Internship Thought Partner Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Founded in 1969, Enterprise for Youth empowers San Francisco youth ages 14 to 25 through a continuum of workforce development programs. We offer job-readiness training, paid internships, and access to employment opportunities—preparing youth with the skills and experience needed to thrive in the workplace and pursue their dreams. Our work centers equity, opportunity, and economic mobility for young people from under-resourced communities.

POSITION OVERVIEW

This is a mission-critical leadership role ideal for someone who thrives at the intersection of youth development, arts and culture, partnership building, and program strategy. The Program Director will cultivate relationships with San Francisco’s most respected arts institutions, inspire and support young people who are passionate about the arts, and contribute to a gold‑standard internship model that blends professional development with arts‑specific career exploration.

Enterprise for Youth is proud to be the California designee for the Arts Internship program—an exciting, multi‑year, multi‑million‑dollar investment to launch and grow a paid summer arts internship program for high school students in San Francisco. The Program Director, Arts Internship Programs will lead this high‑profile initiative from inception, scaling from 20 interns in Year 1 with planned growth of 20‑25% over 3 years.

The Program Director will be responsible for overseeing the entire lifecycle of an internship program, spanning from recruitment and onboarding of interns and partners, designing and implementing programming focused on workforce readiness, coordinating payroll processes, and supporting with data and evaluation.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the vision, design, and execution of the Arts Internship program in San Francisco.
• Integrate the arts internship requirements into pre-existing programming with an explicit focus on arts‑specific offerings.
• Manage and grow the annual program budget (over $1MM total), ensuring responsible use of funds, tracking outcomes, and aligning spending with goals.
• Update, facilitate, and oversee a holistic curriculum blending general career readiness (resume writing, professional communication, networking, college essay writing) with arts‑specific career skills (arts management, arts administration, curation, production).
• Responsible for hiring, training, and managing seasonal and permanent staff, facilitators, and interns, while supporting the Program Team’s leadership with payroll, HR onboarding, and data collection (pre‑ and post‑program and session surveys).
• Oversee the development and execution of communications and social media strategies for programming, in close collaboration with Communications staff.

Partnership Development

• Maintain, build, and nurture relationships with prestigious San Francisco arts and cultural organizations—such as SF MOMA, African American Shakespeare Company, 826 Valencia, A.C.T., SF Ballet, and more—to secure meaningful internship placements.
• Act as a liaison and thought partner to internship host sites, ensuring alignment of youth experience with educational goals and partner needs.
• Represent Enterprise for Youth and the Arts Internship at events, conferences, and convenings.

Youth Recruitment & Engagement

• Develop and implement inclusive outreach and recruitment strategies to identify and enroll high school students—particularly those from communities underrepresented in the arts.
• Create systems of support to help interns navigate their first workplace experience and explore pathways into college and careers in the arts.
• Work closely with families, schools, and community‑based organizations to ensure strong wraparound support.
• Serve as the primary contact for arts internships participating in regular reporting, convenings, and knowledge‑sharing.
• Share outcomes, best practices, and innovations from San Francisco with other grantees across the country.
• Ensure program fidelity with the core expectations and values while adapting to the unique context of San Francisco.

Administrative/General

• Participate in agency‑wide meetings and events, special projects, and other tasks as assigned.
• Support organization‑wide fundraising initiatives including development of grant proposals.

QUALIFICATIONS Required

• 5–8 years of progressive leadership experience in youth development, arts education, workforce development, or nonprofit program management.
• A strong commitment to racial equity, youth empowerment, and expanding access to the arts.
• Demonstrated success in managing complex projects, teams, and partnerships.
• Experience working with high school students from diverse and under‑resourced backgrounds.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• of professionalism and comfort representing Enterprise externally with funders, civic leaders, and partners.

Preferred

• Knowledge of San Francisco’s arts and cultural landscape.
• Background or training in arts education, creative youth development, youth workforce development, and/ or nonprofit arts management.
• Experience with program evaluation and reporting for funders.
• Proficiency in Salesforce or other CRM systems.

WORK CULTURE & BENEFITS

Enterprise for Youth offers a collaborative and inclusive work environment where creativity, initiative, and flexibility are valued. Benefits include:

• Generous PTO (vacation, sick, personal, and holiday leave)
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with employer match
• Hybrid work model with an office in downtown San Francisco

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit your resume and a cover letter that outlines your interest in the role and your relevant experience to at bkramer@EnterpriseForYouth.org . Applications must be submitted by October 17, 2025.

Enterprise for Youth is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applicants of all backgrounds. We strongly encourage people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those with lived experience in under-resourced communities to apply. We comply with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance and Chapter 12T of the San Francisco Administrative Code.