We’re Hiring: Volunteer & Partnerships Manager

Job Location

Chicago

Position Status

Full time

Start Date

Immediately

About Code Nation

Code Nation is a community of teenagers, technologists, teachers, business leaders, and other champions. A movement spanning cities, cultures, and industries, our community builds bridges across social and economic divides and unites people with the power to change each others’ lives.

Code Nation equips students with the skills, experiences, and connections that together create access to careers in technology. With a volunteer teaching cohort of over 300 professional web and software developers and a network of school and company partners, we provide coding courses and work-based learning programs to students who attend under-resourced high schools. Our industry-aligned curriculum and vast network of supporters provide students with the tech skills and social capital they need to break into the tech workforce.

Since Code Nation’s founding in 2012, we’ve reached 7,485 students in 97 schools and have partnered with 145 companies across 3 regions, San Francisco Bay Area, Chicago, and New York City. We have worked with 1,445 individuals in the tech field to provide in-person and remote learning support to drive Code Nation’s mission.

Code Nation is committed to being an inclusive, pro-Black, and anti-racist organization. Ideal candidates are committed to educational and tech equity and working against institutional inequities. We believe that anyone can learn to code, and everyone should have access to careers in the thriving tech workforce.

The Role

Code Nation Chicago is seeking a Volunteer & Partnerships Manager to expand and support the community of volunteers who serve as teachers and mentors in our programs and deepen partnerships with tech companies who support our work. Reporting to the Associate Director of Partnerships and Communications, this manager will implement the region’s volunteer community efforts including external recruitment, onboarding, placement, and ongoing community-building. In the 2023-2024 school year, this community will include over 100 professional technologists who volunteer up to 2x weekly in schools across the city. This manager will also provide critical tactical support to a variety of student experiences that engage company employees, such as field trips and the Code Nation Fellowship Program.

This is a new role on a small, fast-paced, entrepreneurial team, and ideal candidates will be versatile and excited to be the wearer of many hats. Ideal candidates will have prior experience and success recruiting deeply committed, mission-aligned volunteers and leading community-building efforts to ensure those volunteers have a great experience. You’ll be a great fit for this role if you are enthusiastic about taking on new projects, teaching yourself new skills, and embracing challenges with creativity and resourcefulness. You also enjoy working with both internal and external stakeholders, collaborating across a variety of working styles, and can effectively tailor your communication style to address a wide variety of audiences.

The majority of Code Nation programs in Chicago are taking place in-person at high schools and company partner offices throughout the city. As such, all Chicago staff must be based in Chicago with the ability to regularly travel to schools and company partner offices. When not required for an in-person engagement, staff have the flexibility to work remotely or come into the office, located at 200 S. Wacker Drive. There are a few times each month when staff are required to be in the office together for team meetings.

The starting salary for this position is $64,000.

Responsibilities

The primary responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

Volunteer Recruitment, Intake, Onboarding, & Placement

  • Work closely with the Associate Director of Partnerships and Communications to implement a regional strategy to meet annual volunteer recruitment goals, with an emphasis on the recruitment of technologists from under-represented backgrounds in tech, ensuring all programs have the volunteers they need to effectively deliver programs and support students
  • Facilitate effective pitches to corporate partners, delivering a compelling articulation of Code Nation’s mission, values, and volunteer opportunities to recruit new volunteers
  • Identify and establish partnerships with local tech meet-up communities (virtual and in-person) and coordinate regular Code Nation engagement to recruit new volunteers
  • Process new volunteer applications, conduct phone screenings, and ensure completion of onboarding materials for all new volunteers
  • Coordinate the placement of volunteers into program opportunities that align with their interests and our needs, filling all program openings as they arise in a timely manner

Volunteer Community Building

  • Develop and implement a year-long volunteer community building strategy that drives volunteer engagement, recognition, and appreciation, leading to deepened commitment of volunteers as champions who open doors to more volunteers and company opportunities
  • Coordinate in-person events that bring our volunteer community together, including meet-ups, a holiday party, and end-of-year celebration
  • Provide resources to support Program Managers with engagement and appreciation activities for the volunteers in their specific programs
  • Manage volunteer communication through Slack and Mailchimp newsletters to create a sense of community, share programmatic updates, and foster collaboration & connectedness among volunteers across the region

Volunteer Data Management

  • Manage the region’s volunteer database; maintaining accurate records in Salesforce and Google Sheets related to volunteer applications, background information, and programmatic engagement
  • Monitor volunteer feedback via mid-year and end-of-year surveys to inform volunteer initiatives and events

Corporate Partner Engagement

  • Work closely with the Associate Director of Partnerships and Communications and the Chicago Programs Team to identify programmatic partnership needs and with corporate partners to identify employee engagement opportunities to meet those needs
  • Provide tactical support for all student experiences at corporate partners that involve employee volunteering, collaborating closely with Program Managers to ensure a positive experience for all stakeholders
  • Deliver excellent customer service to partner companies by addressing challenges and responding to inquiries with timely communication

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Across all of your work at Code Nation, strive to:

  • Proactively build and sustain robust, authentic, productive working relationships with colleagues across race and other group identities, including Code Nation staff and external partners
  • Communicate clearly and directly with colleagues, working to match intent and impact in interactions, and be proactive to resolve conflicts and misunderstandings, especially across lines of difference
  • Give both positive and developmental feedback to colleagues to support learning, excellence, and personal growth
  • Demonstrate awareness of multiple group identities and their attendant dynamics
SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

Success in this position will require, but not be limited to, the following proven experiences and competencies:

What you’ve accomplished (required):

  • 2+ years of professional experience, including volunteer recruitment and community building experience

Skills you have developed and knowledge you have acquired:

  • Ability to build and manage strong relationships across multiple stakeholder groups
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills with an ability to effectively tailor your communication style to address a wide variety of audiences
  • Strong organizational skills and exceptional attention to detail
  • Demonstrated success managing multiple projects at once
  • Collaboration across a variety of working styles
  • Comfort with public speaking
  • Proficiency with Google Suite
  • Proficiency with Salesforce or similar CRM software

How you work and what you value:

  • Deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
  • A passion and interest in tech education, access, and equity
  • Thrives in a collaborative working environment
  • Self-motivated, flexible, and entrepreneurial
  • Comfort with ambiguity while finding the responsibility of driving towards clarity energizing
  • Bring a high level of self-awareness and empathy to work and interpersonal interactions
  • Ability to travel throughout Chicago and to work extended hours, including weekends, on occasion
  • Must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, and, if hired, present proof of vaccination by start date

We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every requirement for the position. Studies have shown that women and BIPOC individuals are less likely to apply to jobs if they don’t meet every listed requirement. At Code Nation, we’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, and encourage you to apply if you’re excited about the role, even if your previous experience doesn’t align perfectly with the qualifications and requirements listed here.

Code Nation is committed to being an inclusive, pro-Black, and anti-racist organization; ideal candidates are committed to educational and tech equity and working against institutional inequities.

What You Can Expect

Code Nation has a collaborative culture characterized by our desire to provide our staff members with the support, resources, and information they need to be successful in our organization and in the nonprofit field in general. If you take on this position, you can expect to be offered a compensation package that is competitive within the nonprofit sector. Some of the benefits we offer include, but are not limited to:

  • Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance and a Flex spending account for out of pocket medical expenses
  • Generous Time Off Policy-15 days of paid time off, 4 days of flexible time off, & 23 paid holidays/office closures
  • 401K Retirement Plan
  • Professional Development Fund
  • Employee Wellness Fund
  • Work From Home Supplies Budget

Code Nation employees must be up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccines, and, if hired, present proof of vaccination by their start date.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, please email your resume to apply@codenation.org with “Chicago Volunteer & Partnerships Manager” in the subject line. Priority will be given to applications received by Monday, August 31, 2023. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis after this date.

Along with your resume, please submit a cover letter responding to this prompt:

Code Nation’s mission is to ​“equip students in under-resourced high schools with the skills, experiences, and connections that together create access to careers in technology.”

  1. In what ways does this mission resonate with you?
  2. If Code Nation is successful in its mission, what do you think that will mean for the students in our program?
    • What will it mean for the tech industry?
    • How could increased diversity in tech impact the world?

Code Nation strives to build a staff and board that reflect the cultural diversity of the communities and neighborhoods we serve. Code Nation is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, disability, age, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin. BIPOC individuals are encouraged to apply.

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