Program Manager, Accelerator - San Jose State University

Job Title: Program Manager, Accelerator - San José State University

Team: Bay Regional Team

Location: Hybrid in San José, CA

Employment Type: Full-time

FLSA Classification: Exempt

Start Date: ASAP

About Braven

Braven is a national nonprofit that prepares promising young people—many of whom are people of color, from low-income backgrounds, and the first in their families to attend college—to secure a strong first opportunity after college graduation through a career-accelerating program.

We work with higher education and employer partners to offer a life-changing experience that begins with a semester-long course for college students followed by support that lasts through graduation.  

Together, we are helping to open up access to the American Promise, empowering a generation of leaders who mirror the diversity of our country.

To learn more, take a look at Braven’s Impact Report and Jobs Report.

About the Role

In order to achieve its ambition of serving 80,000-100,000 Fellows over the next decade, Braven is hiring a  Program Manager, Accelerator - San José State University (PMA - SJSU) to run our leadership and development course, the Accelerator. The PMA is a masterful programmatic operator responsible for running the course for our Fellows in order to increase their likelihood of graduating college with a strong first job or getting into graduate school. The PMA will be responsible for facilitating and managing the experience of hundreds of college students (typically Sophomores) as they complete the course. This role will also manage a caseload of teaching assistants and part-time student interns.

This role is on the Bay Regional team and reports directly to the Managing Director, SJSU.

What You’ll Do

Accelerator Program Management (70%)

• Manage the execution and facilitation of Accelerator programming, which includes weekly programming sessions (called Learning Labs, LLs) and various events, for 200+ attendees and ensure smooth logistics and successful outcomes
• Work with Professors and Teaching Assistants at SJSU to ensure Fellow grades are accurate and that we are meeting university guidelines, including supporting Fellows that are not meeting course outcomes
• Conduct weekly data analysis to consistently evaluate, validate, problem-solve, and iterate on the program
• Share design input and feedback with Product team to ensure continuous improvement of programming
• Oversee all operational and compliance related logistics (e.g. room reservations, FERPAs/NDAs, etc.)
• Responsible for onboarding Fellows to the UNVS 101 course and ensuring up to 85% of Fellows meet grade average, attendance, and course satisfaction goals. 
• Create and ensure a joyful, inspiring, supportive culture aligned with Braven’s core values for all course participants.

Leadership Coach and Coaching Partner Recruitment, Coaching, & Support (10%)

• Support the recruitment, coaching, and development of Leadership Coaches (LCs) and Coaching Partners (CPs, volunteers who support LCs) through strong project management in close collaboration with the Regional Managing Director
• Observe and provide feedback to Braven volunteers weekly to help them improve their facilitation and coaching skills

Team Leadership (15%)

• Participate in individual annual and quarterly planning
• Recruit, hire, onboard, and manage teaching assistants and part-time student interns 
• Collaborate with the Program Manager, Recruitment and Program Manager, Workforce Development to ensure a strong Fellow experience
• Collaborate with Braven’s central teams and PMAs in other Braven regions to align on best practices

Braven Stewardship (5%)

• Help build Braven’s brand by sharing compelling stories with the External Affairs team
• Represent Braven externally as needed
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree
• At least 2 years of experience ideally in teaching, program management, facilitation or a related field 
• Experience managing others ideally including college students or volunteers

Preferred Qualifications

• Proven ability to manage projects and performance through effective planning, prioritization, project management, follow through, strong attention to detail and time management skills
• Strong problem solving skills and tendency to consider multiple and “out of the box” ways to achieve objectives
• Ability to cultivate a joyful, inclusive, and welcoming team environment and culture, especially through moments of challenge.
• Tendency to seek out feedback, respond positively, and actively uses it to improve
• Ability to interact comfortably and authentically with people who have a range of identities, personalities, and ways of operating
• Experience giving feedback effectively across lines of difference to help others grow their effectiveness and develop professionally
• Excellent communication skills, and comfort and experience with public speaking and facilitation 
• Success using data and metrics to drive decisions and measure performance
• Proficiency in Google Suite, Slack, Asana
• Demonstrated commitment to equity and inclusion.
• Exemplification of Braven’s core values.
• Experiences that have informed your belief in Braven’s mission and have prepared you to work with, or for, Braven’s student Fellow population.

Please know that no one ever meets 100% of the preferred qualifications. If much of this describes you, we encourage you to apply.

Work Demands

• Ability to work in-person in San José, CA at least 3 days per week. There might be weeks that involve working additional days in the office, on campus, or surrounding cities in the Bay Area for special events.
• Facilitate weekly programming sessions up to 2 nights per week, each lasting 2 hours. Sessions are typically from 6:00-8:00 PM PT and 2:00-4:00 PT and usually occur on Wednesday evenings and Thursday afternoons.

Additional Requirements

• Authorized to work in the U.S.
• Must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and provide proof of such by the date of hire. Individuals may claim exemption from the vaccine requirement for medical or religious reasons.

Application & Interview Process

While the interview process may vary slightly, the general process will be:

• Phone screen with Talent Team member
• Interview with Hiring Manager
• Panel Interview with Key Partners
• Reference Checks

Benefits

Compensation and Benefits

The salary for this position, which depends on prior work experience and our assessment of your demonstrated fit for the role, will likely be between $66,560 - $74,500. Braven offers competitive base salaries based on the midpoint of the market among not-for-profit organizations of similar size, with opportunities for salary growth over time. We believe in compensating staff members fairly in relation to each other, their qualifications, and their impact on behalf of the organization, and take internal and external equity seriously. Given our commitment to equity, Braven does not negotiate salary offers; instead each salary offer is determined carefully using external and internal benchmarking. You will have an opportunity to discuss salary in more detail after you begin the application process.

Braven also provides competitive, comprehensive benefits, recognition, and career development. While Braven reserves the right to change benefits at any time, current benefits include: 

• Unlimited vacation time in addition to org-wide holidays and three team-wide, week-long shutdowns in Spring, Summer, and Winter (this is a minimum of 24 days per year)
• Match of your 401K contribution up to 5% of your base annual salary, starting your first full month
• Coverage of 85% of health insurance premium for employee and dependents
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave
• A one-month paid sabbatical after 4 years on staff

Location

We gather in the office at least 3 days per week (on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) and often work remotely 2 days per week (although certain commitments might adjust that from time to time). Therefore, this role requires teammates to live within commuting distance of San Jose, CA. We believe in the magic, connection, and collaboration that happens when people work together face-to-face and we believe in giving people flexibility to focus, balance personal priorities, and save themselves two commutes per week.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 

At Braven, we are committed to attracting, engaging, developing, and retaining a diverse team. Braven operates in the context of our American culture, against the backdrop of systemic racism and oppression of marginalized people since our country’s founding. We are committed to assembling leaders at our organization who have emerged from everywhere, with a particular emphasis on those who share the racial and income backgrounds of our Fellows, and creating an inclusive culture that allows all teammates, of all experiences and identities, to thrive.  

Braven is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected factor.  We encourage talented individuals of all backgrounds to apply.