Posted on October 29, 2009

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Program Manager

Organization Background:

The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) provides entrepreneurship programs to young people from low-income communities. NFTE's goal is that every young person from a Chicago low-income community will have access to NFTE's program to engage them in school, expose them to the market economy and help to create an entrepreneurial mindset in order to remain competitive in the increasingly global marketplace. NFTE is widely viewed as a world leader in entrepreneurship education. To date, NFTE has worked with over 230,000 young people and currently operates programs in 22 states and 13 countries, and has more than 1,500 active Certified Entrepreneurship Teachers. NFTE is an IRS approved 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

NFTE Chicago, one of eleven NFTE program offices in the United States, was established in May 2003 and successfully launched a partnership with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS). NFTE's curriculum has been adopted as the lead business curriculum within CPS. During the 2008-2009 academic year we reached 2,100 students, bringing our cumulative total to over 9,000 young people served to date.

NFTE's strategy for achieving our mission is to:

• Partner with schools
• Create innovative, experiential and relevant curricula
• Train and support teachers
• Provide meaningful volunteer opportunities for Chicago's business community
• Provide supportive student and alumni services
• Evaluate student outcomes

Because of NFTE Chicago's significant reach and program expansion opportunities, NFTE Chicago is hiring a second Program Manager to help facilitate the program. The program team will have divided responsibilities, but will be working closely to facilitate the program.

Position Summary:

A Program Manager of the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) is responsible for promoting, supporting, and implementing NFTE's experiential curriculum and maintaining quality, successful youth entrepreneurship in-school programs. This is accomplished by working with a caseload of assigned NFTE teachers in the Chicago school system that teach the curriculum during the school day. Therefore, a key element of the Program Manager position is forming relationships with NFTE's educators, principals and program partners. It is also expected that the Program Manager will coordinate and execute activities that will allow him or her to work directly with youth from low-income communities through business camps, business plan coaching sessions and business plan competitions in addition to participating in necessary fundraising activities. In order to support teachers implementing the curriculum, a Program Manager must familiarize him or herself with the NFTE entrepreneurship curriculum and be comfortable acting as technical support for how to successful deliver the curriculum in the classroom.

In addition to a caseload of teachers with NFTE classes, each program staff member at NFTE Chicago is assigned a programmatic area of expertise in which to deliver key NFTE activities (Teacher Professional Development, In-School Student Services, Alumni Services, and Volunteer Services). This program manager would be responsible for the delivery of professional development activities that strengthen teacher collaboration and overall understanding and delivery of advanced entrepreneurship, business and educational concepts. NFTE provides a variety of professional development activities, including full day seminars, local retreats, newsletters and other communications, that help NFTE teachers be more effective in the classroom, and increase their capacity to reach more students.

In addition, this Program Manager will work with other team members to coordinate volunteer activities that further enhance the classroom experience for students, thereby demonstrating the practical and real world applications of different NFTE small business concepts. The program team as a whole also works to provide current NFTE students and alumni opportunities outside of the classroom so that students can see a pathway for continuing their business education. The Program Manager will work closely with the National Program Team, and other program office program managers to integrate new resources into current programs and replicate best practice, continuing to enhance the NFTE Student Experience.

Additional Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required. Masters degree in management or familiarity with business concepts preferred.
• Minimum four - six years experience teaching and/or in a business/professional environment required.
• Strategic planning and implementation as well as project management experience.
• Experience in an education- related community-based organization or school environment. Experience working with Chicago Public Schools preferred.
• Must be able to work independently and collaboratively, display leadership and organizational skills, and be able to manage multiple projects.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Customer service orientation.
• Volunteer experience (in-school setting, a plus).
• Interest in building internal capacities of new program office and ability to work in an entrepreneurial environment.

The Program Manager position is full-time and reports to the Program Director.

How to Apply:

Please send cover letter and resume to hr@nfte.com.

NFTE is an equal opportunity employer, and encourages women and underrepresented minorities to apply.

Find out more by visiting the organization's web site»

Job Type: Program
Organization Type: Nonprofit Organizations