Program Manager, Great Jobs KC Program
Program Manager, Great Jobs KC Program
Kansas City, MO Great Jobs KC ProgramDescription
About Great Jobs KC
Great Jobs KC, Inc. (dba KC Scholars) (www.greatjobskc.org) is a 501(c)(3) college scholarship and tuition-free job training program. Its goal is to support persistence and increase the college completion rate for low- and modest-income students across the six-county, bi-state service region and secure family-sustaining careers. The organization was designed to change thousands of individual lives and transform the region by preparing the local future workforce and contributing to the regional economy. The KC Scholars Scholarship Program awards traditional college scholarships to high school juniors, adult learner scholarships to adults 18 years and older, and college savings match awards to high school freshmen. The Great Jobs KC program provides tuition assistance to approved career training programs in high-demand industries such as construction, healthcare, information technology, logistics/warehousing, manufacturing and service careers. With the support of Great Jobs KC, adults 17+ and older can learn the skills needed in one year or less to secure a job with family-sustaining wages. Great Jobs KC supports all its Scholars throughout their college or job training and into their first year of employment.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Reports to: Senior Director of Great Jobs KC
Location: Kansas City, MO
Hybrid role with remote work; occasional office visits required (technology provided).
Status: Exempt, Full-time
Salary: Annual salary based on experience
Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, STD, LTD, Life Insurance, PTO, Holidays, leave program, 401k including employer contribution, and others
Operating hours: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm CST
Key Performance Indicators:
- Ensure that 70% of individuals entering the pipeline continue as scholar.
- Ensure 70% of scholars complete a training program.
- Ensure 80% of completers earn a job paying a higher salary.
- Ensure 80% of completers remain in the workforce in KC for one year
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Program Manager, GJKC, leads and develops a team of Scholar Advocates to deliver high-quality support for scholars pursuing short-term training programs. This role is responsible for overseeing program operations, tracking outcomes, and driving continuous improvement to ensure scholar persistence, completion, and career placement. The Program Manager also contributes to strategic planning and advances the organization’s scholar-centric mission.
Primary responsibilities include:
Team Leadership & Coaching
- Oversee and support a team of Scholar Advocates providing 1:1 assistance to scholars in training programs.
- Ensure staff compliance with program policies and provide coaching through regular check-ins.
- Partner with the Scholar Advocate Coach to improve workflows, caseload management, and overall team performance.
- Facilitate daily huddles and ensure staff have the resources needed to deliver high-quality scholar support.
- Provide direct 1:1 support to scholars as needed and contribute to scholar-focused strategic initiatives.
Program Evaluation & Continuous Improvement
- Monitor program effectiveness through data, reports, and dashboards; recommend and implement improvements.
- Evaluate processes to ensure scalability, growth readiness, and achievement of program goals (80% completion, placement, and retention).
- Maintain written policies and practices for supporting and communicating with scholars.
- Assist with orientations, workshops, and community outreach efforts in coordination with organizational goals.
- Collaborate with leadership to identify and resolve barriers to scholar success and prepare reports and presentations demonstrating program outcomes.
Miscellaneous
- Provide content for newsletters, program communications, and trainings.
- Represent KC Scholars at meetings, events, and through committee participation.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Requirements
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
Education:
- An undergraduate degree is required, while an advanced degree is preferred.
Work Experience:
- A minimum of 5 plus years of relevant experience in serving individuals from diverse and low-income backgrounds, including specific knowledge related to successful student support strategies for persistence and completion.
- A minimum of 3 years of proven and successful experience leading and managing a team a team of three or more team members
- Proven and successful experience collaborating with other organizations and team members to achieve program goals.
Additional Knowledge, skills, and competencies:
- Working knowledge of industry-specific opportunities, certifications, and requirements, particularly in healthcare, IT, construction, and manufacturing.
- Proficiency with software and technical tools, including Salesforce, Asana, and Microsoft Office, with the ability to quickly learn new applications.
- Ability to analyze data, recognize trends, and use insights to inform program decisions.
- Experience working in a fast-paced, goal-oriented environment with the ability to set and meet clear deadlines.
- Desire for feedback and ability to use it to drive quality improvements.
- Self-directed, proactive, and able to anticipate demands and solve problems independently.
- Ability to maintain a calm and competent demeanor in challenging or high-pressure situations.
- Experience managing multiple demands, shifting priorities, and navigating ambiguity.
- Cultural competency and ability to work effectively with diverse populations.
- Passion for the mission.
- Excellent leadership and problem-solving skills.
- Results, systems and process focused.
- Strong organizational skills and ability to multi-task.
- Quick learner with the ability to develop a solid understanding of the content, processes, deliverables, and overall objectives.
- Personal value system that includes the highest standards of honesty, confidentiality, integrity, loyalty, and professional ethics reflective of the ability to succeed in building and maintaining positive relationships with the community.
- Excellent communications skills (written, verbal, research skills, presentation skills, facilitation skills).
- Passion for increasing college completion and workforce preparedness among students who are first-generation to college, low-income, or historically underrepresented in higher education and the regional workforce.
- Results focused while leading with empathy and empowerment of others.
- Drives through efficient and effective processes and procedures.
- High customer service focus.
Physical requirements:
- Ability to lift up to 15 lbs.
- Ability to work in an office and remote environment.
- Ability to travel from and to work and occasionally to regional sites as the organization grows.
- Ability to interact with others via technology, face-to-face and collectively.
Great Jobs KC firmly supports the principle and philosophy of equal opportunity for all individuals, regardless of age, race, gender, creed, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected category pursuant to applicable federal, state, or local law.
If interested, please apply here.
Job Type: Full Time
