Statewide Quality Coach

Statewide Quality Coach

Location: Michigan (local to assigned region, with some statewide travel)

Reports To: 21CCLC Coaching Lead

Employment Type: Independent Contractor (1099)

Contract Dates: September 30, 2025 – September 30, 2026

Compensation: $30/hour, approximately 15–20 hours per week

About the Forum for Youth Investment: Founded in 1998, the Forum for Youth Investment is a trusted national nonprofit committed to improving outcomes for youth (ages 5–24) in education, work, and life. The Forum is a national leader in youth development policy and practice, known for turning research into action. The Forum champions programs and policies that treat young people as experts in their own lives, amplifying their voices and honoring their experiences. At the same time, we support the adults and organizations who work with youth by offering practical tools, training, coaching, and research to help them improve how they show up for young people.

The Opportunity: The Forum is seeking five (5) Statewide Quality Coaches to provide direct coaching to staff at Michigan's 21st Century Community Learning Center (21CCLC) programs. Using individual and organizational performance data along with external observations, the Coaches will facilitate high-quality, research-based coaching cycles to strengthen positive youth development practices and build the capacity of afterschool and summer learning staff. Coaches should reside in, or within commuting distance to, one of the following locations: Detroit, Traverse City, Muskegon, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, or Lansing.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Site Coordinators to identify staff for coaching and modeling sessions.
• Establish and refine coaching priorities using data, observations, and practitioner feedback.
• Facilitate structured four-session coaching cycles with practitioners.
• Conduct external observations using the Program Quality Assessment (PQA).
• Score and analyze PQA assessments and provide constructive feedback.
• Lead observation-reflection sessions to assess practitioner growth.
• Model and co-lead activities with staff to demonstrate effective youth development practices.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will bring deep experience in youth development, training, and coaching. They will be committed to advancing equity, supporting practitioner growth, and modeling effective youth engagement practices. This individual will be a skilled facilitator, effective collaborator, and strong communicator, with a demonstrated ability to inspire and guide adult learners.

Qualifications (Preferred)

• Bachelor's degree in education, youth development, social work, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 3–5 years of experience as a teacher or youth worker in afterschool programs or community-based education.
• Experience working in OST (Out-of-School Time) or 21st CCLC centers.
• Demonstrated ability to perform youth development practices on the PQA at level five.
• Strong communication, facilitation, data analysis, and collaboration skills.
• Familiarity with the Youth Program Quality Improvement (YPQI) approach.
• Completion of External Assessor Reliability Training (EART).
• Training-of-Trainers certification in Youth Work Methods and/or Youth Work Management.
• Experience providing coaching, mentoring, or professional development for adult learners.

Working Conditions: Approximately 15-20 hours per week for 40 weeks. Recruited statewide to serve programs in local regions, with some travel to additional sites as needed. Flexible scheduling to accommodate coaching sessions and training meetings. This is a term-limited independent contractor (1099) position beginning September 30, 2025 and concluding September 30, 2026.

How to Apply: Please submit a resume and cover letter. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and candidates selected for interviews will be contacted directly.