LEAH Knox Project Manager, The LEAH Project

Position Description : Health Resources in Action, Inc. (HRiA) is a non-profit organization working to improve and reimagine public health.

We connect, consult, and collaborate to solve complex challenges of access and equity in our health and social systems. Together with our partners, clients, and collaborators, we create actionable solutions so that all people can thrive.

In 1957, The Medical Foundation (TMF) was created to primarily fund biomedical research in Massachusetts. Since then, weve been on a journey of evolution.

We changed our name to Health Resources in Action (HRiA) to reflect our impact in the field of public health. Today, HRiA works with individuals, organizations, and communities to drive a policy and systems change approach to advance health and racial equity.

HRiA seeks sustainable solutions for complex problems using an anti-racist approach. We aim to be adaptable and flexible in meeting clients and partners where they are, offering our decades of knowledge and resources to collectively realize our dream of equitable, sustainable health for all.

The foundation of this work is centered on our values :

• Health and racial equity by identifying and addressing the root causes of health inequities, intentionally working to shift narratives and power imbalances and disrupt all systems of oppression.
• Leading with heart by demonstrating our passionate commitment to our work, continuously challenging ourselves with humility and vulnerability while pursuing and holding ourselves accountable to our mission.
• Collaboration by intentionally and respectfully leading, partnering, and following to strengthen relationships, uplift different voices and build trust.
• Innovation by driving toward new strategies, questioning norms, and continuously learning and evolving to support the needs of our clients and communities.

HRiA offers exciting, engaging, and challenging employment opportunities for facilitators, trainers, researchers, analysts, policy specialists, grant managers, and more.

People come to HRiA because of our commitment to advancing health equity and inspiring work; they stay for our wonderful clients, partners, and dedicated and dynamic staff.

With our growing portfolio of high-impact work, person-centered policies, and generous benefits, our team continually invests in making HRiA a great place to work.

Our diverse staff of over 270 people hail from 30+ states, with a homebase in Bostons Chinatown neighborhood.

As part of our capacity building work and our deep expertise in youth development, HRiA manages and implements the Leaders through Education, Action, and Hope (LEAH) Project.

The LEAH Project is a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), college access, and career readiness program for Boston area high school youth typically underrepresented in STEM fields.

LEAHs mission is to promote the power of youth, especially Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) youth, to diversify the STEM fields.

Through paid STEM internships, dynamic college and career readiness programming, and meaningful youth leadership opportunities, LEAH cultivates the confidence of youth and equips them with the skills and connections they need to thrive.

Participating youth have access to a variety of STEM internship opportunities including LEAH's signature STEM teaching internships, LEAH Knox Scholars Biomedical Research internships, and general STEM internships.

For more information about our organization and the LEAH program, visit leahproject.org and hria.org .

Position Summary

The Program Manager is responsible for the LEAH Knox Data Science and Biomedical Engineering internship while being an integral and contributing member of the LEAH Project team.

The LEAH Knox internship was established in 2017 in memory of Dr. William Knox, a scientist who completed his M.S. and Ph.

D. in chemical engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Youth Leaders in the LEAH Knox internship spend their first summer doing hands-on lab work in an MIT biology lab with MIT Biology Instructors.

After they complete their first summer, youth have opportunities throughout the school year to further expand their STEM network via the LEAH Projects other opportunities including exploring all the industry has to offer through STEM events and a mentorship program where youth are matched with a professional mentor who works in a STEM industry.

Additionally, the Program Manager, with support from the LEAH team, assists the youth in securing a second year paid internships at an academic or company lab the following summer.

In addition to managing the program, the Program Manager is also responsible for supervising an AmeriCorps Massachusetts Promise Fellow, who will focus on supporting the Mentorship program and second summer internship placements.

The ideal candidate for this position is someone who believes in youth leadership and has a deep understanding of youth development, has a desire and / or interest in STEM, is flexible, comfortable in a fast-paced environment, resourceful, and detail oriented.

They ideally have three to four years of professional experience working with high school-aged youth (preferably, youth of color and / or first-generation college youth) OR six years of professional experience in education and / or experience working with high school-aged youth.

The Program Manager will be supervised by the LEAH Projects Senior Program Manager.

This is an exempt, full-time position with a salary range in the low to mid $70ks, based on skills and experience. This a hybrid role with two to three days working in HRiAs office in Boston and two to three days remotely.

As such Massachusetts residency and an ability to travel to / from the Boston office is required. Limited travel may also be required for trainings, retreats, site visits, or meetings.

Responsibilities

Program Management

• Manage and implement the LEAH Knox Data Science and Biomedical Research internship track, which includes supervising and building relationships with approximately 24 LEAH Youth Leaders trained in a biology lab over the summer at MIT.
• Manage LEAHs partnership with MIT instructional staff, which includes hosting monthly meetings with lab instructors and supporting the development of summer curriculum and evaluation tools.
• Collaborate with HRiAs Research & Evaluation team to meet LEAHs National Institute of Health Science Education Partnership Award (NIH SEPA) grant requirements.

This includes refining the evaluation plan for LEAH Knox, as well as contributing to mid-year and annual reports.

• Supervise an AmeriCorps Massachusetts Promise Fellow who will support program work including second year internship placements and LEAHs Professional Mentor program.
• Build and maintain relationships with local STEM corporations and community organizations to provide youth with STEM career exposure and second year internship placements.
• Support approximately 44 youth in finding second year internships through communication and collaboration with youth and summer internship partners.
• Serve as main point of contact during the summer for MIT instructional staff and second year summer internship supervisors.

This also involves providing positive youth development training to new supervisors.

• Coordinate events related to the LEAH Knox internship including kick-offs, a lab skills refresher for second year Youth Leaders and LEAHs Summer Symposium.
• Support second year youth during the summer through one-on-one check ins, site visits, and coordinating opportunities to connect with their peers.
• Recruit, train, and match approximately 20-30 STEM Professional mentors with approximately 20-30 mentees
• Lead monthly check-in meetings with mentors and provide individualized support to both mentors and mentees.
• Participate in and assist with facilitation of weekly LEAH team meetings.
• Support the LEAH team with additional program work as it pertains to the other LEAH program tracks.

Thought Leadership

• Attend and present annually at the NIH SEPA Conference each spring.
• Manage the LEAH Knox website.
• Contribute to blogs, website content, LEAHs newsletter, and social media as well other sources to share and promote our expertise.
• Present at youth development and / or STEM conferences or events, as appropriate.
• Contribute ideas for improvements in project and / or organizational processes and systems through participation in teams and committees.

New Business Development

• Support senior staff in fundraising and grant writing as needed.
• Gather and prepare proposal documentation (forms, resumes, etc.).

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree and three to four years of professional experience working with high school-aged youth (ideally youth of color or first-generation college youth) OR six years of professional experience in education and / or experience working with high-school-aged youth (ideally youth of color or first-generation college youth).
• A strong passion for working with young people.
• Knowledge of youth development, youth programming, education, and leadership development.
• Experience facilitating engaging workshops, activities, and / or small groups, including strong group management skills.
• Respect for and ability to connect with people who come from different cultures, backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.
• Demonstrated experience in working with diverse populations.
• Excellent oral communication skills and demonstrated experience in public speaking, facilitation, and training delivery.
• Excellent written communication skills and an ability to adjust style and messaging depending on the audience and medium.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize and coordinate multiple projects simultaneously and take personal initiative.
• Ability to work as part of a team but also independently and take personal initiative to complete tasks.
• Sense of humor and flexibility within a dynamic program.
• Familiarity with Boston Public Schools and / or prior experience supporting academic achievement of K-12 students is preferred.
• Familiarity with STEM subjects and careers, particularly within the technology industry and / or technology career pathways is preferred.
• Ability to travel occasionally to attend project or organizational trainings, retreats, site visits, and / or meetings (at HRiA expense).

Typical hours are Monday Friday 10 : 00 am 6 : 00 pm. Additional evening and weekend hours are sometimes required to fulfill the duties of this position, flexible schedules are possible when evening and weekend hours are required .

This description is intended to indicate the kinds of work duties that will be required in this position. It is not intended to limit, or in any way modify, the rights of any supervisor to assign, direct, and contract work of staff under his / her supervision.

The use of a particular illustration describing duties shall not be held to exclude other duties, not mentioned, that are of a similar level or difficulty.

Procedure for Candidacy

HRiA is actively seeking to build a diverse and experienced staff. HRiA encourages multiple perspectives and experiences, supports a multicultural environment, and strives to hire and retain a diverse work force that reflects the populations we work with and the communities where we work.

Diversity is a core value of HRiA resulting in culturally competent services, materials, resources, and programs. Our hiring and business practices appreciate the strengths offered through different backgrounds.

HRiA is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer and is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information.

HRiA offers an attractive benefits package, including medical, dental, short-term disability and life insurance, retirement plan, tax-deferred annuity, and generous vacation starting at four weeks annually, with an additional week of office closure in late December.

To apply, submit your resume, cover letter, and salary requirements online at hria.org

Applications will be considered until the position is filled. Applications without cover letters will not be considered.

leahproject.org hria.org