Program Manager

Mental health thrives on connection: to self, to others, and to a sense of shared meaning. No matter where you are in the world, good means the same to us all, and that is what connects us as a world. The mission of The Simple Good is to restore this connection through art, mindfulness, and social-emotional learning. We help young people find and name the good in themselves and the world around them, building the resilience and connection they need for positive mental health.

TSG is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that serves more than 700 youth each year across 40+ Chicago neighborhoods, with a focus on South and West Side communities.

The Program Manager runs TSG's day-to-day programming. You will supervise and coach our Teaching Artists, manage school and community partners, track and report program results, and help build our arts-based SEL curriculum.

We are looking for an experienced educator who has coached teachers or teaching artists, can keep several programs running at once, and uses data to improve them.

• Recruit, onboard, and supervise Teaching Artists and interns.
• Plan and lead coaching cycles, observe Teaching Artists at program sites, and complete evaluations twice a year.
• Assign Teaching Artists to programs, approve their hours, and solve problems as they come up.
• Design and lead professional development, including training materials and recorded model lessons.
• Send regular Teaching Artist newsletters

• Respond promptly to email and Slack messages from Teaching Artists, partners, and staff.
• Handle communication before and after programs and events.
• Write program update newsletters for partners.

• Co-lead TSG's Ambassador Program.
• Recruit and coordinate volunteers for showcases and events, including City of Big Dreams and Hunt for Good.
• Lead family outreach and survey families, partners, and supporters.
• Thank supporters, donors, and volunteers, and help plan two appreciation events each year.
• Connect with supporters at TSG events and fundraisers.

• Serve as the main contact for school and community partners, including After School Matters and DFSS.
• Visit program sites to check quality, and teach when needed.
• Find new partners and set up new programs.
• Coordinate schedules, site setup, supplies, field trips, and student showcases.

• Collect pre/post assessments and other program data in
• Write accurate, on-time reports for partners, funders, and leadership.
• Share student success stories with the marketing team.

• Design arts-based SEL curricula for specific student groups, based on research and educational standards.
• Write lesson plans that Teaching Artists can deliver consistently at every site.
• Create formative and summative assessments.
• Contribute to special projects such as art activity books.

• Write program proposals and contribute to grant applications.
• Track grant requirements so programs meet funder deliverables, deadlines, and documentation rules.

• Track program spending and keep budgets on plan.
• Submit monthly expense reports and look for cost savings.
• Spend grant funds according to funder rules.

• 3+ years of experience in education, youth development, or arts programming.
• 2+ years supervising or coaching staff, teachers, or teaching artists.
• Skilled in writing lesson plans and using assessments.
• Proficiency in collecting data and writing clear, accurate reports.
• Strong organization and the ability to manage several programs at once.
• Clear, professional written and verbal communication.
• Ability to travel to program sites across…