Persistence Coach

About Us 

The Greater Memphis area has more than 45,000 young adults, aged 16-24, who are out of school and out of work. Nearly half of these young adults are in poverty, and only 1% will be on the path to a living wage by the time they are 28.

The young adult population represents the next generation of community, business, and political leaders. It is imperative that they are equipped with the skills and supports that they need today in order to guide Memphis forward tomorrow. The Collective Blueprint advances a community framework that reflects the personal and economic aspirations of the city’s young populace.

The Collective Blueprint was started in 2016 and is the only local organization that is specifically tailored to the needs of young adults. We provide relationships, resources, and a network of support to help young adults discover and develop their unique talents in order to advance their personal and professional objectives. Our Vision is that all young adults have the power to live their best lives and the tools to make that a reality. 

The Collective Blueprint Model 

The Collective Blueprint is building the framework to reach economic equity for all young adults in the following ways: 

• Programs: Establish career pathways for young adults that will put them on track toward a living wage
• Advocacy: Advocate for equitable policies and programs that meet the unique needs of young adults
• Systemic Change: Bring about systemic change that will enable young adults to identify, pursue and achieve their life goals 

The Position Overview:

The Persistence Coach provides intensive support to our Leaders (i.e., program participants), during our program. Specifically, the coach builds relationships with each Leader, facilitates workshops and training sessions, and supports Leaders in creating a pathway plan and connecting with resources. Additionally, the coach meets regularly with Leaders for coaching sessions to set goals and outline next steps around school, careers, and other life areas. A great coach is skilled at communicating consistently, relentless at goal setting and follow-up, superb at navigating systems and resources, and creative in helping to inspire our Leaders. 

The Persistence Coach’s most important objective is to develop and cultivate a deep and meaningful relationship with each young adult while driving towards progress against professional and personal goals, among other coaching milestones; we want all young adults to succeed. Persistence Coaches are held accountable for the success of their cohort of young adults, specifically against the metrics of acceptance into school, completion of school, getting certified, placement in a career, as well as additional metrics for our high school programming.

Responsibilities: 

1. Building deep relationships and reaching goals  
   1. Builds strong and long-lasting positive relationships with young adults, specifically with your cohort of 20-25 young adults 
   2. Goes above and beyond to support young adults along their journey, and keeps in frequent contact with program participants (at least 2-3 times weekly, including occasional nights and weekends)
   3. Assists young adults in understanding their abilities, talents, interests, and personality characteristics in order to develop career options
   4. Plans, organizes, and conducts individual coaching sessions on a regular basis
2. Getting to and through school and to a career 
   1. Compiles and studies occupational, educational, and economic information to assist young adults in making and carrying out vocational and educational goals
   2. Becomes experts on pathways, paperwork requirements and application processes 
   3. Supports the application and retention process for school, and troubleshoots as barriers arise 
   4. Supports young adults through their employment placement process
3. Tracking progress and continually learning 
   1. Helps individuals create action/development plans
   2. Collects and maintains accurate and complete records and coaching notes on a weekly basis, including information on the following: goals, progress against goals, next steps, demographics, performance, and social development
   3. Supports data collection process for internal learning, as well as external grants 
4. Other responsibilities
   1. Facilitates some school success and job readiness workshops that may include resume writing, interview techniques, and additional soft skills training
   2. Occasional nights and weekends required
   3. Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• Demonstrated passion and experience helping young adults to understand and communicate their true value
• Possess a ‘Whatever it Takes’ attitude and approach to supporting young adults
• Bachelor’s degree strongly preferred; The Collective Blueprint will consider meaningful educational, work and/or military project management experience in exchange for degree requirements where appropriate
• Experienced in building, establishing, and maintaining effective relationships with young adults
• Strong, intuitive communicator who is comfortable presenting to, and engaging with, young adults
• Excellent organizational and data collection skills
• Demonstrated ability to carry out multiple tasks and meet deadlines
• Professional experience with nonprofits or a significant track record of social sector volunteerism
• High energy and positive attitude; shows passion about The Collective Blueprint’s mission

The Collective Blueprint is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to supporting and encouraging diversity in the workplace. We welcome our employees’ differences regardless of race, color, creed, religion, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, age, gender identity, disability or veteran status.

Flexible Work Arrangement

The TCB team enjoys a flexible work arrangement where some of our work can be done remotely. Our physical office in Memphis is always available for the team, and whenever gathering in-person is both safe and in service of our goals, we do so. For our education and career programs, we have found that in-person programming is more reliably effective and supports the development of relationships that are integral to our work with young adults and that work is typically delivered in a classroom setting. 

Application Instructions

To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter. This is an outstanding opportunity for a highly motivated professional to assume a pivotal role in the evolution of a fast-growing organization. We are seeking an individual of outstanding quality, with a proven track record and a passion for young adults. The Collective Blueprint is prepared to offer an attractive compensation package, as well as health, 401(k), and vacation benefits. Starting salary is $52,500, negotiable based on experience. We also provide relocation assistance for applicants 100+ miles from Memphis.