Associate Director of Pathways for Young Adults

About the role

The Associate Director of the Pathways for Young Adults program leads the Life Coaching team that supports young people in the Friends of the Children program from their junior/senior year of high school through age 22 as program graduates. The National Alumni Coordinator also reports to them. The Associate Director ensures high-quality, consistent programming that results in successful transitions to young adult independence, to postsecondary, career training, or the workforce.

Responsibilities

• Lead program implementation and develop tools required for program execution
• Work with Director to set key performance metrics and drive results
• Develop and refine coaching frameworks, tools, and resources that operationalize the program design and delivery
• Achieve consistent, high-quality coaching aligned to program model and standards
• Work with Friends of the Children staff and leaders to co-create solutions that are both standardized and localized to meet community needs
• Ensure alignment across the Friends of the Children 12+ years professional mentoring program model and the Pathways for Young Adults Program
• Analyze data to identify trends, gaps, and opportunities for improvement

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree
• 5+ years of experience in college access, workforce development, or related field
• 2+ years of people management or team leadership experience
• Demonstrated experience with and understanding of postsecondary pathways (college, CTE, workforce)
• Experience working with underserved, first-generation, or historically marginalized students

Qualifications

• Data-driven decision-making and analytical thinking
• Strong communication, coaching and people management skills
• Relationship-building across diverse stakeholders
• Cultural responsiveness and adaptability
• Ability to manage complexity and drive results

Skills

• Experience managing outcomes-driven programs with measurable KPIs
• Familiarity with FAFSA, financial aid systems, and admissions processes
• Experience building employer or higher education partnerships
• Proficiency with CRM/data systems and performance tracking tools

Benefits

• Competitive salary of $115,000–$125,000, commensurate with experience
• $10,000 relocation assistance for candidates relocating to Portland, Oregon