and interpersonal skills for engaging with clients, employers, vendors, stakeholders, and staffStrong verbal, written, and organizational skillsWell-organized, efficient, and detail-orientedStrong time management, documentation and data entry skillsSolid decision making / good judgement, problem solving, and creative resourcefulnessFlexibility to adapt to changing needs of the organization and clientsSolution oriented and self-directedAbility to effectively manage multiple tasks and prioritiesAdditional Notes
Work Environment
This is a hybrid role that requires 2-3 days of work from the Pilsen office and additional, local travel throughout the Chicagoland area and surrounding suburbs for in-office meetings, trainings, employer worksite visits, & special events. A reliable method of transportation is needed. The role also routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and fax machines.
Physical Demands
While this is primarily a hybrid role, some physical action will be required during office visits, including moving between spaces, minimal lifting, transporting items, bending, and standing as necessary.
