Program Manager, Career Development
19 hours ago
New York
Job Description Job Title: Program Manager, Career Development Functional Team: Program Team, Regional Impact Job Type: Full-Time FLSA Classification: Exempt Location: Hybrid in New York Desired Start Date: December 2025 Direct Supervisor: Associate Director of Program, New York Who We Are COOP is building a diverse movement of upwardly mobile first-generation college grads overcoming underemployment through digital skills and peer connections. We want to reignite our nation’s promise of upward mobility for those who strive to achieve a brighter future for themselves and their families—to ensure the American Dream is a reality for all. We connect un-/underemployed first-gen college graduates to one another—within cohorts and across “generations” of cohorts. By growing their peer professional networks, members of our community achieve upward economic mobility by building the skills and connections they need for the careers they deserve. Our intervention for underemployed graduates has produced compelling wage outcomes for thousands of first-generation and low-income grads in New York, California, Illinois, and Florida. Within 12 months of program completion, three-in-four COOP alumni are fully employed. Learn more about COOP Careers’ here: Our Workplace COOP is an alumni-led organization where we bring our authentic selves to work every day. Over 60% of our staff members have been program participants which translates into a workplace that is mission-driven with deep connections to our community. Rooted in the core values that comprise our three pillars of Head, Heart, and Hustle, we approach our work with empathy, curiosity, and a shared sense of purpose. Our teams span across NYC, Bay Area, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami. We come together virtually each month to create space for collective learning and professional development, and regionally in-person each month to build connections. We approach our shared mission of overcoming underemployment with resourcefulness and optimism while bringing fun to the challenge. What You Will Do The Program Manager, Career Development plays a critical role in supporting COOP’s mission to close the social capital gap for underemployed first-generation or low-income (FGLI) college graduates. This individual will oversee the career development and employment attainment journey for a portfolio of COOP fellows and alumni, ensuring participants receive meaningful guidance from training through job attainment. The Program Manager will facilitate career readiness workshops, provide career support, and build strong, authentic relationships with fellows and alumni to foster an engaged and supportive community. Serving as a key liaison between alumni, employer partners, and internal program staff, the Program Manager will coordinate and execute alumni programming, guide Captains (alumni of COOP’s program serving as near-peer coaches), and support the delivery of impactful career development programming for fellows and new alumni that leads to strong employment outcomes. The ideal candidate is an organized and compassionate coach, a strategic thinker, an effective group facilitator and a proactive collaborator who thrives in a dynamic, mission-driven environment. Responsibilities Fellow Career Development & Alumni Outcomes (40%) • Provide strategic direct support (group and/or individual) to fellows and new alumni, assisting with job applications, interview preparations, and addressing career-related concerns with the goal of enabling fellows and new alumni getting their first quality job., • Facilitate career readiness (“hustle”) workshops throughout all phases of the program (Phases 1, 2, and 3)., • Manage the review process for fellow resumes, cover letters, and LinkedIn profiles, ensuring fellows meet established career readiness criteria by the end of Phase 1 of the program and new alumni have tools for successful job obtainment., • Collaborate with Partnerships Manager to identify and match appropriate candidates with curated employer opportunities., • Partner with a “core team” composed of HQ staff and Captains to deliver programming for an assigned portfolio of cohorts from training through job attainment with specific focus on career development for fellows and new alumni., • Build and maintain authentic relationships with COOP fellows and alumni to foster a vibrant and engaged peer community., • Maintain virtual and in-person presence for Phase 2 (Weeks 17-24) and Phase 3 (Weeks 25-52) of the program, supporting logistics of both virtual and on-site programming and building community among fellows, alumni, and guests., • Attend Phase 1 programmatic workshops, and employer and community events, as relevant, to provide continued presence and support of “core team” cohorts across all phases., • Ensure accurate tracking of program data via internal systems (Salesforce/Prentus) and oversee the timely distribution of alumni employment surveys, following up to achieve target completion rates and employment data accuracy., • Monitor data to identify and implement interventions to meet retention, career readiness, and employment outcome targets., • Generate detailed reports on alumni employment progress, challenges faced to employment progress, and overall alumni engagement levels., • Manage a portfolio of Captains assigned to the Core Team during Phases 2 & 3, providing guidance, mentorship, and resources to ensure effective curriculum facilitation and support for assigned fellows and alumni., • Conduct regular check-ins, addressing Captains' questions and needs regarding training materials and schedules., • Observe and provide feedback on Captains' program delivery and facilitate workshops as needed., • Act as a mediator and connector between Captains and fellows, resolving conflicts and implementing intervention when needed., • Review Captains' timesheets to ensure adherence to prescribed monthly parameters and compliance with organizational policies., • Contribute to regional or national initiatives as needed., • Provide input to strengthen program operations, program design, and evaluation.Who We Need, • 2-3 years of experience in career development, workforce programming, coaching, or a related field supporting college students or early-career professionals., • Strong facilitation and coaching skills, particularly around career readiness topics like resume development, interviewing, and job search strategy., • Proven ability to build trusting, supportive relationships with young professionals from historically underrepresented backgrounds., • Effective project and people management skills, including experience coordinating program logistics and supporting peer leaders or volunteers., • Comfortable with data collection and systems for tracking outcomes and informing program improvements (e.g., Salesforce, Prentus, or similar tools)., • Proficiency with Google Workspace and the ability to learn new tech platforms quickly, • Willingness to work non-traditional hours (virtual or in-person) and periodically onsite (in-person) as needed to support program operations and events., • Deep commitment to equity, inclusion, and COOP’s mission to close the social capital gap., • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience required. Who You Are, • Workload Management - Breaks down a task/project into steps and executes them effectively and on time, adjusting course as needed, • Initiative & Results-Driven - Creates action plans to drive decisions that deliver results and enhance intended impact, accounting for internal and external factors that might affect desired results and adjusting course as needed, • Collaboration - Views work with a collective mindset; supports others in understanding how we achieve our shared purpose with mutual accountability and shared ownership to achieve our goals, • Data Mindset - Understands and analyzes data; uses data to identify insights and implications to make data-driven decisions and inform operations/strategyWhat We Offer You COOP Careers believes it is mission-critical to hire, retain, and motivate highly-qualified, passionate, dedicated professionals and is committed to providing a fair and comprehensive compensation package, which includes: • Base Annual Salary: $60,000 - $65,000 (commensurate with experience), • A generous and flexible vacation policy, including holidays and office closures for Wellness Weeks the last week of December and first week of July, • 100% employer-funded comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for you (80% employer-funded coverage for dependents), • Flexible spending account benefits (healthcare, dependent care, and commuter) Currently, all COOP team members are working remotely and attending a once-a-month in-person coworking and team-building day at our co-located space in lower Manhattan (Civic Hall, 124 E 14th St, New York, NY 10003) for NYC team members and in San Francisco, CA 94111) for Bay Area team members or a mutually convenient coworking location for our Los Angeles, Chicago andd Miami team members Residency Policy All employees must reside within commuting distance (approximately two hours) of a COOP Program site located in the following cities: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Bay Area, and within the states of CA, CT, FL, IL, IN, NJ or NY.Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion COOP provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. We seek to build a diverse staff representative of the communities we serve. All qualified applicants are strongly encouraged to apply. Powered by JazzHR OQvYfUh3Zq