About the Role
The Career Coach is responsible for providing direct support, guidance, and supervision to youth participating in PAL’s Youth Employment programs. This role facilitates workforce development, career readiness, educational, leadership, and enrichment activities designed to help adolescents develop the skills, knowledge, and confidence needed to succeed in the workplace and pursue their educational and career goals.
Responsibilities
- Plan and implement Youth Employment programming at assigned PAL Centers and/or within an assigned borough, including career readiness, job readiness, educational, leadership, and enrichment activities.
- Provide direct service to participants through outreach, instruction, mentoring, coaching, and individualized guidance.
- Support the recruitment, orientation, registration, and onboarding of participants to ensure programs maintain appropriate enrollment levels.
- Facilitate workshops and activities that strengthen participants’ workplace readiness, including communication, professionalism, goal setting, interviewing, resume development, workplace expectations, and other career-related skills.
- Monitor and evaluate participant engagement, performance, progress, and achievement using Youth Employment Department tools and established program practices.
- Maintain accurate, complete, and organized participant records, including attendance, weekly schedules, student folders, case notes, progress reports, and other required documentation.
- Collect, enter, and maintain program and participant data in accordance with funding requirements, contractual obligations, and PAL’s internal systems and procedures.
- Identify opportunities to strengthen programming and participant outcomes and make recommendations to improve program effectiveness and engagement.
- Maintain consistent and professional communication with participants, families, PAL staff, community partners, schools, employers, and other relevant stakeholders.
- Work collaboratively with Youth Employment staff and other PAL departments to implement programs, initiatives, events, and organizational priorities.
- Participate in required staff meetings, professional development, training sessions, and program improvement activities.
- Remain current on workforce development practices, youth employment trends, career readiness strategies, and resources that support adolescent and young adult career development.
- Participate in program trips, special events, workshops, and other activities, including local and occasional out-of-state travel with participants.
- Help maintain a safe, clean, organized, comfortable, and welcoming environment for participants, staff, families, and visitors.
- Perform other related duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Director of Youth Employment or other PAL leadership.
Requirements
- Associate degree required.
- Bachelor’s degree in Education, Social Work, Human Services, Psychology, Workforce Development, Youth Development, or a related field is preferred.
- Experience working with adolescents or young adults in a youth development, education, workforce development, community-based, or similar setting preferred.
- Experience facilitating workshops, trainings, or educational activities preferred.
- Experience with youth employment or workforce development programs preferred.
- Demonstrated ability to engage, motivate, and build positive relationships with adolescents.
- Strong understanding of youth development and/or workforce development principles.
- Strong communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills.
- Experience facilitating workshops or group activities; lesson planning experience is a plus.
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
- Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate participant records and documentation.
- Basic computer skills, including data entry and use of Microsoft Office or similar productivity tools.
- Ability to learn and effectively use program databases, case management systems, and other technology platforms.
- Strong critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
- Ability to work independently while also contributing effectively as part of a team.
- Self-motivated, dependable, flexible, and able to work effectively in a fast-paced environment.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive participant information appropriately.
- Commitment to providing high-quality educational, career development, and enrichment experiences to youth.
- Willingness and ability to travel throughout the five boroughs and occasionally out of state with participants.
- Ability to work a flexible schedule, including occasional evenings, weekends, and special events.
- Employment with PAL is contingent upon successful completion of all the Agency’s lawful pre-employment checks, which may include a background check.
Skills
- Communication
- Critical thinking
- Documentation
- Relationship-building
- Workforce development
- Career readiness
- Educational activities
- Leadership
- Enrichment activities
- Mentoring
- Coaching
- Workshop facilitation
- Lesson planning
- Organizational skills
- Attention to detail
- Basic computer skills
- Data entry
- Microsoft Office
- Program databases
- Case management systems
- Problem-solving
- Decision-making
- Team collaboration
- Flexibility
- Confidentiality
Location
- Jamaica, NY 11434
Work Type
- Part Time
- Flexible schedule
- Occasional evenings
- Occasional weekends
- Local travel
- Out-of-state trips
Experience Level
- Experience working with adolescents or young adults in a youth development, education, workforce development, community-based, or similar setting preferred.
- Experience facilitating workshops, trainings, or educational activities preferred.
- Experience with youth employment or workforce development programs preferred.
Education Level
- Associate degree required.
- Bachelor’s degree in Education, Social Work, Human Services, Psychology, Workforce Development, Youth Development, or a related field is preferred.
Salary/Compensations
- $25.00 - $25.00 Hourly
About the Company
- The Police Athletic League (or PAL) is New York City’s largest independent youth development organization. We operate diverse programs from Head Start, Day Car and Universal Pre-K programs; to elementary and middle school after-school programs, summer day camps and summer Playstreets. We run evening teen centers and college readiness programs, as well as youth employment and juvenile justice programs. In its over a century of service, PAL is continuing its evolution and remains a vibrant and vital New York City institution.
Equal Opportunity
- At the Police Athletic League, we seek people who are talented, creative and passionate to help create a more inclusive city and better futures for our youth. We’re devoted to empowering communities and building the best places to work, and that goes for our own teams too. The Police Athletic League is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected characteristic including, but not limited to, an individual’s sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.
