Senior Manager, Mentor Programs

Report to

Associate Director, Scholar Support & Partnerships

Compensation

$70,500 – $83,000; exempt

Employee Type & Work Arrangement

Full-Time, Regular; Hybrid – 3 days/week in the SEO office at 55 Exchange Place, New York, NY 10005 or at Long Island University and Baruch College (subject to change); in-person attendance required for all Saturday programming at LIU and Baruch

Schedule

Typical weekly schedule:

• Fall/Spring Term: Tuesday through Saturday; Monday through Friday
• Summer Term: Monday through Friday

About the role

The Senior Manager, Mentor Programs leads the strategic and day-to-day operations of the mentorship program, a key element of the Scholars program. The program matches 10th grade scholars with local professionals who volunteer to provide guidance and support as scholars explore colleges and careers. This role maintains communications, systems, and processes that support 10th grade scholars, ensures smooth operation of program components, and supports scholars, mentors, and volunteer partners.

Responsibilities

• Mentor Recruitment & Selection
  • Lead mentor recruitment strategy, including identifying new partnerships, alumni and affinity networks, and platforms to promote the mentorship program
  • Oversee corporate partnerships to source employee volunteers as mentors via city-wide events, informational sessions, and outreach
  • Manage annual mentor selection and matching process via interviews and surveys to ensure strong relationships for mentees and mentors
  • Develop and refine orientation materials for mentors and facilitate mentor training sessions
  • Ensure all mentors comply with SEO, state-wide, and federal policies for working with minors, including background checks and fingerprinting
  • Partner with grade-level Program Managers to match scholars with mentors based on shared experiences and goals
• Program Management
  • Co-manage one full-time staff member shared across two Scholar programs by conducting 1:1 check-ins, providing coaching, and supporting professional development
  • Serve as the primary contact person for mentors by proactively communicating announcements and updates, and fielding questions
  • Act as relationship manager to half of the 10th grade cohort pairs to track engagement, log concerns or safety notes, and intervene as necessary
  • Coordinate internally with SEO Curriculum & Instruction, Operations, and program teams to plan and implement mentoring sessions on Saturdays and serve as the on-site lead
  • Adapt curriculum and lesson plans as needed to ensure relevance and respond to scholar and mentor feedback from mid- and end-of-year surveys
  • Ensure a smooth leadership transition of the Scholars Mentor Council annually and collaborate with them to create a supportive and engaging community for all SEO Scholars volunteers
  • Oversee volunteer initiatives throughout the high school program such as one-off partner engagements, networking events, and career panels
• Systems & Evaluation
  • Conduct and review mid-year and end-year surveys to ensure programming meets evolving scholar needs and supports volunteer retention
  • Audit communications between volunteers and scholars to ensure compliance with all applicable laws regarding working with minors
  • Maintain scholar and volunteer records in Salesforce and Together Platform; serve as main liaison with Together Platform
  • Survey partners to align expectations and adjust programming when needed to ensure longevity of partnerships
  • Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required
• 3+ years overseeing youth-facing mentoring or employee volunteer programs, and working with large groups of high school students
• 2+ years of experience successfully managing staff

Competencies & Skills

• Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to clearly and effectively present content in a public forum, engage in active listening, and command the attention of large groups
• Excellent interpersonal skills; practiced in building professional relationships and delivering constructive, honest, and productive feedback to scholars and family members
• A proven track record of building successful relationships with partners and leveraging relationships with internal and external stakeholders to drive successful outcomes
• Strong work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit that translates into successful accomplishment of program goals
• Highly adaptable and solutions-oriented with an ability to solve complex problems even when faced with resource limitations
• Excellent organizational skills, detail-orientation, and ability to multitask and handle changing priorities
• Strong follow-through and accountability; able to manage multiple responsibilities while meeting deadlines with minimal reminders
• Intermediate to advanced Excel and reporting skills with an affinity toward data-driven outcomes
• Background working with families and within communities reflective of SEO’s Scholar population with the combined lived and learned experience to effectively apply an empathic and inclusive lens to relationships and work product
• Bilingual Spanish/English is helpful; other language skills are welcome

Benefits

• Low-cost health, vision, and dental options
• Generous holiday schedule and PTO policies
• Disability coverage
• Fully paid time off for new parents
• Employer contributions to health reimbursement and retirement accounts
• Wellness initiatives and employee-first culture