Program Manager of Youth Engagement

Summary

Description

Rocky Mountain Partnership Cradle to Career^TM (RMP) unites the community to support children and young people up to age 35 in achieving critical milestones from cradle to career so that every child and young person, regardless of their background or circumstance, is thriving and contributing to a vibrant economy.
Guided by a globally recognized framework, data, and our core values, we are committed to working collaboratively, engaging diverse community voices, and driving measurable results through shared accountability and innovative solutions. We break down silos within existing efforts, optimize regional resources, and advance impactful policies and strategies.

RMP has set an ambitious target to ensure an additional 71K children and young people (up to age 35) who are not currently meeting Cradle to Career milestones achieve these critical steps for upward mobility by 2030.

POSITION OVERVIEW
The Program Manager of Youth Engagement ensures youth voices are meaningfully represented in RMP’s work. Acting as a bridge between young people, families, and decision-makers, this role supports the Civic Influencer Fellowship and leads initiatives that connect youth perspectives with data to influence strategies and decisions. Success depends on building trusted relationships with youth and families while collaborating with organizational leaders and community partners to advance RMP’s goals.

ABOUT THE CIVIC INFLUENCER FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
The Civic Influencer program empowers young people aged 16-24 impacted by regional challenges. Through a nine-month fellowship, participants gain a deep understanding of local issues, engage in collective projects, and develop crucial leadership skills with mentorship support. The program aims to equip these young leaders with confidence, relationships, and real-world experience to drive change in their communities. Civic Influencers take part in hands-on activities that enhance their ability to advocate effectively and ensure their voices are heard across the region. This role works closely with the Youth Engagement Lead throughout the fellowship.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Civic Influencer Fellowship Program

• Lead the planning, implementation, and continuous improvement of RMP’s Civic Influencer Fellowship, ensuring a high-quality, youth-centered experience.
• Oversee fellowship operations, including budget management, recruitment, curriculum development, stipends, mentorship, experiential learning, and safeguarding practices.
• Manage fellowship cohorts, giving young people opportunities to develop leadership skills, participate in advocacy efforts, and engage in community decision-making.
• Build partnerships and connections that support fellows' development and create opportunities for continued leadership following graduation.
• Evaluate program effectiveness, communicate outcomes to stakeholders, and incorporate best practices and learning from RMP’s Civic Influencer Network

Youth Design Sessions

• Plan and facilitate youth-centered design sessions that engage young people in reviewing data, identifying challenges, and co-creating solutions.
• Recruit and prepare youth participants, ensuring sessions are accessible, inclusive, and engaging.
• Collaborate with RMP staff and community partners to translate youth input into actionable recommendations that inform organizational strategies and priorities.

Youth Engagement Across RMP’s Collective Work

• Lead efforts to integrate meaningful youth voice and leadership across RMP’s collective work, including Big Bets, Target Champions, the Community Leadership Council, and Board initiatives.
• Serve as a resource to RMP staff and partners on effective youth engagement practices, including recruitment, facilitation, consent, safeguarding, and participant incentives.
• Build and maintain relationships with school districts, community organizations, families, and other partners to expand youth engagement and leadership opportunities.
• Coordinate youth participation in focus groups, research, community discussions, and other engagement activities.
• Translate youth perspectives and data into reports, presentations, and recommendations for RMP leadership, school boards, funders, and community decision-makers.
• Track recommendations and commitments resulting from youth engagement efforts and communicate outcomes back to young people and families.

General

• Represent RMP at local, regional, and national functions as needed.
• Maintain a database of youth engagement projects and deliverables.
• Other duties as assigned.

WHO YOU ARE

• You believe young people are leaders today, and they can tell you want to be in the room.
• You’re a bridge: credible in a boardroom and at a parent’s kitchen table. This role requires connecting and building trust across our ecosystem.
• You think in systems: you distill what you hear, connect it to data, and push for change.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum of 3 years of demonstrated experience successfully managing programs or initiatives, including planning, implementation, coordination, and evaluation, preferably in youth development, community engagement, civic leadership, or a related field.
• Experience designing and facilitating sessions, workshops, or focus groups with youth or community members.
• Experience working with young people and a genuine understanding of and empathy for the challenges they face.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• We strongly prefer a candidate who has worked or is living in the region or commits to learning about the region.
• Our ideal candidate is bilingual, Spanish-speaking.

COMPETENCIES

• Contagious enthusiasm for youth engagement and community-driven change.
• Courageous, transparent leadership rooted in trust and equity.
• Strategic thinker who anticipates challenges and adapts.
• Strong communicator who can engage diverse stakeholders and facilitate collaboration.
• Skilled facilitator, able to design and lead sessions that center youth voice.
• Continuous improvement mindset with openness to feedback and learning.
• Deep awareness of identity, power, and privilege, and commitment to dismantling inequities.

KEY SKILLS

• Youth Facilitation: Designing and leading working sessions, design sessions, focus groups, fellowship curriculum; where young people drive the content and decisions, not just attend.
• Program & Budget Management: Running the Civic Influencer Fellowship end-to-end: budget, stipends, timelines, deliverables, and staffing, with strong ownership and accountability
• Relationship Building & Stakeholder Management: Building trust with fellows, mentors, community navigators, schools, funders, and regional partners simultaneously.
• Embody Community Voice: Comfort with focus groups, interviews, surveys, and similar qualitative methods, plus knowing how to adapt them for youth participants specifically.
• Coaching & Mentorship: Supporting fellows’ growth as leaders, including springboarding graduates into further leadership roles.
• Equity Lens: Practical skill, not just awareness, in navigating power dynamics, identity, and privilege in mixed-age or mixed-power rooms.

WORKING CONDITIONS
Work Environment:
This role involves a combination of remote work, in-office work at RMP’s main location, and participation in meetings and sessions at community spaces. Most work will occur during standard business hours, with occasional evening or weekend commitments. Reasonable accommodations will be made for individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties of the job.

Physical Requirements:
To perform this job successfully, the employee must be able to sit, stand, walk, talk, listen, operate a computer, drive a vehicle, and occasionally lift or move items over 10 pounds. Reasonable accommodations will be made as needed. Vision requirements include the ability to see up close and at a distance, perceive depth, and adjust focus.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
RMP offers competitive salary and benefits, commensurate with experience and skills. The starting salary range for this position is $65,000-$80,000. The position offers schedule flexibility and a strong benefits package, including a Simple IRA retirement plan with employer match, health, dental, and vision insurance, paid holidays, and paid time off.