BBBSEM Program Specialist for Umass Dartmouth / New Bedford Area

Program Services Coordinator 

Position: Program Services Coordinator – Match Support 

Work Location: Hybrid, sites located in Eastern Ma; South Coast Area

Hours per week: Full-Time 

Agency Description 

As the nation’s largest mentoring agency, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts (BBBSEM) is committed to promoting the healthy development of children through the nurturing of continuing, one-to-one friendships with caring responsible adults, supported by trained professional staff. To further our mission, we partner with schools, workplaces, and volunteers all over Eastern Mass. to bring our program and services closest to youth who need them. Our Program Services Coordinator – Match Support acts as the key agency contact for Bigs, Littles, and families to ensure the mentoring relationship grows strong and is safe, engaging, and meaningful for all. 

Role Summary  

As a Program Services Coordinator – Match Support, you will play a truly unique role in the healthy development of the Big and Little match relationship. You will be the first person in the agency to see the impact of our programs. Through phone calls, emails, and other events you will provide on-going match support to increase the quality and duration of the match relationship and identify any child safety issues for volunteers, children and their families. 

This position in particular will focus on supporting our matches in our UMass Dartmouth program, as well as community based matches in Easter MA.

Key Responsibilities 

• Frequently contact volunteers, parents, and youth according to agency standards via phone, email, in-person visits, and/or match events to increase the quality and duration of the match relationship and identify any child safety issues for volunteers, children and their families. 

• In each match contact, gather the appropriate information to make an assessment of the current state of the match and its needs. Recommend an action plan to ensure that the match moves forward appropriately and all parties have a positive experience 

• Document all match contacts in a timely and accurate manner and according to BBBS of America and agency standards 

• Actively encourage empathy, communication, and collaboration across match parties of different backgrounds 

• Collaborate closely with other staff – in program services and other departments – and to enable the most volunteers and children to be successfully matched 

• Share information with matches about activities, events and opportunities available through the agency  

• Refer volunteers, youth and parents to other services as needed. 

• Help plan, organize and attend agency-sponsored match activities for Bigs and Littles 

• When a match requires closing, conduct thorough discussions with volunteer, youth and guardian and perform accurate and timely write-up of match closure forms 

• Coordinate or lead special projects as assigned 

Basic Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree with one or more years of work experience, preferably in youth development, volunteer or program management, and/or education 

  Availability to work full-time. Hours may include evenings and weekends 

• Access to reliable internet and phone connections to perform work remotely

  Able to be in person for monthly UMass Dartmouth match events 

• Familiarity with Microsoft Office programs (excel, word, powerpoint, etc.)  

• Ability to communicate with professionalism, assertiveness, and empathy to large groups and individuals verbally and in writing 

• Willingness to commit to a minimum of 2-3 years in the role 

Desired Qualifications 

• Demonstrated comfort and ability to work with and motivate a wide variety of people, including youth and adults, with a preference for candidates with experience in racially, ethnically, and socio-economically diverse urban and/or recent immigrant communities 

• Ability to successfully work independently and in a team environment 

• Enthusiasm, creativity, a positive sense of humor, and a “can do” attitude 

• Proven organization and time management skills to complete a high volume of varied responsibilities in a fast paced setting 

• Excellent strategic problem-solving ability with a positive, “can do” attitude 

• Able to travel to sites where our programs are hosted throughout Boston 

• Excellent computer skills with knowledge of Salesforce, Microsoft Outlook & Teams is a plus