Program Lead – Outreach & Community Relations

Kids Rank is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit built specifically for military-connected children. Founded in 2012 in Great Lakes, IL, home to the largest population of active-duty, military-connected school-aged children in the state, we're the only organization of our kind delivering ongoing, peer-to-peer programming focused on military kids' needs.

Military children face unique challenges: frequent moves, parental deployments, and the isolation that can come with starting over in new schools. Through in-school and after-school groups led by trained Pride Leaders, we help kids build resilience through our three pillars:
CONNECT, LEAD, and SERVE. Today we serve 200+ children annually across 9 schools and satellite locations.

The Outreach Program Lead is the public-facing heart of our direct service work. Based at Forrestal Village Chapel with regular travel to school sites and events, you'll coach Pride Leaders in the field, build relationships with schools, families, and community and military partners, and help bring our events to life. You'll partner closely with the Executive Director and our Administrative Program Lead, who handles curriculum, data, and logistics.

• Visit school sites to observe Pride groups, coach Leaders on curriculum delivery, classroom management, and engagement, and support them when challenges arise
• Build and maintain face-to-face relationships with school staff, administrators, and community partners
• Develop partnerships for events and free or low-cost volunteer opportunities for kids
• Work with our Events Coordinator to plan and run events, workshops, and family engagement opportunities
• Communicate with families, gather feedback, and share field observations and participation data through weekly check-ins

• Experience working with children
• Military experience or a military connection
• Strong, empathetic communication with people from a range of backgrounds
• Adaptability, patience, and problem-solving skills
• Reliable transportation for regular travel between school sites and events

• Organizational and computer skills
• Experience with Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) techniques
• A degree, certification, or coursework in child development or mental health
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, with 50% of premiums covered
• Paid holidays: one week at Thanksgiving, two weeks over winter break, and one week in summer
• Hybrid flexibility, combining in-person site work with some remote work