Mentoring Specialist (Los Angeles, CA)

Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles
Position: Mentoring Specialist
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Job Status: Full-time
Salary: $25.00 0 $27.00 per hour

Agency Overview

Join a forward-thinking organization that has been proven to make a positive impact on children’s lives. Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles (JBBBSLA), celebrating over 100 years of service in the greater Los Angeles area, is seeking a dynamic individual to join our innovative and collaborative team. JBBBSLA provides mentoring services, teen empowerment programs, college support, and year-round camp experiences at Camp Bob Waldorf. JBBBSLA is proud to have achieved a 4-star rating by Charity Navigator, their highest level of distinction. Our mission is to assist children in achieving their full potential through innovative, impactful programs.

Job Summary

The Mentoring Specialist role combines the enrollment, matching, and match support functions, providing employees with diversity in the role and a high level of team collaboration and support. The Mentoring Specialist will provide individual and group orientations, conduct and document interviews with families and volunteers, coordinate background/screening requirements, develop integrated, written assessments, make professional recommendations regarding approval and match selection, and ensure a smooth transition to the match stage, engaging with all constituents and processes through the lens of youth protection. In the match support role, they will facilitate in-person match introductions to ensure all parties are prepared and to oversee a comfortable, effective match launch. Through regular communication with Littles, Bigs, and parents/guardians, the Mentoring Specialist will ensure child safety, promote positive impacts for youth, foster constructive and satisfying relationships between children and volunteers, and cultivate for all constituents a strong sense of affiliation with the agency. All processes and communication are documented in our workflow/database and executed with outstanding customer service.

Job Functions and Responsibilities

Distribution of responsibilities among the areas below varies, depending upon the department’s needs.

Enrollment

  1. Respond to inquiries for the YM department, determining how each individual or family wishes to become involved, and offering immediate next steps.
  2. Conduct individual orientations and/or group Info Sessions to prospective volunteers and families, ensuring their understanding of our program and services.
  3. Coordinate background/screening elements for volunteers (criminal background checks, fingerprints, references and other screening updates).
  4. Collaborate with enrollment team for a smooth transition to the interview stage.
  5. Conduct interviews with children, parents/guardians and volunteer prospects, evaluating for eligibility, suitability, coachability, and readiness to partner effectively.
  6. Present child safety information to PGs and youth and make a professional determination regarding children’s ability to understand safety concepts.
  7. Utilize Matchforce dashboards/workflows to thoroughly monitor, advance and document participants’ progress, keeping enrollment processing time to a minimum.
  8. Prepare comprehensive written assessments and recommendations based on interviews and all information gathered.
  9. Provide external referrals and resources to those whose needs we can’t meet.
  10. Outreach to pool of waiting Bigs and Littles at appropriate intervals to provide reassurance and solicit updates.
  11. Reengage constituents at appropriate intervals following enrollment closures and conduct reenrollments accordingly.
  12. Provide enrollment data/reports as requested.

Matching

  1. Propose safe and appropriate match relationships based on pools of volunteers and children, with priority attention to those waiting the longest.
  2. Maintain familiarity and regular contact with waiting constituents in order to participate fully in Roundup meetings, prioritize Bigs and Littles appropriately and propose strong, viable matches.
  3. Process pending matches efficiently, following up with all parties promptly, providing feedback within reasonable timeframes and maintaining a healthy momentum toward the Match Introduction Meeting (MIM).
  4. Read constituents’ enrollment materials in advance of MIM to ensure all salient issues are addressed and the volunteer is adequately informed and prepared for any unique needs a Little may have.
  5. Conduct Pre-Match Meetings and/or Match Introduction Meetings for pending matches.
  6. Ensure a smooth transition of constituents to the match stage.

Match Support

  1. Conduct Match Support contacts with volunteers, children and parents/guardians, covering all Service Delivery areas in compliance with Standards of Practice
  2. Document comprehensive written summaries of all match support contacts in database.
  3. Address potential problems and barriers promptly, toward resolution whenever possible.
  4. Promote agency engagement at various levels for all constituents when appropriate, e.g., youth participation in other programs, Bigs’ involvement as committee members, donors, board members or other volunteer capacities.
  5. Facilitate development of Youth Outcome Development Plans for each match.
  6. Utilize validated surveys to determine health and progression of the match relationship and to determine child’s growth in the program, providing additional support/intervention as needed based on survey data.
  7. Support and coach matches as needed to help avoid unnecessary or premature closures
  8. Encourage healthy closure processes for all involved and ensure all efforts are made to mitigate any negative impact on child due to closure.
  9. Assess reasons for match closure and re-match/re-engagement potential; conduct re-assessments accordingly.

Skills and Qualifications:

We are seeking a candidate with a strong belief in the Mission and Vision of JBBBSLA, as well as the following:

  • Bachelor’s degree (preference for fields related to social work, psychology, human development, communications).
  • 1-2 years of experience working with children/youth in social services, or in a customer service environment with a working understanding of child development and family dynamics.
  • Relationship management experience with youth and/or adult populations.
  • Experience in public speaking (presenting, facilitating, training and/or recruiting) with adults.
  • Highly collaborative workstyle with outstanding interpersonal and communication skills (oral/written).
  • Able to develop rapport with individuals and groups from diverse sectors and cultural competency.
  • Able to work effectively and sensitively with confidential information.
  • Able to work successfully both in a team and independently.
  • Well-developed active listening skills with high-level customer service in all areas of responsibility.
  • Strong interpersonal insight with ability to document observations and impressions with objectivity and professionalism.
  • Outside-the-box thinker; strong initiative and ability to leverage opportunities for multiple purposes.
  • Strong initiative and solid networking skills with ability to recognize and cultivate the potential for connections/collaboration.
  • Good judgment, able to make sound decisions and problem-solve effectively.
  • Solid organizational skills, comfortable multi-tasking and able to shift priorities quickly when needed.
  • Strong commitment to quality and results with good attention to detail.
  • High-level computer skills: proficiency in Microsoft Office, internet-based and database applications (Salesforce experience a plus).
  • Reliable transportation, valid driver’s license, state-required auto insurance minimums and willingness to travel as necessitated by job responsibilities.
  • Able and willing to work flexible hours (evenings and/or weekends as needed).

Benefits Package

JBBBSLA offers a compensation package that includes a competitive salary range ($25-$28/hour) commensurate with experience. We offer a hybrid-remote schedule, with shortened hours every Friday. Generous paid vacation and sick leave plus four additional personal days, paid federal and Jewish holidays (avg. 13-19 paid holidays per year). Employer-paid benefits include 5% 403b retirement plan (after one year), paid vision and dental insurance, paid life insurance (after one year), and paid long-term disability insurance (after 60 days). Other benefits include a generous portion of employee’s medical premium paid, voluntary 403b retirement plan, voluntary Flexible Spending Account (FSA) / Health Savings Account (HAS), Pet Insurance discounts, and opportunities for learning and professional development.

Perhaps most importantly, you’ll get to work with a fantastic team of people who truly care about the work that we do, in a position that has much potential for growth.

  • 401(k)
  • 401(k) matching
  • Dental insurance
  • Flexible schedule
  • Health insurance
  • Health savings account
  • Life insurance
  • Mileage reimbursement
  • Paid time off
  • Parental leave
  • Professional development assistance
  • Retirement plan
  • Vision insurance