Manager, Student Services

Position Title:

Manager, Student Services

Organization:
Project Jump Start, Inc. (PJSI)

Location:

Baltimore, MD. Hybrid (approximately 2-3 days per week in office, plus periodic evening and weekend program activities)

Employment Type:

Full-Time, Exempt

Reports To:

Director of Programs

Project Jump Start, Inc. (PJSI) is a Baltimore-based nonprofit pre-apprenticeship and job-readiness workforce development organization preparing residents facing systemic barriers for entry-level careers in the construction trades. Our core program, Project Jump Start Training, a Baltimore staple for 20 years, is a 15-week, 87-hour training model deeply embedded in carpentry, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC environments.

The Manager, Student Services leads PJSI’s Student Services function and the front end of the participant journey, from recruitment and enrollment through program completion and transition to Employment Services. The Manager combines direct participant support with responsibility for coordinating recruitment, barrier assessment, individualized support planning, supportive services, participant follow-up, and Student Services processes. Working under the direction of the Director of Programs and alongside instructors, community partners, coordinators, and the broader program team, the Manager exercises independent judgment in evaluating participant needs and determining appropriate support strategies within established PJSI policies and available resources.

• Communicate with and recruit prospective participants and leads.
• Review applications to verify eligibility, accuracy, and completeness; support students and community partners through the enrollment process; and make recommendations to the Director of Programs when enrollment concerns or exceptions require additional review.
• Lead construction-workforce awareness, recruitment, and engagement activities that attract candidates who understand the program and have a genuine interest in construction careers.
• Develop and maintain recruitment and referral relationships with community-based organizations in the region to strengthen enrollment pipelines.
• Help maintain effective recruitment, screening, enrollment, and onboarding practices that support participant fit and retention.

• Conduct and oversee participant barrier assessments and individualized support plans, exercising independent judgment to determine appropriate interventions and supports within established PJSI policies and available resources.
• Coordinate supportive services and referrals, including direct assistance when appropriate, to help remove barriers to participation and completion.
• Provide ongoing, responsive, and timely communication to students as they navigate personal, academic, and professional challenges.
• Maintain a formal feedback and intervention process among instructors, students, Student Services, and program leadership.
• Monitor participant attendance, engagement, barriers, and completion risk; coordinate timely interventions; make recommendations affecting participant retention, continued participation, and transition when appropriate; and ensure case-management activity and follow-up are documented.

• Coordinate participant services and referrals with community partners and determine when direct PJSI support is appropriate because no suitable partner resource is available.
• Develop and maintain relationships with community partners and stakeholders and identify additional resources based on participant and program needs.
• Carry out PJSI responsibilities under Community Partner agreements and provide program leadership with feedback…