Director of Experiential and Partner-Based Mentoring presso Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities

Description

The Director of Experiential and Partner-Based Mentoring leads the vision, design, and delivery of BBBSTC’s interest-based group and 1:1 mentoring programs—including Free Arts and emerging enrichment initiatives that use creative, experiential, and community-based engagement as pathways for youth connection and development. This role ensures high-quality program implementation through structured systems, community collaboration, and intentional alignment with BBBSTC’s mission and Theory of Action.

The Director oversees all aspects of the Free Arts program while expanding its model to include other interest-based mentoring experiences, such as STEM, sports, and other enrichment vehicles. This position balances strategic planning and day-to-day execution—building systems for quality, ensuring safety and accountability, and supporting staff in implementing culturally responsive, youth-centered programming that fosters belonging and meaningful relationships.

The Director sits on the Program Leadership Team, supervising a Manager of Free Arts and a Program Administrative Specialist. As the program portfolio grows, there will be opportunities to expand team capacity and program scope. This role plays a key part in shaping program direction and ensuring organizational alignment.

Immediate Priorities

• Align program strategies with organizational goals to ensure mentorship, youth development, and interest-based expression are central to all initiatives.
• Broaden the reach of Free Arts by creating more access points for youth across the Twin Cities, ensuring consistent opportunities for mentorship and creative expression.
• Establish key outcomes to measure and strengthen youth engagement, refining programs to meet the evolving needs of participants.
• Build and sustain partnerships with community organizations and schools to expand experiential mentoring opportunities and secure resources aligned with the BBBSTC Theory of Action.
• Develop a scalable model for group mentoring that supports both existing Free Arts cohorts and new groups of youth who may not meet eligibility for traditional 1:1 matches.

Job Details

Start Date: As soon as possible.

Location: Hybrid with in office requirement in Minneapolis, MN.

Hiring Salary Range: $70,000-$80,000 Starting salary will depend on your skills and demonstrated readiness for the role.

Hours/Day: Monday-Friday, 40+ hours a week – including evenings, and weekends when necessary.

Job Type: Full-time, Exempt.

Supervisor: Vice President of Programs.

Essential Job Functions:

• Set individual and team goals and implement strategies to guide and motivate staff to achieve them.
• Develop and analyze monitoring and evaluation data, tracking key performance indicators to assess progress, obstacles, and opportunities. Integrate quality improvement into daily operations.
• Effectively perform all supervisory functions—hiring, coaching, training, disciplinary action, and termination—in alignment with BBBSTC policies and culture.
• Foster a team culture rooted in collaboration, professionalism, critical thinking, and continuous growth.
• Develop and monitor the program budget to meet fiscal objectives, ensuring responsible stewardship of resources.
• Manage assigned program grants, including budgets, goals, partnership agreements, and reporting.
• Oversee the implementation and management of funded initiatives, working closely with Finance and Development teams to support compliance, data reporting, and grant management.
• Collaborate with partner agencies to ensure shared goals and outcomes are met.
• Adapt programming as needed to ensure the approach remains relevant, effective, and centered on participant experience and strategic goals.
• Build and streamline process efficiencies in collaboration with cross-functional teams, ensuring clarity and accountability. Experiential and Partner-Based Mentoring Programs.
• Provide strategic direction for designing and executing innovative mentoring programs that use art, STEM, sports, and other interests as vehicles for youth engagement.
• Oversee the growth and sustainability of Free Arts while expanding similar experiential programs into new settings and communities.
• Ensure program strategies are culturally relevant, youth-centered, and aligned with BBBSTC’s Theory of Action.
• Develop and implement clear program standards, goals, and evaluation measures to drive quality and effectiveness.
• Build and sustain strong partnerships with community organizations, schools, and stakeholders to expand program reach and secure resources.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen the BBBSTC and Free Arts brands within all experiential programming.
• Provide oversight and support for teaching artists, volunteers, and partner facilitators to ensure quality and consistency.
• Identify opportunities to enhance program integration—connecting experiential mentoring to other BBBSTC initiatives such as cohorts, match events, and professional development experiences.
• Oversee the program database, ensuring data accuracy, analysis, and reporting for program outcomes and impact.
• Ensure all program practices uphold youth safety, risk management, and organizational standards. 

Program Leadership and Planning

• Serve as an active member of the Program Leadership Team, contributing to strategic alignment and cross-program collaboration.
• Drive the development and implementation of group mentorship standards that are culturally responsive and developmentally appropriate.
• Lead efforts to integrate experiential and partner-based mentoring into BBBSTC’s broader mentoring framework and strategic plan.
• Support the application of policy updates, including BBBSA National Standards of Practice and annual assessments.
• Contribute to organizational initiatives and other duties as assigned to advance BBBSTC’s mission and strategic direction.

Contribute to the mission and success of the agency

• Adopt strengths-based perspectives when discussing specific groups or contexts, particularly those historically marginalized.
• Handle data from youth, families, mentors, or other constituents with care, ensuring secure and private maintenance.
• Stay informed about community needs, resources, and networks.
• Collaborate with others to achieve goals outlined in the annual business plan.
• Honor and respect the diversity of lived experiences, fostering an inclusive and equitable environment within the organization.
• Represent BBBS well in the broader community.
• Assist in agency-wide events and initiatives including recruitment, fundraising, event management, and community outreach.

Requirements

While we have identified specific requirements for this role, we acknowledge that not all candidates may possess every requirement listed. We encourage all applicants who believe they possess the necessary skills and experience to apply, regardless of whether they meet each requirement to the fullest extent.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree required.
• Minimum of 5–7 years of progressive experience in youth development, mentoring, education, or community engagement programs.
• Demonstrated experience in program design and implementation—especially experiential, school-based, or partnership-driven models.
• Proven success in building and managing external partnerships, including schools, corporations, and community organizations.
• Experience in staff supervision and coaching, supporting professional growth and accountability.
• Strong understanding of child safety and positive youth development principles.
• Prior experience managing program budgets, data tracking, and evaluation preferred.
• Experience in Salesforce preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strategic thinker with the ability to align programs to organizational goals and outcomes.
• Exceptional relationship-building and collaboration skills across diverse stakeholders.
• Skilled in facilitation, partnership development, and representing the organization in external spaces.
• Strong leadership and team management skills with the ability to motivate, mentor, and hold staff accountable.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including comfort presenting to groups and leading meetings.
• High emotional intelligence with the ability to navigate complexity, resolve conflict, and foster inclusion.
• Strong project management skills—organized, proactive, and attentive to detail.
• Knowledge of confidentiality and mandated reporting issues to ensure agency policies are enforced.
• Must have access to reliable transportation and be available to work evenings and weekends.

Physical Requirements

About BBBSTC

Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities is the largest and oldest youth mentoring organization in the greater Twin Cities serving Hennepin, Ramsey, Anoka and parts of Dakota and Washington counties. Each year, we match up to 2,600 youth (Littles) and their families with caring adults (Bigs) who volunteer as youth mentors.

We know all youth benefit from having another caring adult in their life as they experience life's opportunities and challenges. Together with our community, we want every young person to have a mentor, be affirmed in who they are, and explore who they want to be.

• Mission: Create and support mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.
• Values: Relationships, Belonging, Youth-Centered, Continuous Learning & Improvement.

Benefits

We care deeply about our employees and know holistic support is essential for our staff to carry out the BBBS mission. Our generous employment package includes medical, dental, vision and pet insurance, employer-paid short & long-term disability insurance, and life insurance, Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA), paid time off accrual & 13 Paid Holidays, and 403(b) retirement plans with employer match.

We recognize the need for flexible scheduling and remote work. Employees are able to work with their supervisors to identify a schedule that works best for both them and the agency. 

Workplace Culture

BBBSTC is an mission-centered, inclusive workplace that strives to create a space where our 60+ employee's unique talents, learning styles and lived experiences are valued. We pride ourselves on our flexible scheduling and hybrid workspace. Creating an engaging work environment is an essential part of our culture. We uphold this commitment through staff surveys, stay interviews, and professional development. In addition, we hold monthly all staff meetings and gatherings, and provide the opportunity to join affinity groups (BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and White Bodied Accountability), and agency committees (Values in Action, Engagement & Connection, and Building Safety).

Our Hiring Process

Our People & Culture team is committed to a person-first centered approach to our hiring process. We believe in a respectful experience for all parties involved and are committed to taking an equity approach. Candidates can apply online at BBBS Careers. Include a cover letter and resume. For all positions, our hiring process includes a Zoom screen and in-person panel interviews, reference and background checks for final candidates. All staff are required to be fingerprinted through the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) within the first week of employment. 

Persons of color, women, members of the LGBTQ community, veterans, and individuals with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to the Human Resources team at [email protected]. At this time, we are unable to provide company sponsored visas and are only considering candidates who are eligible to work in the United States.

The above statements are not intended to encompass all functions and qualifications of the position. Rather, they are intended to provide a general framework of the requirements of the position. Employees may be required to perform other functions not specifically addressed in this job description.

P.S. Please take the necessary steps to allow the BBBSTC (@bigstwincities.org) and Paylocity (@paylocity.com) domains so that you receive all emails related to your application process. Also, please make sure to check your spam folder as emails from BBBSTC and/or Paylocity can be marked as spam.