Quaker Youth Programs Manager

The Opportunity

Baltimore Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (BYM) seeks our next Youth Program Manager to provide overall logistics and collaborative leadership to BYM youth retreats - one of BYM’s core programs. The Program Manager reports to the General Secretary. Our ideal candidate enjoys working with middle- and high-school-age young people to develop and maintain safe, inclusive spaces for young folks to build social skills, independence, resilience, and community.

Responsibilities

Youth Program Management

• Manage registration logistics, program/workshop planning, and post-event reporting for youth retreats.
• Support our youth-led committee in planning their programs and logistics.
• Collaborate with Youth Program Committee members who provide guidance and support BYM youth programs.
• Organize and lead two half-day trainings for adult mentors annually, including planning logistics and curriculum.

Youth Retreat Supervision & Mentorship

• Provide caring, responsible mentorship for program participants.
• Directly supervise nine overnight weekend retreats for middle- and high-school-age students: six two-night retreats for high school students and three one-night middle school retreats each year.
• Lead high school programming at BYM’s week-long Annual Sessions, held at the end of July on a college campus in Maryland.
• Ensure consistent adherence to our Youth Safety Policy and other safety policies at all youth programs.

Administration

• Update youth program webpages using a visual editor tool
• Advertise youth retreats via email and other BYM publications
• Recruitment of youth participants from Monthly Meetings and BYM Camps
• Serve on the BYM Youth Safety Policy Sub-Committee
• Other duties as assigned

If you were in this role right now you might be:

• Emailing parents of current and recent youth conference participants to invite them to the upcoming Friendly Adult Mentor info session.
• Checking in with youth leaders and the host Monthly Meeting to confirm details for the next Young Friends Conference.

Who You Are & Keys to Success (the must-haves)

To be successful in this job, you will excel in four areas:

1. Youth-serving mindset: Enjoys working with young people and demonstrates flexibility when guiding youth-led activities. Approaches leadership with a “power with” rather than “power over” mindset and lends their judgment to young people without being judgemental. Able to make and communicate difficult decisions in the best interest of participant safety. Understands youth safety as a sacred responsibility.
2. Organized task manager: Can create systems for keeping tasks and policies from slipping through the cracks. Plans backward to meet deadlines. Asks for help when needed.
3. Experience with collaborative decision-making: Experience in a role where decisions are made collaboratively. Demonstrated ability to let go of a singular way of thinking to develop solutions that work for the entire group. Builds authentic relationships across lines of difference - especially age, sexual orientation, gender identity, and theology. Holds and communicates boundaries with clarity and kindness. Comfortable going more slowly in order to go together.
4. Knowledge and familiarity with DEI principles: Recognizes ways that race and other identities intersect, especially with communities we serve. Comfortable talking about identities such as race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, class, ability, or gender in plain, specific terms. Understands the historical context for racial inequity and its present-day implications. Demonstrates awareness of growing edges. Able to hear, reflect, act on, and learn from feedback regarding identity and equity.

Technical Qualifications:

• Willing and able to participate in multinight weekend youth retreats as specified above.
• Willing and able to attend and support BYM’s annual regional conference (one week at the end of July/beginning of August each year, on-site childcare provided for employees’ children)
• Valid driver’s license with no more than 1 major violation in the last 5 years
• Reliable personal motor transportation
• Ability to successfully pass BYM’s enhanced youth safety screening, including criminal background check and in-depth reference checks

Experience with Quakerism is a plus but not a requirement

Time & Travel Expectations

This is a half-time, non-exempt position. The Youth Program Manager works 12 hours per week plus in-person weekend retreats (approximately 1,040 hours/year), including working on-site at the office in Sandy Spring on Thursdays. Additional weekly hours can be work-from-home. This position requires travel regionally and evening and weekend availability (as detailed above). All BYM staff attend and support a weeklong gathering (Annual Session) held in residence on a college campus in the summer.

Compensation & Benefits

The salary for the position is $30,000 per year. The salary will be consistent even though hours worked fluctuate during the weeks when a youth retreat takes place. Any overtime (more than 40 hours in one work week, Sun-Sat) will be paid at $43/hour. Benefits include 52 hours of paid vacation, 42 hours of sick & safe leave, 403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution, low-deductible medical and dental insurance currently offered at 100% of the premium paid for employees and 50% of the premium paid for employee dependents, and medical, parental/adoption, and sabbatical leave.

What Else You Should Know

Baltimore Yearly Meeting does not discriminate in hiring based on race, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, age, or national origin. We encourage people of color, LGBQ people, transgender and gender non-conforming people, and people with disabilities to apply.

Because the Program Manager works closely with children, applicants will undergo additional screening processes - including background, driving record, and in-depth reference checks - to ensure the safety of all young people entrusted to BYM’s care.

Who We Are

Baltimore Yearly Meeting builds and nurtures a strong and vibrant Quaker community across the

southern Mid-Atlantic. We seek to build community, grow in the life of the Spirit, discern right action, and bear witness in the world. In addition, BYM serves as the point of connection and collaboration for Friends working on a wide range of social justice issues. BYM includes Quaker meetings in parts of Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. About 6,500 Friends of all ages, from 51 Monthly Meetings and local worshiping communities, make up BYM.

The BYM Office provides technical support to local Quaker Meetings and opportunities for

Quakers in our region to work, play, serve, learn, and grow spiritually. We provide a range of

programming throughout the year and operate 4 summer camps that serve more than 500

campers annually. The work of BYM is carried out by 10 full-time staff and hundreds of volunteers.