Professional Mentor (Friend) - Eastern Montana

Basic Function/Position Objective

We are currently seeking a mentor for our Childhood program (kindergarten to 5th Grade) to serve as a positive adult role model to eight elementary children and develop loving, caring, and sustained relationships with each child.

Essential Responsibilities

• Develop and sustain a long-term, caring, protective, and loving relationship with each child.
  • Spend time with children, one-on-one.
  • Partner with parents/caregivers to provide concrete and social emotional supports for the family.
  • Set realistic expectations and goals based on each child’s strengths, talents, abilities, and needs.
  • Teach life skills and help develop a talent/skill/area of interest with each child.
  • Deepen connections for youth through incorporating specific cultural knowledge in programming.
  • Provide enrichment resources and activities that include opportunities for cultural identity development.
  • Build positive relationships with families, teachers, and others involved in each child’s life.
  • Reinforce basic academic skills.
• Maintain a 40-hour work schedule that includes afternoons, evenings, and weekends.
• Maintain spending within budgetary guidelines.
• Complete, distribute, and collect time summaries, activity journals, short-term plans, expense reports, and evaluations materials accurately and in a timely manner.
• Attend and actively participate in team meetings and staff functions.
• Maintain First Aid/CPR certification.
• Transport children in personal vehicle as required for mentoring activities.
• Provide information and support to the development and executive team on related activities.

Benefits

• 3 weeks paid vacation;
• 3 floating holidays;
• 12 mental health days;
• comprehensive health, dental, vision (employee premiums paid at 100%);
• short-term disability;
• LIFE Insurance, SIMPLE IRA with 3% match.

Professional Level

• Minimum Education Required: Bachelor’s degree preferred, alternatively, at least seven years’ progressive experience working with children and families will be considered in lieu of a college degree.
• Willingness to commit for a minimum of three years.
• Advocate to secure additional resources, opportunities, and services for youth as appropriate.
• Absorb and assist with systems navigation in schools to secure conditions for optimal academic success.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work with children in varied capacities and settings.
• Develop trusting relationships with children, families, teachers, and others involved in each child’s life.
• Manage several concurrent issues and solve problems effectively.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Work independently and as a team player.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• A sense of humor is a plus.

Report To

Program Director

Applications

Applications without cover letters will not be considered; please use this as an opportunity to convey why you want to be a Professional Mentor at Friends of the Children – Eastern Montana!

Offices

Located in Billings.

About the Role

Friends of the Children is a nonprofit that is impacting generational change by empowering youth through relationships with professional mentors. We do this by providing children facing the most obstacles with a long-term, salaried, professional mentor, who we call a “Friend,” from kindergarten through high school graduation, 12+ years – no matter what.

Qualifications

• Willingness to commit for a minimum of three years.
• Advocate to secure additional resources, opportunities, and services for youth as appropriate.
• Absorb and assist with systems navigation in schools to secure conditions for optimal academic success.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work with children in varied capacities and settings.
• Develop trusting relationships with children, families, teachers, and others involved in each child’s life.
• Manage several concurrent issues and solve problems effectively.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Work independently and as a team player.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• A sense of humor is a plus.

Skills

• Willingness to commit for a minimum of three years.
• Advocate to secure additional resources, opportunities, and services for youth as appropriate.
• Absorb and assist with systems navigation in schools to secure conditions for optimal academic success.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work with children in varied capacities and settings.
• Develop trusting relationships with children, families, teachers, and others involved in each child’s life.
• Manage several concurrent issues and solve problems effectively.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Work independently and as a team player.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• A sense of humor is a plus.

Benefits

• 3 weeks paid vacation;
• 3 floating holidays;
• 12 mental health days;
• comprehensive health, dental, vision (employee premiums paid at 100%);
• short-term disability;
• LIFE Insurance, SIMPLE IRA with 3% match.

Pay

$47,250 Annually

Schedule

Primarily one-on-one with the children they serve, while also building trusting supportive relationships with parents/caregivers. A Friend must know, understand, honor, and support the organization’s mission, vision, values, and principles, and be able to clearly articulate the organization’s function.