Accelerator Associate Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

Job Title: Associate, Program Facilitation

Team: Central Accelerator

Location: Hybrid in Chicago (IL) and New York (NYC)

Employment Type: Full-time

FLSA Classification: Non-exempt

Start Date: ASAP

Braven is a national nonprofit that prepares promising college students to secure a strong first opportunity after college graduation through a career-accelerating program.

We work with higher education and employer partners to offer a life-changing experience that begins with a semester-long course for college students, followed by support that lasts through graduation.

Together, our ambition is to help rebuild the middle class and revitalize the American Dream.

To learn more, take a look at Braven’s Jobs.

In order to achieve its ambition of serving 80,000–100,000 Fellows over the next decade, Braven is hiring an Associate, Program Facilitation (“Facilitator”). As a Facilitator, you'll create engaging learning experiences both virtually via Zoom and through impactful in-person moments (three key sessions each semester). You'll be instrumental in shaping the journey of our Fellows, equipping them with the skills and confidence they need to launch successful careers.

Joining the Central Accelerator Team and reporting to the Director of Learning Lab Success, you'll play a pivotal role in Braven's continued growth and evolution, directly contributing to our mission to expand our reach and impact.

Facilitation of the Accelerator (35%)

• Facilitate the Accelerator course year-round, including fall, spring, and summer terms, delivering 3–5 sections each week. You should be prepared to facilitate during both daytime and evening hours, with up to 3 evening sections per week.
• Provide dynamic, inclusive instruction using an established, research-backed curriculum that caters to diverse learning styles.
• Foster a collaborative and motivating learning environment, leveraging a range of facilitation techniques to ensure active Fellow participation and engagement.
• Contextualize high-quality course materials and resources in line with the needs of the higher ed partner and the broader organizational curriculum strategy.
• Within specific parameters, customize curriculum where appropriate to account for student needs and interests.
• Lead impactful in-person Learning Labs each semester (up to 3 per section), fostering vital face-to-face connections between Fellows and their volunteer Leadership Coaches.

Collaboration for Fellow Success (35%)

• Work closely with other Accelerator teammates to identify Fellows who may be at risk or require additional support.
• Implement lower-stakes student support interventions and follow-up to encourage consistent Fellow engagement and success.
• Provide base-level direction and live support for Leadership Coaches to ensure a strong Fellow course experience.

Fellow Support & Engagement (25%)

• Fellow Communication
• Send weekly communications to Fellows about upcoming Learning Labs and events.
• Monitor and respond to Fellow outreach with a strong customer focus.
• Community Building & Fellow Support
• Build relationships and community with Fellows and Leadership Coaches.
• Actively listen and provide feedback while also connecting Fellows to additional resources as needed.
• Review weekly qualitative feedback from Fellows, highlighting and acting upon trends.
• Solicit feedback on the course from Fellows, Leadership Coaches, and others.
• Serve as the face of the Accelerator, problem-solving with Fellows who have any issues that come up (course, content, life, etc.).

Team Collaboration & Knowledge Sharing (5%)

• Actively engage with cross-functional teams to capture and document best practices, innovative strategies, and critical insights
• Establish a repository of shared knowledge that will inform and refine this team’s growth strategy and enable Braven to grow its impact
• Collaborate with other Program Facilitators and Program Managers to problem-solve, perform peer observations, and contribute to a community of learning to promote best practices across sites
• Proactively identify role and team development opportunities by assessing data, Fellow and volunteer feedback, and other performance metrics, and facilitate a culture of continuous learning
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree
• 0-2 years of experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Excellent presentation skills and comfort engaging a range of audiences and learners, both in-person and via Zoom
• Natural relationship-builder and communicator who confidently initiates conversations with new people, builds trust quickly across lines of difference, and engages with authenticity and empathy. Brings natural energy and comfort with public speaking and thrives in environments where you’re responsible for setting the tone, energy, and overall vibe.
• Impeccable written and verbal communication skills and ability to tailor messages for the appropriate audience
• Excitement for and success at coaching college students of varying profiles and ages
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, with a strong interest in developing analytical skills to inform decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and projects simultaneously, while maintaining high-quality execution and building in contingency plans to adapt when things shift.
• Experience and comfort with, or ability to quickly learn, Zoom, Slack, G Suite, Excel, and Tableau.
• Exemplification of Braven’s core values
• Experience that has informed your belief in Braven’s mission and has prepared you to work with, or for, Braven’s student Fellow population

Please know that no one ever meets 100% of the preferred qualifications. If much of this describes you, we encourage you to apply.

Work Demands

• Ability to work in person in Chicago (IL) and New York (NYC) at least 3 days per week
• Ability to work in person at the campus up to 10 times per semester
• Travel up to 3 times per year to Braven’s higher ed partners and for Braven team gatherings
• Ability to consistently work an adjusted schedule to support the facilitation of weekly programming up to 3 evenings per week throughout the year and 1 weekend per semester

Additional Requirements

• Authorized to work in the U.S.

• Braven doesn’t offer employment visa sponsorship

Application & Interview Process

While the interview process varies slightly, the general process will be:

• Phone screen with Talent Team member
• Performance Task & Interview with Hiring Manager
• Panel Interview with Key Partners
• Reference Checks

Benefits

Braven offers competitive base salaries based on the midpoint of the market among not-for-profit organizations of similar size, with opportunities for salary growth over time. We believe in compensating staff members fairly in relation to each other, their qualifications, and their impact on behalf of the organization, and take internal and external equity seriously. Given our commitment to equity, Braven does not negotiate salary offers; instead, each salary offer is determined carefully using external and internal benchmarking.

Starting salary within the range is determined by role scope and qualifications, with new hires starting at the lower end to allow for growth with performance. Braven does not base compensation on individual candidate salary expectations and is committed to maintaining internal equity. The salary ranges, by geographic market, for this role are set forth: $47,000-$58,700 in Chicago and $51,700-$64,600 in New York City. This is based on a 50-hour work week at an hourly rate. This is a full-time, regular, non-exempt, and benefits-eligible position where you will be working at 100% capacity.

Braven also provides competitive, comprehensive benefits, recognition, and career development. While Braven reserves the right to change benefits at any time, current benefits include:

• Unlimited vacation time in addition to org-wide holidays and week-long shutdowns in July and the end of the calendar year (this is a minimum of 19 days per year)
• Braven supports your path to parenthood and beyond with $25,000 in lifetime Carrot benefits for fertility, family-building, and hormonal health
• Match of your 401K contribution up to 5% of your base annual salary, starting your first full month
• Coverage of 85% of health insurance premium for employee and dependents
• A one-month paid sabbatical after 4 years on staff

Location

We gather in the office 3 days a week (Tuesday through Thursday) and work remotely 2 days a week (Monday and Friday). Therefore, this role requires teammates to live within commuting distance of one of our hubs: Chicago (IL) and New York (NYC) . We believe in the magic, connection, and collaboration that happens when people work together face-to-face and we believe in giving people flexibility to focus, balance personal priorities, and save themselves two commutes per week.

Braven is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected factor. We encourage talented individuals of all backgrounds to apply.