Mentoring Program Specialist

Hood College seeks a dynamic, organized, and relationship-oriented Mentoring Program Specialist to provide management, education, promotion, and constituent relations regarding mentoring at Hood as part of the College’s U.S. Department of Education Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) grant, Student Success in the AI Era: Advancing Retention, Completion, and Workforce Readiness at Hood College . This is temporary grant funded position. Under the general direction of the Director of Career Development and Experiential Education, the Mentoring Program Specialist builds, enhances, and supports career and professional development mentoring initiatives and opportunities by connecting students with alumni, parents, friends of the College, faculty, staff, and graduate students. Program formats may include ongoing paired mentoring relationships as well as flash mentoring through the implementation of an online mentoring platform. Essential Duties include the following. Other duties may be assigned. Program Development and Administration — 25% Develop, maintain, and revise program procedures, timelines, participant guidelines, communications, and resources. Manage relationships with external vendors, consultants, and service providers. Create and update orientation and training materials for stakeholder preparation and resources to support effective mentoring relationships. Coordinate ongoing mentoring pairings and flash mentoring, aligning activities with student needs, mentor offerings, and College priorities. Mentor Recruitment and Engagement — 25% Recruit mentors from the Hood College community, including alumni, parents, friends of the College, faculty, staff, and graduate students. Help build a diverse pool of mentors representing varied industries, age demographics, career paths, and professional experiences. Communicate program expectations, timelines, and opportunities to prospective and active mentors. Liaise with Institutional Advancement as thought partners on mentor recruiting and messaging. Collaborate with Hood campus colleagues such as Admissions, Community and Inclusivity, Marketing and Communications, and the Graduate School, for recruiting and communicating with potential and current mentors. Student Outreach, Matching, and Participation — 25% Promote mentoring opportunities to students and explain participation options and expectations through online and social media communications, published materials, information sessions, and in-person interactions. Coordinate matches on the mentoring platform based on internal algorithms in addition to student interests, goals, field(s) of study, geography, and affinity groups. Manage student participant onboarding and training. Collaborate with Hood campus partners such as Advising, Student Success, Residence Life, Institutional Advancement, Community and Inclusivity, and Student Engagement for recruiting and communicating with potential and current mentees. Relationship Support and Program Activity — 15% Serve as the primary point of contact for mentors and students, providing guidance, check-ins, and resources. Help address participant questions or challenges and facilitate appropriate next steps when needed. Coordinate career-readiness activities utilizing mentors in group settings to present to, and interact with, students. Provide support to participants as they conclude or transition mentoring relationships. Assessment, Records, and Continuous Improvement — 10% Track participation, communication, and related programs and activities using mentoring platform, Handshake, and other analytical tools to prepare summaries and reports. Collect and review feedback through surveys, focus groups, and individual meetings. Use feedback and assessment findings to recommend improvements to program design, accessibility, participation, and effectiveness. Represent the mentoring program in meetings and College activities as appropriate. Weekly Work Hours: 37.5 hours; some program activities may require occasional evening or weekend availability, as applicable. The position is an on-campus role. Qualifications We seek a candidate who values diversity, equity, and inclusion in all that they do. Candidates must have strong communication and organizational skills and a proven ability to collaborate with partners across campus in support of Hood College’s mission as a student-centered, liberal arts institution. To perform this job successfully, the individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Education and/or Experience Minimum Requirements/Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in education, human services, social sciences, or related fields, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience. Minimum of 2 years of experience in higher education, program management, career development, mentoring, student success, volunteer engagement, or a related area. Strong organizational and project management skills, including the ability to coordinate multiple activities, manage priorities, and meet deadlines. Experience building relationships with students, alumni, employers, and additional community members and constituents. Proficient with data analysis and reporting to various audiences. Ability to exercise sound judgment and respond professionally to questions, concerns, and challenges. Preferred Skills and Characteristics Master’s degree in higher education administration, counseling, human resources, nonprofit administration, or a related field. Experience coordinating mentoring, volunteer, career development, or professional networking programs. Familiarity with career exploration, professional skill development, networking, and the transition from college to work. Experience sourcing and recruiting participants for programs and events. Experience designing and facilitating workshops, orientations, training sessions, or networking events in person or online. Experience working with first generation, low income, and other marginalized students. Technology Skills Proficient in MS Office tools (Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), e-mail, and Internet. Ability to learn new applications quickly, including organization-wide information systems and department-specific software applications. Familiarity with virtual meeting platforms, online event tools, databases, or student engagement systems is preferred. Language Skills Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare professional correspondence, program materials, instructions, presentations, and reports. Ability to communicate clearly and professionally with internal and external individuals from varied backgrounds and levels of professional experience. Mathematical Skills Ability to perform basic mathematical calculations and maintain accurate program records, including participation data, attendance, and assessment results. Ability to organize and interpret quantitative information to support program evaluation and reporting. Reasoning Ability Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a number of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form. Ability to work independently and as a member of a group in developing and executing project plans. Ability to work in the theoretical arena and apply logic as appropriate. Physical Demands The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; use fingers, hands, reach with hands and arms; and talk and hear. The employee is required to sit. The employee may occasionally be required to stand and lift and move up to twenty-five pounds. Specific vision abilities required include close vision. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Work Environment The work environment described here is representative of what an employee will encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. The noise level is usually moderate and could include interaction with other employees, students, the public, telephones, and other office equipment. Compensation This is a position with an annual starting salary range of $45,000 to $50,000 depending on circumstances including an applicant’s skills and qualifications, certain degrees and certifications, prior job experience, training, and other relevant factors. Hood College has provided a compensation range representing its good faith estimate of what the College may pay for the position at the time of posting. The College may ultimately pay more or less than the posted compensation range. Hood College offers excellent benefits , including medical, dental, vision, retirement, paid time off, and tuition benefits. Learn more about Hood College . This benefits-eligible position is funded through the U.S. Department of Education Strengthening Institutions Program (Title III) grant and is contingent upon continued grant funding and satisfactory performance. The position is anticipated to be funded for the duration of the five-year grant period. The Strengthening Institutions Program is supported by the Departments of Labor and Education. A total of $2.7 million for this five-year grant will be financed with federal funds. To Apply We invite qualified candidates to apply online via our electronic application which requires submission of a cover letter, resumé and three professional references. If you need assistance with the online application process, please email humanresources@hood.edu or call (301) 696-3592. Hood College does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, marital status, pregnancy, disability, religion, or age in recruitment, admission and access to, or treatment, or employment in its programs, services, benefits, or activities as required by applicable laws including Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and complies with the law regarding reasonable accommodation for disabled applicants and students. Inquiries about discrimination or reasonable accommodation should be referred to the Title IX and Section 504 Coordinator at Alumnae Hall, 401 Rosemont Avenue, Frederick, MD. 21701 (AD 308), (301) 696-3123. For complete information on Hood College’s nondiscrimination policy, please visit http://www.hood.edu/non-discrimination/