Job Responsibilities
Major responsibilities include supervising staff of 8
specialists, coordinating relay of information to Enrollment &
Matching Coordinator/Team, designing and streamlining processes
to increase efficiency and improve customer service,
implementing new tracking procedures as necessary, generating
reports that detail Yield Rates to measure team's performance
(inquiry-to-application ratio and application-to-interview
ratio), and collaborating with leadership (Program Directors, VP
of Programs, Development staff) to facilitate flow of
information across functions. Specialists respond to Volunteer
and Child inquiries, process applications, create files,
schedule interviews, collect references, run background checks
and enter data in database (entry-level position). Breakdown of
hours per task per week: Travel, not including commute to work
(because I supervise across 4 cities in a metropolitan area)- 5
hrs/wk; Communicating with my staff as well as with my superiors
via email- 15 hours/wk; Tracking Yield rates, compiling and
generating reports- 3 hrs/ wk (in addition to 5 hours for once a
month report); Responding to "drive-by's" [def: staff poking
their heads in my office asking for information or assistance
(you learn not to be too helpful or at least how to say 'No'
after this eats away your day)]- 5 hrs/wk; Meetings with upper-
level management- 3 hrs/wk; Meetings with same-level
Coordinators to relay information and streamline procedures- 2
hrs/wk; Responding to Volunteer satisfaction Surveys with low
ratings- 2 hrs/wk; Processing applications (doing the job of the
Specialists I supervise because making this task visible to them
helps them see me as part of the team)- 2 hrs/wk; Participating
in agency functions/committees/fundraisers as needed (varies
with season but could break down to)- 2 hrs/wk. That's about a
40 hour work week. When reports are due, I don't leave the
office until they are done- even if I got pulled into a last
minute meeting with another team to assist in problem-solving
and it took up my allotted time for reports (happens
frequently). I work 35-55 hours per week. Except during Bowl For
kids sake, when we all become slaves. Just kidding.
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Job Requirements
I have a BA in Psychology from UT Austin. I was hired just a
smidgen above entry-level at BBBS and promoted 9 months later to
my first management level position. The only positions at BBBS
that don't require a degree are the entry-level Customer
Relations Specialists (described in Job Responsibilities). All
mid-level management positions require an undergraduate degree.
And all Director or above positions require a Maters degree.
There was one instance where an employee of 6 years was promoted
to Director without a Masters. A BA in Psychology isn't a
particularly rigorous course of study (and I suggest a smaller
university than UT Austin) but it prepares you as much as the
next liberal arts undergraduate degree does. The point is to
stick it out and get your degree- that's what separates you from
the high school graduates (something kept them from pursuing
higher education in the first place or following through with
their pursuit- and this is not a quality employers are looking
for).
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Uppers
1) Flexibility (daily/weekly schedule) is number one.
2) I personally cannot stomach anything that is sales or media related, so
contributing to my community comes naturally and is fulfilling in a general
sense.
3) I also found an incredible professional mentor and have met a handful of
delightful people.
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Downers
1) Agencies lack the financial resources to provide their
employees with the tools they need to do their jobs effectively
and comfortably. For example: up-to-date databases, software
programs and telephone systems. As well as central air that
works consistently, office furniture that isn't 20 years old,
and enough refrigerator space to put your lunch.
2) Stellar employees reach burn-out very quickly when used
without remorse. As an employee who goes above and beyond, I
have to clearly state my boundaries and resist the urge to take
on every task that comes my way. There is way more that needs to
be done than can possibly be done and inefficient management
only increases this problem.
3) The extra hours that are often asked of employees to
participate in recruitment and/or fundraising is a downer for
me. I am giving my career to community service and they want me
to come in at 8am on Saturday morning to pour lemonade in 350
cups for a benefit that only half the attendees will even show
up to? This kills me.
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Lifestyle
Work hours can be very flexible, especially the higher you go up the ladder.
Work hours per week also increase the higher you go. Social events are either
focused on fundraising and community awareness of the agency's agenda or you're
meeting for lunch to say goodbye to a coworker who jumped ship (either for
another nonprofit that they think will be better managed or to enter the
for-profit world). Business travel is for the Director's and above, who attend
conferences and meetings in other cities. Dress code is business casual and there
is generally an ongoing feud between upper-management and entry/mid-level
employees on what is considered a "flip-flop". Staff tends to be pretty diverse
racially but gender is not diverse at all. Entry, Mid and Upper level positions
are women. I can count on one hand the number of men I've worked alongside as
peers during 2 years at BBBS, on two hands for 7 years in the field. Executive
positions tend to be men. I have often yearned for a more engaging set of
intellectually stimulating coworkers, to be honest.
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Compensation
30,000/yr for Customer Relations Coordinator. Promoted to that
position form Lead Matching Specialist, which was my initial
hire at 26,000/yr. No stock options. No bonuses. 2-4% raise in
February. Benefits included medical, dental and life- a pretty
good package. Full week off at Christmas plus 21 days Paid Time
Off (includes sick days, holidays, whatever-it-is-you-need-to-do
days).
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Advice to Jobseekers
Think about what you want your workday to be like, who you want
to interact with, how much you want to be compensated, how
comfortable you need to be. Nonprofit administration can be very
fulfilling if your needs and the industry's needs align. Start-
up agencies offer a whole slew of other challenges and can be
exciting for those really idealistic types. If you need more
stability, go for mid-large size 7+ year old nonprofits with
proven service delivery models.
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