Program Manager

Gray Matter Experience; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

The Gray Matter Experience seeks an experienced and highly organized Program Manager to manage the day-to-day execution of TGME’s entrepreneurship programming and ensure a consistently high-quality experience for students.

The Program Manager is responsible for turning established program plans and curriculum into strong execution across programs, instructors, facilitators, schedules, logistics, participant engagement, and reporting.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in program management, youth development, education, entrepreneurship programming, or related field.
• Experience managing programs from planning through execution.
• Experience supervising, coaching, or leading staff, instructors, facilitators, or volunteers.
• Strong organizational, project-management, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong relationship-building skills with young people and adult stakeholders.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience collecting and using program data and participant feedback.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends based on the program calendar.

Responsibilities

• Owns day-to-day program delivery, scheduling, logistics, and recruitment execution.
• Own day-to-day execution of assigned programs from planning and recruitment through cohort selection, delivery, events, data collection, and program closeout.
• Plan and coordinate programs from preparation through closeout, ensuring timelines, staffing, materials, communications, and program requirements are in place.
• Lead the program application and cohort-selection process in collaboration with the Program Coordinator, including applicant review, interviews, selection, and enrollment decisions.
• Ensure established curriculum, learning objectives, and program standards are implemented consistently across programs.
• Coordinate core programs, partner programming, workshops, special program experiences, and program events.
• Serve as the programmatic lead for assigned school and partner programs, owning delivery expectations, implementation, and day-to-day program needs once the partnership has been established.
• Resolve routine program-delivery challenges and escalate significant issues or risks appropriately.
• Manages approved program resources and delivery-related budget activities
• Facilitate or step into program delivery as needed to support staffing coverage, special sessions, or program needs.
• Monitor program delivery to ensure students receive an engaging, supportive, and consistent experience.
• Gather feedback from students, instructors, facilitators, and partners and use it to strengthen program implementation.
• Observe program sessions and provide instructional staff with feedback and support.
• Identify recurring program challenges and recommend practical improvements to processes or delivery.
• Ensure appropriate student concerns or issues are addressed and escalated when necessary.

Skills

Program management

Youth development

Education programming

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Staff coaching

Data reporting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in education, youth development, nonprofit management, business, social sciences, or related field

Job description

The Gray Matter Experience seeks an experienced and highly organized Program Manager to manage the day-to-day execution of TGME’s entrepreneurship programming and ensure a consistently high-quality experience for students.

The Program Manager is responsible for turning established program plans and curriculum into strong execution across programs, instructors, facilitators, schedules, logistics, participant engagement, and reporting. This role manages the people and processes required to deliver programming successfully while working closely with the broader team to ensure recruitment, partnerships, communications, and funder requirements remain aligned.

The ideal candidate is a strong program operator and people manager who is organized, solutions-oriented, and able to manage multiple programs and stakeholders while remaining focused on program quality and student experience.

The salary range for this full-time position is $65,000 - $70,000 annually, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Please note: All applicants must complete and pass a background check to engage with youth and enter schools.

Owns day-to-day program delivery, scheduling, logistics, and recruitment execution

Own day-to-day execution of assigned programs from planning and recruitment through cohort selection, delivery, events, data collection, and program closeout.

Plan and coordinate programs from preparation through closeout, ensuring timelines, staffing, materials, communications, and program requirements are in place.

Lead the program application and cohort-selection process in collaboration with the Program Coordinator, including applicant review, interviews, selection, and enrollment decisions.

Ensure established curriculum, learning objectives, and program standards are implemented consistently across programs.

Coordinate core programs, partner programming, workshops, special program experiences, and program events.

Serve as the programmatic lead for assigned school and partner programs, owning delivery expectations, implementation, and day-to-day program needs once the partnership has been established.

Resolve routine program-delivery challenges and escalate significant issues or risks appropriately.

Manages approved program resources and delivery-related budget activities

Facilitate or step into program delivery as needed to support staffing coverage, special sessions, or program needs.

Program Quality & Student Experience

Monitor program delivery to ensure students receive an engaging, supportive, and consistent experience.

Gather feedback from students, instructors, facilitators, and partners and use it to strengthen program implementation.

Observe program sessions and provide instructional staff with feedback and support.

Identify recurring program challenges and recommend practical improvements to processes or delivery.

Ensure appropriate student concerns or issues are addressed and escalated when necessary.

Team Management

Manage the FT Instructor and Facilitator Pool to ensure consistent program quality

Lead onboarding, preparation, scheduling, and ongoing support for instructors and facilitators.

Provide coaching, feedback, accountability, and clear expectations to instructional staff.

Lead regular program-team meetings and communication.

Support the recruitment and selection of program instructors and facilitators as needed.

Ensure instructional staff have the information, curriculum, materials, and resources needed to successfully deliver programming.

Data, Reporting & Cross-Functional Support

Maintains attendance, participation, feedback, and routine program reporting

Ensure required program data and documentation are collected consistently and accurately.

Review program data and participant feedback to identify areas requiring attention or improvement.

Maintain program records and reporting needed by leadership and other departments.

Partner with Development on outcomes, funder deliverables, and program funding needs

Support funder, donor, and partner program visits by helping showcase program implementation, student experience, and outcomes.

Works with Marketing & Communications and Operations on recruitment, tools, and reporting

Work closely with the Program Coordinator to ensure participant administration, recruitment support, alumni and volunteer engagement, partner coordination, and program logistics are handled effectively.

Collaborate with the Program Instructor on student support, participant communication, volunteer coordination, and day-to-day program needs.

Other duties as assigned

What Success Looks Like In This Role

Programs are consistently organized, appropriately staffed, and delivered at a high level of quality.

Each assigned program has clear ownership from recruitment through closeout.

Students have a strong and consistent experience across TGME programming.

Instructors and facilitators understand expectations and receive effective support and management.

Program challenges are addressed quickly and appropriately.

Program data, documentation, and reporting are accurate and timely.

QUALIFICATIONS

3–5 years of experience in program management, youth development, education, entrepreneurship programming, or a related field.

Experience managing programs from planning through execution.

Experience supervising, coaching, or leading staff, instructors, facilitators, or volunteers.

Strong organizational, project-management, and problem-solving skills.

Strong relationship-building skills with young people and adult stakeholders.

Ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Experience collecting and using program data and participant feedback.

Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends based on the program calendar

Education & Experience

Bachelor’s degree in education, youth development, nonprofit management, business, social sciences, or a related field preferred but not required.

Equivalent professional experience in program management, youth development, education, or community-based programming may substitute for formal education.

The Gray Matter Experience is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status, military discharge status, age, marital status, parental status, or source of income.