Education & Youth Development

Since 1995, Futures and Options has empowered New York City’s youth, particularly youth of color and students from historically underrepresented communities, to acquire transferable professional skills, pursue higher education, and successfully compete in a global 21st century economy. We collaborate with New York City employers to provide transformative career development opportunities to young people, enabling them to succeed in college and inspiring them to pursue meaningful careers.

Our programs include: The Internship Program, which provides paid, mentored internships and career development workshops to students age 16 to 19 years old; Career Essentials, our hands-on career-readiness and career exploration program that provides opportunities for students to practice and improve their interpersonal, communication, and other relevant work-related skills; The Externship Experience, a remote career exploration and skill-building program focused on growing industries; the College Guidance Initiative, which helps students navigate the college application and selection process; and Alumni Engagement Programming, which provides continued work-readiness, mentoring, career exploration, and networking opportunities to alumni as they navigate their way through school and plan for future careers.

Reporting to the Program Director, the Business Engagement Manager cultivates and supports the network of Futures and Options’ business partners, which include small, mid-size and multi- national businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies.

The Business Engagement Manager will:
·      Support the development and implementation of a comprehensive business engagement strategy that aligns with Futures and Options’ mission and program goals, and honors our student-centered priorities when engaging with business partners.

·      Work closely with business partners and industry representatives to learn about the needs and skills required for interns to be successful employees, develop strong job descriptions, and inform work-readiness curriculum.

·      Manage and support relationships with Futures and Options’ partners and prospects, including facilitating introductions, program support, logistics and follow up, as needed.

·      Cultivate and recruit prospective business partners who can provide paid internships to Futures and Options students and participate in career exploration activities.

·      Supervise Business Engagement staff, providing support, mentoring, coaching and oversight.

·      Develop short-and long-term metrics to monitor and evaluate the activities and progress of the business engagement strategy.

·      Conduct business partner supervisor orientations and develop supervisor resources as needed.

·      Maintain a data tracking system to ensure accurate records of prospecting activities including recruiting calls, presentations, successful partnerships, follow-up activities and contacts.

·      Produce pitch decks, brochures, one-pagers and other marketing materials to increase awareness of Futures and Options’ career development programs and business engagement opportunities.

·      Serve as liaison to the Board of Directors’ Business Engagement Committee, facilitating committee meetings and producing Board reports.

·      Collaborate closely with program, finance and administrative staff to ensure effective and efficient operations of employer partnerships, including The Internship Program, Career Essentials and The Externship Experience.

 A Successful Candidate Will:
·      Demonstrate a strong commitment to social justice and the mission of Futures and Options;

·      Have excellent interpersonal, listening, written and verbal communication skills — empathy, growth-mindset and flexibility are also key skills for this role;

·      Maintain a resourceful mindset with the ability to work independently, take initiative and manage multiple tasks and projects;

·      Demonstrate a track record of working collaboratively with diverse teams, with the ability to network and build partnerships and alliances;

·      Demonstrate experience incorporating the perspectives of multiple communities in the consideration of impacts and outcomes of a decision-making process;

·      Possess strong project management skills and a track record of successful project design and management;

·      Have computer proficiency and knowledge of MS Office, including strong Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint skills. Experience using Salesforce or a similar database preferred.

·      Bachelor’s Degree required, with at least 3-5 years of relevant work experience in a related field.

Salary & Benefits: Starting salary range is $60,000-$65,000. Futures and Options offers generous benefits, including medical and dental insurance, transit pre-tax accounts, three weeks paid vacation, five personal days, paid sick leave, a commitment to work-life balance and ample professional development opportunities. We also enjoy summer Fridays and 9 paid holidays.

 How to Apply:
Please email resume and cover letter to [email protected], with “Business Engagement Manager” as the subject line.

Applicants who obtain a conditional job offer will be required to demonstrate that they have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or qualify for a medical or religious accommodation to this vaccination requirement before beginning employment. Final candidates are subject to a background check. This position is a hybrid position; employees are required to be in the office at least 2 to 3 days/week.

Futures and Options is an Equal Opportunity Employer and we are committed to an equitable and inclusive program and a diverse staff team. Candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.