Adult Education Manager
Full Time, Salaried, Exempt Position
Founded in 2003, GiGi's Playhouse Inc.’s mission is to change the way the world views Down syndrome and send a global message of acceptance for all. We profoundly change lives through national campaigns, educational programs, and by empowering individuals with Down syndrome, their families, and the community. All programs are free and are therapeutic or educational in nature. Each one of our programs is designed to work on specific skill development, including speech and language, literacy, socialization, and fine and gross motor skills. GiGi’s Playhouse currently has over 60 locations across North America and growing by several locations annually.
This role is for our Fort Wayne, IN location.
Job Description:
The Adult Education Manager facilitates the implementation of all adult education programs at the playhouse, which includes directly supporting individuals participating in the GiGi University programs, which includes the core course curriculum of GiGi U, GiGi Professional, GiGi’s Ambassadors, as well as those seeking job or volunteer placements in the community. Leveraging the adult education program philosophy of “Confident U. Healthy U. Whole U,” the Adult Education manager ensures these programs operate effectively and also engages with the community to increase acceptance, opportunities, and career success for adults with Down syndrome.
Effective operation of the programs includes making sure they are properly staffed with skilled and trained volunteers and follow structured curriculums that provide a high quality, outcome-driven program according to the program model developed by the National Program Team. A flexible schedule is a must, as the Adult Education Manager may need to support individuals on some evenings or weekends.
Goals of this role include:
- Continually increase the number of families served in GiGi University, GiGi Professional, and GiGi’s Ambassador for each session.
- Maximize measurable achievements and progressions through GiGi University as measured by participant progress trackers and assessments.
- Maximize progressions on the career certifications for individuals in GiGi Professional and GiGi’s Ambassadors by supporting participants’ development of skills and abilities.
- Showcase the skills and abilities of our adult participants in the community.
- Maximize opportunities for adults with Down syndrome to obtain and retain jobs and volunteer placements in the community.
Reports to: Executive Director
Location: Role is 100% in person in (city, state)
Essential Job Functions:
GiGi University
- Recruit students for these application and interview-based programs through outreach including transition program fairs, job fairs and other community sources.
- Assist parents, caregivers, and applicants in understanding the application and selection process, and guide families into the program most aligned with their skills and motivations.
- Manage the interview and selection process for accepting new students into the program, providing feedback to applicants and insights into the decision process.
- Build external partnerships with universities and other professional sources to draw skilled volunteers and college interns to support teaching core elements of the program. Interview and select college/university interns and volunteers for the program.
- Facilitate and oversee the instruction of the GiGi U programs, working directly with participants to build individual development plans and oversee skill development throughout the program.
- Plan and execute end of session celebrations after every session, continually assessing students at the end of the sessions and placing them in the program that matches their skills and interests.
GiGi Professional:
- Provide transition coaching to graduates of GiGi University so they are prepared to enter an internship with GiGi Professional, including working with each of them to continue to build their individualized development plan focused on their area(s) of interest.
- Build external partnerships with universities and other professional sources to draw skilled volunteers and college interns to support teaching core elements of the program. Interview and select college/university interns and volunteers for the program.
- Support GiGi Professional interns in continuously achieving certifications to advance their skills and abilities in transferrable skill areas such as customer service, retail, production, office skills, cleaning, etc.
- Schedule the interns' work schedule according to their availability and the needs of each area.
- Take interns to visit with various employers to help interns understand the types of jobs available and to help employers learn of interns’ skills.
- Work with each participant on a job readiness assessment, including the certifications achieved and resume development to articulate experiences and skills.
- Build partnerships with local organizations for job and volunteer placement opportunities. Present qualified interns to employers.
- Create standard working agreements with appropriate job accommodations to help individuals succeed in their role.
- Provide job coaching for all career placements, as determined for the roles.
GiGi’s Ambassador
- Provide transition coaching to graduates of GiGi University so they are prepared to enter GiGi’s Ambassador program, including working with each of them to continue to build their individualized development plan focused on their area(s) of interest.
- Build external partnerships with universities and other professional sources to draw skilled volunteers and college interns to support teaching core elements of the program. Interview and select college/university interns and volunteers for the program.
- Support the GiGi’s Ambassadors in continuously achieving certifications to advance their skills and abilities in skill areas to align with the program.
- Schedule the GiGi’s Ambassadors according to their availability and the needs of each area.
- Take interns to visits with various donors and community engagements to help the GiGi’s Ambassadors to understand the types of opportunities available and create outreach opportunities.
- Work with each participant on a readiness assessment, including the certifications achieved and resume development to articulate experiences and skills.
Program Planning, Program Fidelity, and Continuous Improvement
- Train, manage, and support program volunteers to ensure they are executing the program with high fidelity and quality.
- Define long term (12-24 months) program plan, including key dates, targeted attendance, and volunteer needs for each session of each adult education program.
- Build relationships with and communicate progress and expectations with participants and their parents or caregivers regularly.
- Help ensure the Playhouse operates per Standards of Execution for Programs, continually striving to achieve Center of Excellence status.
- Provide feedback to the National Program Team regarding the program curriculum, resources, training, etc.
Program Data and Impact
- Ensure proper documentation and tracking of all volunteer hours, program participation hours, and program impact results, progress trackers, and certifications, including reporting on trends.
- Report on the impact of programs for donors, and marketing purposes, through aggregated participant progress data, success stories, and powerful pictures of programs in action.
Build Acceptance and Opportunities in the Community
- Support advocacy and acceptance efforts by escorting program participants to community events and activities.
- Meet with donors and local community organizations to showcase the work of participants in the adult education programs at GiGi’s Playhouse while enabling the participants to express gratitude and practice self-advocacy and independence skills.
- Support pop-up retail and outreach booths in various locations and events around the community.
Competencies:
The Adult Education Program Manager must enjoy working within an entrepreneurial environment that is mission-driven, results-driven, and community-oriented. The following competencies describe the ideal candidate:
- Teamwork: Balances team and individual responsibilities; exhibits objectivity and openness to others' views; gives and welcomes feedback; contributes to building a positive team spirit; puts success of team above own interests; able to build morale and group commitments to goals and objectives; supports everyone's efforts to succeed.
- People Management: Includes staff and key volunteers in planning, decision-making, facilitating and process improvement; takes responsibility for subordinates' activities; makes self-available to staff; provides regular performance feedback; develops subordinates' skills and encourages growth; solicits and applies customer feedback (internal and external); fosters quality focus in others; Improves processes, products and services; continually works to improve supervisory skills.
- Collaboration: Ability to work collaboratively and professionally with families, participants, local and national office staff, board members, committee members, volunteers, and donors. Ability to work collaboratively within the community; expand networking opportunities for GiGi’s Playhouse. Exhibits good listening and comprehension.
- Communication Exceptionally strong written and oral communication skills with ability to express ideas and thoughts verbally; writes clearly and inspirationally; Edits work for spelling and grammar; Varies writing style to meet needs; keeps others adequately informed; selects and uses appropriate communication methods.
- Customer Service: Manages difficult or emotional customer situations; responds promptly to customer needs; solicits customer feedback to improve service; responds to requests for service and assistance; meets commitments.
- Initiative: Proactively anticipates needs and works to solve issues before they arise. Takes prompt action; is a total self-starter, taking independent actions and calculated risks to take advantage of opportunities.
- Planning /Organizing: Prioritizes and plans work activities; Uses time efficiently; Plans for additional resources; Sets goals and objectives; Organizes or schedules other people and their tasks; Develops realistic action plans.
- Problem Solving: Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; Resourceful; Gathers and analyzes information skillfully; Develops alternative solutions; Works well in group problem solving situations; Uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics.
- Adaptability and Calm Under Pressure: Adapts to changes in the work environment; Manages competing demands; Changes approach or method to best fit the situation; Able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events. Maintains stable performance when under heavy pressure or stress.
- High Standards: Expects personal performance to be exceptional; improves processes to continually improve operations.
- Use of Technology: Adapts to new technologies; Demonstrates required skills; Keeps technical skills up to date. Troubleshoots technological problems; Uses technology to increase productivity.
Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Education and/or Experience: At least five years relevant program management experience and/or training.
- Language Skills: Ability to read, analyze, and interpret instructions and complex correspondence. Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints. Ability to effectively present information to top management and/or boards of directors.
- Computer Skills: To perform this job successfully, an individual should be very comfortable using a broad array of programs, including advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and OneNote). Ability to work proficiently in (or quickly learn) a database program (Salesforce) to manage interactions and transactions.
- Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to walk; sit and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stand; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include ability to adjust focus.
- Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. This is an in-person position.
GiGi’s Playhouse Core Values: GiGi’s challenges all staff and volunteers to embody the following core values:
- Enthusiasm: Bringing positive, high energy to our work
- Best of All: Always looking to improve in all that we do. Challenge yourself every day.
- Get It Done: Making things happen and blasting through barriers when needed; figure it out.
- Believe: Believe in ourselves, believe in our mission, believe we can achieve all that we set out to achieve
- Locally Concerned, Enterprise Minded: To best serve our local communities, we share our location’s best practices and have the humility to leverage the collective learnings from across the GiGi’s network.
