Program Manager

About Minds Matter Bay Area

Minds Matter is a national nonprofit organization that connects driven and determined students from low-income families with the people, preparation, and possibilities to succeed in college, create their future, and change the world. Since 1991, every Minds Matter student across the country has been accepted to a four-year college — helping to address the widespread issue of college undermatching. Their success is rooted in holistic programming and a unique, volunteer-powered model that fosters deep, long-standing relationships between students and mentors.

Founded in 2010, Minds Matter Bay Area (MMBay) is one of 14 chapters in the national network. To date, MMBay has graduated over 200 students — 100% have been accepted to four-year colleges, and 75% attend some of the most selective institutions in the country.

Our free weekly programming is delivered by a powerful network of volunteers who mentor, teach, and walk alongside students on their journey to — and through — college. We are driven by equity, relationships, and a deep belief in the brilliance and potential of our students.

Learn more at www.mindsmatterbay.org.

About the Role

Are you an inspiring education or nonprofit leader with a passion for empowering driven students from low-income families? Minds Matter Bay Area is seeking a dynamic and experienced Program Manager to execute, specialize in, and ensure the operational success of our impactful college access initiatives. Reporting to the Director of Programs, the Program Manager leads the operational execution of MMBay’s college access programming, coordinating mentors, volunteers, and student participants to ensure high quality program delivery.

Minds Matter Bay Area is in an entrepreneurial stage of growth, which will require the Program Manager to think creatively, resourcefully, and with an action-oriented mindset. We are looking for a passionate individual who is excited by our mission, and who can both lead at the highest level, and be on the ground in the day-to-day work, as we continue to strengthen and grow the organization over time.

During the school year (September to June), regular workdays for this position are Tuesday through Saturday. This role requires frequent in-person meetings in San Francisco, San Jose, and Saturday sessions, at least 2-3 days in person per week.

Key Responsibilities

The key responsibilities for the Program Manager role include, but are not limited to:

Program Coordination and Planning

• Track, analyze, and report on key program performance indicators (KPIs) to drive learning and impact.
• Own and execute the program calendar and communications.
• Coordinate and deliver onboarding and training for volunteer leaders, mentors, and staff.
• Cultivate relationships with partner high schools, colleges, and other CBOs.
• Develop and lead a culturally responsive caregiver and community engagement strategy.
• Support with curriculum planning and delivery strategy for volunteers.

Events and Community Celebrations

• Lead the planning, execution, and continuous improvement of all program events, including graduation, end of year celebration, milestone events, orientations, trainings, and community gatherings.
• Serve as the primary owner for event timelines, logistics, run of show, and cross functional coordination with staff, volunteers, students, and caregivers.
• Partner with volunteers, students, and caregivers to design events that reflect MMBay’s values, celebrate milestones, and strengthen community belonging.
• Manage event operations including venue coordination, vendors, materials, accessibility needs, and day of execution.
• Ensure events are welcoming, well organized, and culturally responsive, with clear communication before, during, and after each event.
• Gather feedback after events to inform improvements and strengthen future experiences.

Program Execution

• Serve as the primary point of contact for urgent student concerns, collaborating with the Director of Programs for specialized support while ensuring ongoing engagement and care from our team.
• Leading and supporting MMBay’s volunteer-led Program Leadership Team (PLT) across two sites (San Jose and San Francisco), ensuring strong execution of , recruitment, training, and session programming.
• In partnership with the Director of Programs, oversee Saturday sessions, including operations, while ensuring that minimum attendance requirements are met and volunteers are prepared to facilitate the curriculum.
• Manage end-to-end data collection processes and maintain accurate, reliable student records in Salesforce; provide consistent oversight and process improvement for volunteers partnering with us to carry out this work.

Recruitment Strategy and Execution

• Support and coordinate volunteer-led Mentee Recruitment (MR) and Volunteer Recruitment (VR) teams, ensuring all student and volunteer roles are filled ahead of each fall cohort launch.
• Coach and support recruitment volunteers with a leadership-through-influence approach, recognizing and honoring their ownership while guiding strategy, execution, and continuous improvement.
• Support with administrative onboarding tasks for new volunteers and students.
• Analyze recruitment trends and feedback to identify barriers, refine outreach strategies, and strengthen recruitment outcomes year over year.

Qualifications

We recognize that great candidates may not meet every single requirement listed below. If you're excited about this role and believe you can contribute meaningfully to our team, we encourage you to apply — even if your experience looks a little different.

Note: A background check, fingerprinting and a reference check will also be a part of the process.

Required:

• Minimum of 3-5 years of professional experience in education, youth development, nonprofit program management, or a related field
• Demonstrated success overseeing volunteer teams and/or nonprofit programs
• Experience with event planning, possessing the spark to make special moments for the community and students
• Strong relationship skills, project management, problem-solving, and organizational skills, with the ability to balance strategy and execution
• Self-starter who thrives in fast-paced, evolving environments and is comfortable building systems and structures from the ground up
• Highly detail-oriented and responsible, with proven ability to execute basic project and program management functions, including strong organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Proven ability to coach and lead through influence, managing without formal authority, and demonstrating strong relationship management skills for effective pipeline oversight of students, mentors, and volunteers.
• Flexible, collaborative team member who’s willing to pitch in and “wear multiple hats” when needed
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage across lines of difference
• Bachelor’s degree is required with preference in education, psychology, child development, or a related field
• Availability to work Saturdays (September - June) and frequently in evenings for meetings with volunteers.
• Ability and willingness to travel between San Francisco and San Jose program sites. Access to a vehicle is strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with the Bay Area's educational landscape and communities.

Preferred:

• Experience supporting volunteer-led programs, particularly in a high-accountability/ high-autonomy environment
• Experience running programs for first-generation college students or historically underrepresented communities
• Background in culturally responsive teaching, youth leadership development, or mentoring
• Familiarity with Salesforce, Google Suite, or other program management/data systems
• Experience in cross-functional collaboration with development, operations, or external partners
• Bilingual (Mandarin/English or Spanish/English) proficiency.

Location and Benefits

• This is a Bay Area-based position that will require regular travel between San Francisco and San Jose.
• The position will include a mix of in-person and virtual/remote work, with much time attending in-person meetings and required Saturday sessions. During the school year (September to June), regular workdays for this position are Tuesday through Saturday.
• When not traveling between sites for sessions or other in-person meetings, employees work from home.
• Minds Matter is committed to sustainability and supports staff in taking time off to balance evening and weekend hours.
• We do not negotiate when making offers, as we don’t want to make decisions about pay based on those who are the most persuasive or who advocate most effectively. Minds Matter Bay Area is committed to internal equity for salary and benefits and therefore does not negotiate compensation.
• Benefits include flexible paid time off, health insurance stipend and 3% 401K monthly contribution

Starting Salary: $75,000

Apply

Applications must be submitted through our website. Applications submitted through any other medium will not be considered. The Application deadline is January 15, 2026. The search process will encompass three rounds of interviews and a thought exercise with various members of the organization.

Core Values

We are looking for someone who is deeply committed to living out and modeling Minds Matter Bay Area’s core values:

• We Show Up – We are present, reliable, and ready to support one another.
• We Do the Hard Work – We embrace challenges and take responsibility.
• We Believe and Persist – We stay hopeful and keep going, even when it's tough.
• We Prioritize Communication – We value transparency and honest dialogue.
• We Practice Emotional Courage – We lead with heart and aren’t afraid to be vulnerable.
• We Are the Culture – We shape and protect the culture we want to be part of.

To learn more and to apply, visit www.mindsmatterbay.org/careers.