Senior Manager, In-School Opportunities
Position Overview
Baltimore’s Promise seeks a Senior Manager, In-School Opportunities. The Senior Manager, In-School Opportunities leads the day-to-day implementation, continuous improvement, and expansion of In-School Youth Apprenticeships and industry-recognized credential (IRC) opportunities, and co-leads the integration of Youth Well-Being strategies across CareerBound. The position is responsible for program design and implementation within approved strategy, coordination of work across staff and contracted support, management of vendors and contracts for IRC providers, apprenticeship training vendors, and employers, and oversight of spending within approved budget lines, with reallocations subject to the approval of the Senior Director, CareerBound.
CareerBound is a multi-million-dollar initiative led in partnership with Baltimore City Public Schools (City Schools) and the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development (MOED). The initiative encompasses a coordinated portfolio of in-school and out-of-school opportunities, primarily for City Schools students and graduates, including In-School Youth Apprenticeships, Grads2Careers, Stackable Credentials, Academic Acceleration and IRCs, Social Sector Pathways, and Youth Well-Being.
This role works closely with the CareerBound team to ensure a coordinated approach across initiatives and partners. In collaboration with the Senior Manager, Employer Engagement, who leads employer recruitment and relationship management, this position oversees the technical and programmatic design and implementation of apprenticeship and work-based learning opportunities, including occupations, credentialing, competency frameworks, Registered Apprenticeship requirements and compliance, and overall program quality.
Contribution to the 42K Goal
Baltimore’s Promise’s North Star is 42K—supporting 42,000 Baltimore City youth on a path to economic mobility by 2030, as part of StriveTogether’s national goal of 4 million youth by 2030. CareerBound is a primary delivery vehicle for that goal, and this role is central to its implementation. In-School Youth Apprenticeships and summer IRCs create structured, credentialed pathways that connect young people to postsecondary pathways and family-sustaining careers, while the integration of Youth Well-Being strategies helps ensure young people have the resources and support needed to persist and succeed. Increased apprenticeship participation, placements, and summer IRC attainment represent direct progress toward 42K, while identifying and addressing well-being needs strengthens young people’s ability to remain engaged in and successfully complete those pathways.
Duties and Responsibilities
Partnership and Project Management of Demonstration Models
Provide implementation leadership for CareerBound's in-school portfolio; share responsibility for integrating Youth Well-Being strategies across CareerBound in collaboration with the Senior Manager, Out-of-School Opportunities and the Director of Youth Well-Being & Intergenerational Leadership; and contribute to CareerBound expansion planning and cross-cutting initiatives led by the Senior Director, CareerBound.
Lead the day-to-day implementation and continuous improvement of In-School Youth Apprenticeships, including occupations, competency frameworks, Registered Apprenticeship requirements and compliance, sponsor responsibilities, and work-based learning design. Partner with the Senior Manager, Employer Engagement on employer engagement, with that role leading employer recruitment, onboarding, stewardship, and convening.
Build and maintain implementation partnerships with City Schools, MOED, higher education institutions, training and credential providers, community-based organizations, and other partners to ensure aligned implementation and high-quality pathway experiences.
Manage procurement, vendor relationships, and contract administration for IRC providers, apprenticeship training vendors, apprenticeship employers, and other CareerBound-specific contracts within this role's scope, including developing RFPs/RFQs, coordinating contract development and review, monitoring deliverables, and coordinating agreements through review and execution by the CEO, in accordance with approved budgets and organizational procurement policies.
Coordinate work across CareerBound staff, contracted support, and implementation partners supporting In-School Youth Apprenticeships, IRCs, and Youth Well-Being integration, ensuring work plans are developed and updated in partnership with relevant staff and supervisors. May assume supervisory responsibilities as the team grows.
Serve as the primary staff lead for apprenticeship implementation meetings, relevant governance bodies, and cross-sector working groups, including developing agendas, facilitating discussions, documenting decisions, and tracking follow-up and progress toward shared milestones.
Lead coordination and delivery of mandatory trainings for training providers and employer partners in this portfolio, including onboarding, compliance, and quality-standards trainings, in partnership with the Senior Manager, Out-of-School Opportunities and the Senior Manager, Employer Engagement.
Coordinate student recruitment, matching, onboarding, pathway participation, and transitions into employment with City Schools, employers, training providers, and other partners; monitor implementation data, in partnership with the CareerBound Actionable Data Lead, and recommend improvements to outcomes, participant experience, and program quality.
Engage young people and community members in co-designing solutions to systemic challenges, and represent CareerBound at partner meetings, site visits, and community events, elevating challenges and recommended solutions to the Senior Director, CareerBound.
In-School Youth Apprenticeships, IRCs, & Youth Well-Being
Lead the implementation and continuous improvement of summer and school-year IRC opportunities, coordinating with MOED, City Schools, and training providers to ensure quality, access, and continuity across career-connected learning experiences.
Collaborate with the Senior Manager, Out-of-School Opportunities to align credential sequences across In-School Youth Apprenticeships, IRC opportunities, Grads2Careers, Stackable Credentials, and Social Sector Pathways, ensuring young people can build on previously earned credentials and progress toward additional education and employment opportunities.
Lead the implementation and continuous improvement of Academic Acceleration opportunities that prepare students for career-connected learning, including coordination with City Schools, training providers, and other partners to align academic preparation, credential attainment, and readiness for In-School Youth Apprenticeships and related pathways.
Co-lead the implementation and integration of Youth Well-Being strategies across CareerBound, in partnership with the Senior Manager, Out-of-School Opportunities and the Director of Youth Well-Being & Intergenerational Leadership, who leads Baltimore's Promise's broader Youth Well-Being strategy and standards. The Senior Director, CareerBound provides oversight and resolves decisions related to integration across CareerBound initiatives.
Coordinate Youth Well-Being supports and referrals for In-School Youth Apprenticeship and IRC participants, including vendor coordination, service coverage, and collection of related data (e.g., participant needs and referrals), in collaboration with the Senior Manager, Out-of-School Opportunities when supports span multiple CareerBound initiatives. Contract administration for vendors serving multiple CareerBound initiatives will be assigned by the Senior Director, CareerBound.
Coordinate with the Senior Manager, Out-of-School Opportunities to ensure Youth Well-Being supports, recommendations, and activities are aligned across CareerBound and remain consistent as young people move between in-school and out-of-school pathways.
Collaborate with the Director of Youth Well-Being & Intergenerational Leadership and Forever 15 Fund Coordinator to connect young people to additional resources and supports. Facilitate referrals to the Forever 15 Fund for young people whose needs extend beyond the resources available through their current programming.
Strategic Initiatives and Cross-Functional Leadership
Lead or support special projects, demonstration models, and grant proposals and reports that advance CareerBound’s goals as organizational priorities and funding opportunities evolve.
Partner closely with the Senior Director, CareerBound; Senior Manager, Out-of-School Opportunities; Senior Manager, Employer Engagement; and other Baltimore’s Promise staff to ensure CareerBound operates as one coordinated system.
Apply lessons learned across CareerBound models (e.g., credentialing timelines, employer wage-share progression, youth-informed supervision and feedback loops) to strengthen program design in this portfolio.
Document implementation progress, lessons learned, and promising practices, and represent Baltimore’s Promise and CareerBound on local, regional, and national committees and learning communities as assigned.
Resource Management and Development
In partnership with the Senior Director, CareerBound, manage spending within approved budget lines for In-School Youth Apprenticeships, IRCs, and Youth Well-Being supports for these participants, including monitoring expenditures, identifying unforeseen costs, tracking employer cost-share commitments, and recommending reallocations for approval by the Senior Director, CareerBound.
Monitor the submission of required reports, invoices, reimbursements, and partner deliverables, following up with providers and partners to ensure timely submission; coordinate with the CareerBound Actionable Data Lead to support accurate reporting of program outcomes; and support grant proposals, reports, and materials for quarterly funder and partner meetings.
Thought Partner, Advocate, and Issue Area Expertise
Serve as a subject-matter resource on youth apprenticeships, industry-recognized credentials, work-based learning, and career pathways, staying current on relevant research, best practices, and federal, state, and local policy developments, including the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future and evolving CTE and Registered Apprenticeship requirements.
Participate in local and regional collaboratives focused on improving postsecondary and economic mobility outcomes for Baltimore's young people, particularly BIPOC youth and young parents, and bring relevant lessons and opportunities back to CareerBound and Baltimore's Promise.
Contribute to the development of related Baltimore’s Promise strategies and initiatives and share CareerBound’s lessons learned, promising practices, and systems-change approaches with internal and external partners.
Perform other duties as assigned in support of Baltimore’s Promise’s mission and organizational priorities.
Requirements
Five or more years of overall work experience, with a minimum of three years in workforce development, youth development, and/or career-connected learning; experience with Registered Apprenticeship, youth apprenticeship or work-based learning models strongly preferred.
Knowledge of relevant workforce development, education, CTE, work-based learning, and apprenticeship policies and systems, or demonstrated ability to quickly develop expertise in these areas.
Demonstrated dedication to working with Baltimore City youth and young adults; candidates residing in Baltimore City with a robust professional network and lived experience in the area are preferred.
Commitment to addressing systemic inequity, racism, and poverty, with a focus on equity, inclusion, and asset-based youth development.
Demonstrated experience leading complex program implementation across multiple partners and systems, including schools, public agencies, employers, training providers, and community-based organizations; experience working with partners to design and implement high-quality career-connected learning, apprenticeship, credentialing, and/or work-based learning opportunities preferred.
Strong project and resource management skills, including experience managing multiple priorities, budgets, vendors, contracts, and partner deliverables with outstanding attention to detail and accountability to timelines and outcomes.
Demonstrated ability to assign and coordinate work across staff, consultants, and implementation partners, coupled with strong relationship-management and facilitation skills to move cross-sector stakeholders toward shared decisions and outcomes.
Experience supervising, coaching, or supporting the professional development of staff or project teams preferred.
Ability to use quantitative and qualitative data to monitor implementation, identify challenges and disparities, support continuous improvement, and recommend programmatic changes; familiarity with Results-Based Accountability, Results-Based Facilitation, and Continuous Quality Improvement frameworks preferred.
Willingness to work in an entrepreneurial, collaborative environment, adapt to evolving priorities, and proactively identify and implement solutions.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Zoom, and Google Workspace, and ability to quickly learn and use new technology and data platforms.
Organizational Values
Baltimore’s Promise is a citywide collaborative composed of public, business, community, higher education, nonprofit, and philanthropic leaders that serves as a catalyst for organizing efforts and resources around a shared community vision that all Baltimore City youth will travel a safe, healthy, and successful educational path from cradle to career. In our fight for justice and systems change, our values as individuals, teams, and as an organization are the following:
Equity – Our efforts and initiatives are co-developed and driven by the lived experiences of those most negatively impacted by the outcomes we seek to improve. Race, ethnicity, gender, or other attributes should not have predictive power over support, resources, and opportunities that one can access.
Hustle – We are self-starters who take the initiative to strategically identify and advance solutions to address failures in achieving positive outcomes for children, youth, and families. We work efficiently, cross-functionally, and resourcefully – with a sense of urgency – to carry out the mission of the organization.
Humanity – We honor individuals and communities by holding ourselves and our partners accountable to act with integrity, compassion, kindness, and empathy.
Creativity – We are fun and innovative. Our first idea may not be the final strategy because we look for and embrace new ideas from diverse sources. We celebrate the accomplishments of staff and partners.
Shared Accountability – This is our collective responsibility for the work of the organization, not a threat of sanction. When we say we will do something, we will do it, and if we don’t, we will communicate our reasons why.
Benefits
This position is classified as exempt and is not eligible for overtime compensation in accordance with the policies set forth by Baltimore’s Promise and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The annualized compensation for this position is $84,000. Baltimore’s Promise compensation ranges are determined by the responsibilities and level of authority required by each position as opposed to individual candidates’ qualifications or pedigree — an intentional attempt to mitigate pay inequities driven by systemic and implicit racism and gender bias impacting career trajectories and negotiation.
This is a full-time position with full benefits, including CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield health insurance, dental and vision insurance, paid time off, paid parental leave, cellphone and mileage stipends, and support for professional development opportunities. Please visit to view the many additional benefits Baltimore’s Promise offers its staff.
Hybrid Work Schedule
Baltimore’s Promise is an in-person, team-based organization. Staff are expected to be in the office approximately 2–3 days per week on average, with some weeks requiring a greater in-person presence (up to 5 days), depending on the work, meetings, and community needs. In-person collaboration is the default for planning, decision-making, and strategic conversations, while virtual meetings are used intentionally.
Travel
Travel around Baltimore City for in-person meetings and into the office for staff meetings is a regular occurrence. Occasional travel includes national conferences, staff retreats, and meetings around the state.
Application materials submitted through online job platforms or by email will not be considered.
ABOUT BALTIMORE’S PROMISE
Baltimore's Promise is a citywide collaborative composed of public, business, higher education, nonprofit, community, and philanthropic leaders. We serve as a catalyst for organizing efforts and resources around a shared vision: all Baltimore City youth will travel a safe, healthy, and successful educational path from cradle to career. Baltimore’s Promise uses data to report on outcomes for children from birth through their early careers in order to understand the complex needs of our city’s children.
We promote a data-based approach to program and policy design--one that is informed by context and lived experience of the communities affected and conducted with the participation of all stakeholders. Recognizing enduring inequalities resulting from persisting racism, ethnocentrism, sexism, and the intersections thereof, we employ a race equity lens to all aspects of data collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation.
RACE EQUITY AND INCLUSION STATEMENT (Last Updated May 17, 2017)
Too many Baltimore City children and youth face significant obstacles to achieving their full potential. Opportunity and paths to success are not equitably available to all of our children. Through generations of collective history in our city—confirmed by bodies of research—we know inequities in opportunity and disparities in outcomes are driven by race, gender, socioeconomic status, culture, disabilities, and other societal factors.
In Baltimore, systemic race-based barriers disproportionately affect Black children and youth and those in other communities of color. For Baltimore’s Promise to fulfill our mission of ensuring that all children succeed, we must apply an equity lens that allows us to better understand these barriers and the challenges faced by our vulnerable children, youth and the family supporting their pathway. Acknowledging these entrenched structural impediments, Baltimore’s Promise must commit to long-term strategies that will create opportunity and foster transformative change across Baltimore City.
A rigorous and sustained focus on eliminating systemic and institutional race-based barriers to opportunity is essential to achieving our objectives from cradle to career. Through this intentional approach, we can better shape targeted strategies that meet specific needs of our vulnerable children and youth while improving conditions and outcomes for all populations we serve, creating new pathways for opportunities for children, youth and families to thrive in Baltimore.
Organizational Values
Foundational to all of Baltimore’s Promise’s work is ensuring it is developed, implemented, and evaluated in alignment with our organizational values, listed below, and our race equity and inclusion statement. It is of critical importance that all staff are fully aligned with our values and commitment to race equity and inclusion. This position must consistently live our values in the way they think about, approach, engage, and support Baltimore City’s young people.
In our fight for justice and systems change, our values as individuals, teams, and as an organization are the following:
Equity – Our efforts and initiatives are co-developed and driven by the lived experiences of those most negatively impacted by the outcomes we seek to improve. Race, ethnicity, gender, or other attributes should not have predictive power over support, resources, and opportunities that one can access.
Hustle – We are self-starters who take the initiative to strategically identify and advance solutions to address failures in achieving positive outcomes for children, youth, and families. We work efficiently, cross-functionally, and resourcefully – with a sense of urgency – to carry out the mission of the organization.
Humanity – We honor individuals and communities by holding ourselves and our partners accountable to act with integrity, compassion, kindness, and empathy.
Creativity – We are fun and innovative. Our first idea may not be the final strategy because we look for and embrace new ideas from diverse sources. We celebrate the accomplishments of staff and partners.
Shared Accountability – Shared Accountability is our collective responsibility for the work of the organization, not a threat of sanction. When we say we will do something, we will do it, and if we don’t, we will communicate our reasons why. We must be both supportive and critical of one another to ensure that we meet individual and team responsibilities that contribute to larger organizational goals.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Baltimore’s Promise is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity. It is our policy to recruit, hire, train, and promote individuals, as well as administer all personnel actions, without regard to race, color, religion, creed, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin or ancestry, status as an individual with a disability who is otherwise qualified to perform the essential functions of his or her position, or any other protected characteristic in accordance with applicable laws. Baltimore’s Promise will not tolerate any unlawful discrimination, and any such conduct is prohibited.