Program Support Specialist 

National, Remote 

Part-Time

Reports to: Coordinator/Manager, Communications & Operations

Merit America Overview

Merit America is a national nonprofit that has been named by the New York Times as “a glimpse of the hybrid future of training programs for the disadvantaged.” Our fast and flexible programs are designed to work for underemployed and unemployed adults who can learn while they balance work and personal obligations. We combine on-demand online learning with coaching and peer support (delivered in-person or virtually) to create an effective, scalable model.  Our goal is to build the most impactful, large-scale education-to-employment program in the country, and​ we have the ambitious goal of reaching ​10,000 learners annually and driving $1B in aggregate wage gains by 2024.

Today’s challenge is about more than getting Americans back to work: it is about creating pathways to higher-paying, more resilient careers in order to build a more equitable future.

Role Overview

Program Support Specialists (PSS) provide as-needed coverage for full-time Program Success Managers or Job Success Specialists. Program Support Specialist tasks can run the gamut across the entire end-to-end program experience.  This includes providing career coaching, facilitating professional skill development workshops, leading cohort-wide and small group programming, sourcing jobs for learners, reviewing resumes, and providing 1:1 interview prep, to name a few.   Please note that hours may vary week to week in this role due to fluctuating coverage needs; it is an ideal fit for those seeking flexible remote work to make a meaningful direct impact on the lives of underserved members of our country and to help build a fast-growing nonprofit startup. 

Key Responsibilities:

As program needs vary week to week, the Program Support Specialist will shift focus based on cohort and Pod needs. The responsibilities of the Program Support Specialist will include, but are not limited to, the following:

 Learner Coaching: 

• Meet with assigned learners to provide personalized support: understand their post-program job and career goals, stay on track in their learning program and graduate job-ready
• Review learner assignments (resume, cover letter, Linked In profile) and provide coaching and feedback
• Facilitate peer learning through small groups (squads) to develop and hone professional skills aligned to the field 
• Monitor learners’ progress in online courses through an online portal and proactively reaching out to offer support when learners are struggling
• Maintain wide knowledge of community resources available to learners and refer learners to appropriate resources

Job Search Support:

• Source, share and promote quality entry-level jobs across IT Support, Java Development, and Data Analytics fields  
• Identify and share job seeker support resources and tools including sourcing local and national events that help job seekers enhance their skills, networks, and job prospects 
• Manage cross-functional requests and organize systems to keep track of job-seekers in various interview processes and stages

Program Management:

• Build a positive and supportive cohort culture through communications via Slack, e-mail, and live interactions, cultivating learners' social capital building   
• Continually improve the program and learner experience by documenting insights and observations

Skills & Competencies

At Merit America, we believe that if you can excel in the job, you should get the job - so we hire for skills, instead of specific experience or education requirements. Below are the skills that are relevant for thriving in this role:

Required

• Strong knowledge of professional skills such as resume & cover letter writing, interviewing, communicating professionally, etc., including interest and previous experience with career coaching, tutoring, education, counseling, youth development, non-profits, or other mission-driven work
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• A growth mindset
• Able to provide personalized support to meet individual learner needs
• Desire to work directly with underserved populations; outstanding ability to understand and empathize with people of diverse backgrounds
• Able to step up and run autonomously in ambiguous, quickly changing environments
• Exceptional operational and organizational skills, and the ability to manage your own schedule and balance multiple demands

Preferred

• Experience with Salesforce or other CRM platforms
• Proficient with Google workspace (Google sheets, docs, etc)
• Commitment to lifelong learning and ongoing personal and professional development
• Able to work collectively and independently while delivering pertinent feedback to colleagues and direct manager
• Prior experience in workforce development, edTech, or equivalent training programs
• Able to communicate effectively with peers and direct manager to improve processes and procedures.

Role Logistics

• Timing: Part-time, assignment (avg 29 hours/week)
• Compensation: $30/hr
• Location: Our model is designed to be flexible to accommodate the needs of program participants who are working adults. Candidates should be comfortable working remotely within the US.
• Schedule: Program Support Specialists maintain as-needed, flexible schedules to provide as-needed coverage for our coaching team that include some time during the traditional workday and possibly a few evenings to accommodate learner schedules. 

Building an inclusive, high-performing team that is diverse across lines of personal identity is integral to our success and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

This means we do not discriminate against any job applicant or employee because of their race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This applies to all terms and conditions of employment.

We actively strive and evolve to develop and maintain workspaces that are fully inclusive. We encourage candidates from underrepresented groups to apply.

Authorization to work in the United States is a precondition of employment. Merit America does not sponsor employment visas.