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Program Instructor

Organization Profile

The Gray Matter Experience (TGME) empowers young Black people, ages 14-24, to disrupt the status quo, mobilize innovative ideas, and champion their communities. For The Gray Matter Experience, entrepreneurship is not just a career. Since 2016, we have supported more than 2,000 young people through personal development, business education, and nurturing their commitment to social impact. Their programs offer a nationally-recognized curriculum, designed by Black leaders, that cultivates the entrepreneurial mindset – an approach that embraces innovation, authentic leadership, and a proactive drive to solve challenges across all career paths.

The Gray Matter Experience’s engaging tuition-free programs, national partnerships, and community of allies ensure that curious creators and budding visionaries are equipped with essential skills, relationships, and resources to become agents of change and thrive in a global economy.

Summary

This position will assist with the coordination and delivery of TGME’s curriculum within our core bootcamps, select high school classrooms and partnership programming. The individual in this position is primarily responsible for independently leading sessions and activities. Furthermore, this position will focus on exposing students to entrepreneurial concepts ranging from foundational to advanced through content lessons and activities. 

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We are seeking dynamic and youthful facilitators with experience engaging with high school students who come from a variety of backgrounds including some of Chicagoland's most underserved communities. This individual will need to not only work successfully with youth, but also serve as a positive representation, advocate, and ambassador of the Gray Matter Experience while working with volunteers, caterers, and other stakeholders. 

  • Report to the Program Director

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  • Pay is $30-$45/hour (depending on experience)

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  • Please note: All applicants must complete and pass a background check to engage with youth and enter schools.

Duties & Responsibilities

  • Lead sessions held during the school day, during after school program hours, and/or on weekends, throughout the school year (virtual or in-person)

  • Understand TGME curriculum and relay this information to students in an engaging manner, making responsive decisions to increase student success

  • Able to bring in relevant and culturally responsive real world examples, case students, and personal experience to enhance TGME’s curriculum delivery, student buy-in, and comprehension

  • Foster an inviting and safe environment for students 

  • Promote and track regular attendance and active participation of students

  • Provide individual support and entrepreneurial guidance to students, connecting students with available resources where and when appropriate and available 

  • Maintain routine and necessary communication with other TGME staff members 

  • Collaborate with Program Director and Program Coordinator to manage communication with and recruitment of programmatic stakeholders including any volunteers, guest speakers, and partner leads as needed for workshops and partner programs

  • Collaborate with Program Director to support and lead program recruitment initiatives 

  • Manage communication of vendors for program events where instructor is point of contact 

  • Manage communication of students and parents throughout programming

  • Attend all scheduled TGME trainings and meetings as required by Program Director

  • Participate in feedback cycles, instructional coaching, and professional development to continuously improve practice and impact

  • Provide post program feedback on curriculum and overall student experience to TGME staff

  • Practice professional skills of timeliness and preparedness for trainings, facilitation engagements, and internal and external communication 

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What Success Looks Like In This Role​

  • Timely and prepared in facilitation, decreasing the amount of avoidable kinks throughout programming 

  • Engaging and supporting instruction, resulting in: 

    • High student attendance 

    • Positive student reviews around instruction, connection, and comfortability in programming 

    • Increase in confidence and competence in entrepreneurial traits and business acumen 

    • Successful student showcases demonstrating clear application of skills acquired throughout programming 

    • Increase in feasible student businesses developed through programming 

    • Positive partner reviews in workshop facilitation, strengthening and increasing partnerships and partner engagements 

  • Accurate data tracking and collecting, supporting data analysis and decision making within the Gray Matter team

  • Consistent improvement in facilitation, leading to more autonomous decision making within facilitation based on the needs of students and availability of resources and support 

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QUALIFICATIONS

  • 2+ years of experience working with high school or young adult aged youth in program setting

  • High school diploma required 

  • Passionate and knowledgeable about entrepreneurship and critical thinking for youth 

  • Strong technology skills and the ability to navigate Google Meets and Google Suite

  • Strong organization and communication skills 

  • Ability to supervise students in an average 15:1 ratio, teen:instructor ratio

  • Maintain professional communication between students, speakers, and TGME staff

  • Ability to engage with all youth regardless of background

  • Proactive mindset with the ability to adapt to changing situations and remain flexible

  • Ability to creatively find ways to engage with students to increase program enthusiasm

  • Ability to utilize social media professionally to support TGME program & marketing initiatives

Please contact info@graymatterexperience.com to express your interest in applying for the role. ​

EEO:

The Gray Matter Experience is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status, military discharge status, age, marital status, parental status, or source of income.

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