Job Openings
Programs manager, North Miami
• Hybrid (Remote & In-Person)
• Full-time (40 hours/week)
About Guitars Over Guns
Guitars Over Guns Organization (GOGO) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides music education and mentorship by pairing students from vulnerable communities in Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York with professional musicians. Our goal? To help them overcome challenges, discover their voice, and unleash their potential as future leaders. Since 2008, we’ve positively impacted over 10,000 students, boosting academic achievement and engagement.
About the Role
As the Programs Manager at Guitars Over Guns, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring the success of our school programs. Your key responsibilities include cultivating strong relationships with school staff and mentors, overseeing the seamless implementation of our GOGO curriculum, and being a driving force behind programmatic excellence. We are on the lookout for a proactive and organized leader who thrives on taking initiative and supporting their teams. You’ll do this through regular communication of business updates and crucial information to your team, fostering a collaborative and informed environment.
Reporting directly to the Miami Program Director, the Programs Manager will execute high-level administrative functions, contributing significantly to the growth and execution of our after-school and community-based initiatives. Your intuitive problem-solving skills, coupled with a positive “can-do” attitude, will be instrumental in overcoming any challenges and achieving success.
The Miami region operates 39 programs County-wide and serves 950 youth. Programs Managers directly manage between 9 and 12 of the 39 program sites, which includes approximately 30 independent contractors and 245 youth, and work in collaboration with the wider organization to make sure every site in the region is set up for student success. We pride ourselves on our office culture that values a sense of humor, collaboration, and curiosity, so come join our small, close-knit team where the “students first” mindset forms the core of our work.
Position Priorities
- Site Coordinator (SC) oversight: Each of our program locations is assigned one SC (similar to a Team Leader) who is a member of our Mentorship team that also provides on-the-ground leadership and logistical support. The Programs Manager oversees SC coaching and development for their respective sites.
- In-School Coordinator (ISC) oversight: Our ISCs are Miami-Dade County Public School educators and administrators who support the logistics, recruitment, and academic coaching at each of our school-based programs. The Programs Manager oversees ISC coaching and development at their respective sites.
- Student experiences and events: Manage logistics for student experiences and field trips with school partners, students, families and mentor teams.
- Data management: Maintain data-driven approach to improving program and student outcomes within internal Guitars Over Guns and external donor systems.
- Program observations and coaching: Conduct site visits and observations during after school hours. Leverage data to inform coaching plans for mentors and site teams. Guide each program site to ambitious musical, positive youth development and academic outcomes.
- Communicate effectively: Maintain the connection between the leadership team and mentors; establish and maintain a strong organizational culture.
About You
- Passionate about education, the arts and community impact
- Able to manage multiple projects and deadlines at once
- Technologically savvy; comfortable learning new software
- Detail-oriented
- Comfortable working independently and taking leadership
Desired experience
- Knowledgeable about systemic barriers facing youth of color and youth from low-income backgrounds
- Prior experience in arts administration or the education field
- Prior experience overseeing team projects or leading teams
- Experience in program management
- Prior musical experience as a performer or with an arts organization
- Prior experience with Salesforce, Asana and Google Workspace desired but not required
Work Demands
- Willingness to work some weekends and evenings as needed based on program schedules, events and partnership opportunities
- Able to travel independently to various programming sites around Miami frequently during work hours
- All Guitars Over Guns employees are required to complete a Level II background check through Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Benefits
Guitars Over Guns offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience. Benefits include: Health insurance at no additional cost; 401(k) with 3% employer match (eligible after 6 months of employment); Paid Time Off (PTO) structure as well as 18 federal & cultural holidays off per year; parental, medical, and bereavement leave; Hybrid in-person and remote workplace.
Compensation
Salary range, $52,000 – $57,000
TO APPLY: Please send a resume and cover letter to jobs@guitarsoverguns.org with “Programs Manager, Miami” in the subject line.
Program Director - Miami
• Hybrid (Remote & In-Person)
• Full-time (40 hours/week)
About Guitars Over Guns
Guitars Over Guns Organization (GOGO) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides music education and mentorship by pairing students from vulnerable communities in Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City with professional musicians. Our goal? To help them overcome challenges, discover their voice, and unleash their potential as future leaders. Since 2008, we’ve positively impacted over 10,000 students, boosting academic achievement and engagement.
About the Role
GOGO Miami is seeking a Program Director (PD) to lead the day-to-day operations of the Programming Department, directly managing three Programs Managers (PMs). Each PM manages 6-8 program sites, each site with two to five professional teaching artists, who we refer to as “mentors”. Annually, we operate 29 program sites county-wide and serve ~1,000 youth.
The PD reports to the Regional Director and serves on Miami’s Senior Leadership Team. They are accountable for the highest quality implementation of our after-school, community-based and summer programs. The ideal candidate is a problem solver who likes change and innovation while controlling the big picture. We are looking for an innovative “outside the box” thinker who is undaunted by failure.
Position Priorities
- Student results: Responsible for implementing and upholding program design that ignites results, including artistic skill development and social emotional learning (SEL) growth
- Mentor recruitment and hiring: Oversee the mentor recruitment, onboarding, and placement process
- Partnership management: Building and maintaining relationships with school leaders
- Student experiences and events: Setting a vision for and activating team members to execute major student events over the course of the year, including our annual Music Video Project, student field trips, and student showcases
- Data management: Maintain data-driven approach to improving program and student outcomes; ensure GOGO survey tools are implemented with fidelity
- Grant reporting: Maintain internal Guitars Over Guns and external donor systems with foundation partners and ensure grant reports are accurate and timely
- Program observations and coaching: Conduct weekly site visits and observations during after school hours. Leverage data to support PM created coaching plans for mentors and site teams. Guide each program site to ambitious musical outcomes
- Site Coordinator (SC) meeting management: Facilitate bi-weekly meetings with SCs to ensure alignment and program excellence across all sites (SCs are team leads at each site)
About You
- Passionate about the arts and community impact
- High degree of discernment around quality music instruction and performance
- 3+ years of management experience including overseeing team projects
- Able to manage multiple projects and deadlines at once
- Technologically savvy; comfortable using and learning new software
- Risk-taker, socially poised and motivating team builder
- Positive response to pressure
- Quick decision making in response to changing conditions
Desired Experience
- Prior musical experience as a performer
- Prior experience in arts administration or the education field
- Knowledgeable about systemic barriers facing youth of color and youth from low-income backgrounds
- Prior experience with Salesforce, Asana, and Google Workspace
Work Demands
- Willingness to work some weekends and evenings as needed based on program schedules, events, and partnership opportunities
- Able to travel independently to various programming sites around Miami frequently during work hours
- Complete a Level II background check through Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Benefits
Guitars Over Guns offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience. Benefits include: Health insurance at no additional cost; 401(k) with 3% employer match (eligible after 6 months of employment); Paid Time Off (PTO) structure as well as 18 federal & cultural holidays off per year; parental, medical, and bereavement leave; Hybrid in-person and remote workplace.
TO APPLY: Please send a resume and cover letter to jobs@guitarsoverguns.org with “Program Director, Miami” in the subject line.
Mentor (Rolling Application)
Our mentors come from different walks of life and artistic paths, all connected by their love for the arts and a passion to pay it forward. They are Guitars Over Guns’ heart and soul, implementing and customizing our comprehensive curriculum that uses arts-based mentoring as a powerful intervention tool for young people.
GOGO Mentors are professional musicians and performing artists who bring a high caliber of artistic expertise to the classroom. They are excited about serving their community, passionate about introducing youth to the power of music and the arts, and committed to being a steadfast, guiding presence in the lives of our students. The Mentor role is a year-long position, and mentors will be assigned a school site within our partner school districts. Each school site meets twice per week during after-school hours. Additional hours may include special activities, such as field trips.
We accept mentor applications year-round on a rolling basis in all four of our regions of operation (Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York City). Applicants will be notified when they are being considered for an opening.
Job Description
☑ Mentor must have the ability to perform and teach at least one of the following: piano, vocals, drums, guitar, bass, rap, creative writing, spoken word, songwriting, music production, or visual art.
☑ Serve as a role model for students in the musical craft of their choice, which includes learning techniques as well as stage presence and performance.
☑ Implement Guitars Over Guns’ provided Positive Youth Development (PYD) activities, strategies, techniques, and tools.
☑ Manage a classroom of students with a team to align with programmatic and student goals.
☑ Create lesson plans to guide students and teammates through the day. This can include bringing materials for student learning.
☑ Maintain a program structure that supports student learning and shares power with students.
☑ Communicate with students as an advocate and ally, depending on the specific goals and objectives negotiated with the mentee.
Roles & Responsibilities
Application Instructions
Click on your city of residence below to apply!
Mentor (WELLNESS)
Guitars Over Guns Organization (GOGO) is a nationally recognized, award-winning nonprofit that is challenging the perception of what is possible for youth who experience the power of music-based mentorship. We place teams of professional teaching artists in after-school and community-based programs to provide a powerful combination of music education and mentoring at no cost to youth from vulnerable communities in Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago and New York City.
Position overview
GOGO is seeking a Wellness Mentor (WM) for the 2024-2025 school year. The Wellness Mentor promotes greater participant well-being by creating safe, brave and supportive spaces for participants.
Wellness Mentors support participants in exploring and achieving goals, increasing healthy coping strategies, and encouraging responsible decision-making through a positive, strengths-focused, trauma-informed approach.
The Wellness Mentor reports to the Director of Mental Health and Wellness. The ideal candidate is a mental health professional, who takes initiative and who is able to work well independently and on a team.
Key Responsibilities
The Wellness Mentor is accountable for the highest quality implementation of our M-Power Mental Health Program.
- Group Facilitation: Facilitate Opening Circles during sessions, including group discussions and activities that connect participants’ life experiences with their artistic experiences
- Individual Wellness Coaching: Engage in 1:1 coaching conversations with participants focused on identifying obstacles, and developing healthy coping skills and wellness goals to improve their overall social-emotional development and wellness
- Crisis and Case Management: Support participants during crisis/red flag situations as needed,
Documentation and Data Management: Maintain participant progress notes, create skill-based action plans to support participants in achieving wellness goals, and assess all participants using the CGAS (Children’s Global Assessment Score)
Necessary Qualities
The Wellness Mentor is accountable for the highest quality implementation of our M-Power Mental Health Program.
- Maintain a safe, brave and respectful environment for students to discuss their challenges and goals
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team with participants, mentors, and school staff
- Strong interpersonal skills, strengths-based, trauma-informed, healing-centered approach
- High degree of discernment around confidentiality and disclosure
- Excellent communication (in-person and online)
- Growth mindset with a desire to continually update their knowledge and skills, and embody coaching best practices
- Quick decision making in response to changing conditions or crisis
- Technologically savvy; comfortable learning new software
- Organized, dependable, and reliable
- Passionate about mental health and wellness
Desired Experience
- Associate or bachelor’s degree in psychology, sociology, counseling, or health and behavioral sciences or related field
- 2-3+ years workings with youth, especially youth of color
- Knowledgeable about systemic barriers facing youth of color and youth from low-income backgrounds
- Prior experience in mental health field
- Prior experience facilitating groups
- Prior experience working on a team
- Prior experience with Google Workspace, desired but not required
Work Demands
- Ability to commit to the Wellness Mentor position for one academic year
- Willingness to work some weekends and evenings as needed based on program schedules, events, and partnership opportunities
- Able to travel independently to various programming sites
- All Guitars Over Guns contractors are required to complete a Level II background check through Miami-Dade County Public Schools in Miami and through Chicago Public Schools and After School Matters in Chicago
- Completion of the YMHFA Certification and other additional trainings (paid)
Application Instructions
Click on your city of residence below to apply!