FLL Program Coordinator

Playing At Learning NorCal FIRST LEGO League Program Coordinator

Staff and volunteers at Playing At Learning are passionate and committed to delivering quality programs. Our goal is to attract and retain a diverse staff: rich in talent, background, ideas and experience.

This is a year round, part-time position based in San Jose for up to 25 hours/week. The FIRST LEGO League Program Coordinator will currently report to the President of Playing At Learning, a California nonprofit corporation.

The Program Coordinator will be responsible for managing Team and Volunteer Communications for the FIRST LEGO League program for the Northern California region. It is expected that the Program Coordinator has very strong time management and prioritization skills. This position supports flexible work hours (within limits) and will require some evening and weekend responsibilities which varies throughout the year.
One of four STEM-learning programs from the New Hampshire-based nonprofit FIRST, the FIRST LEGO League program immerses kids in real-world science and technology challenges. FIRST LEGO League teams (up to 10 members, grades 4-8) research a real-world problem such as food safety, recycling, energy, etc., and are challenged to develop a solution and they design, build, program a robot using LEGO MINDSTORMS®, then compete on a table-top playing field. In Northern California, Playing At Learning (San Jose-based nonprofit) delivers FIRST LEGO League and other FIRST programs to our youth. For the Northern California FIRST LEGO League program’s 2016 season, we served nearly 600 teams throughout our region (roughly the top half of the state of California) and we coordinated 4 Challenge Kickoff events, 31 Qualifier tournaments, 4 Championship tournaments, 1 Innovation Expo plus additional outreach-related events.

Responsibilities
. Recruiting, organizing and supporting FIRST LEGO League teams and volunteers.
. Organizing and supporting local committee meetings, workshops, and trainings
. Participating in FIRST LEGO League partner calls, trainings and conferences
. Promoting and managing growth of program

Experience, Expertise and Education Required
. U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident Alien. Must have the legal right to work in the US without sponsorship
. Exceptional organizing skills including managing and determining priorities of multiple tasks
. Strong communication skills, both oral and written
. Demonstrated expertise in use of personal computer software including Excel, Email and googledocs (or similar collaboration tools)
. Exceptional collaboration skills, communication skills and experience working with meeting the needs of diverse constituents
. Ability to work with minimal to no supervision
. Ability to learn, adopt and enforce Playing At Learning and FIRST policies
. Excellent attention to detail
. Works well as part of a team, and able to maintain positive relationships with Playing At Learning staff, FIRST staff and other key stakeholders
. Must be able to pass FIRST background screening

Desired Knowledge and Expertise
. Knowledge of and/or experience with FIRST and FIRST LEGO League program
. Experience with WordPress or similar website content management system(s)
. Strong analytical skills with experience using surveys and other data to inform programmatic decisions
. Able to move without physical constraints and lift between 15 to 35 lbs.

Description of Specific Duties
. Conduct a successful season for the program
. Supporting planning committee members, team coaches, and volunteers
. Participating in program-related Outreach, Marketing and Development tasks
. Scheduling and organizing meetings, and training sessions
. Recruiting workshop instructors, preparing workshops and scheduling attendees
. Coordinating with Playing At Learning staff and FIRST headquarters on FIRST LEGO League topics
. Maintaining mailing lists and regularly communicating with teams and volunteers
. Processing team grant applications
. Updating website content and writing regular blog/newsletter for communicating to community
. Manage program budget and track expenses
. Attend FIRST LEGO League partner conference (typically in New Hampshire in June)
. Attend, if possible and requested, FIRST World Championship(s) in April.
. Recruiting, training and assisting qualifying tournament directors
. Help with the coordination of the district championship tournaments
. Coordinate process for identifying NorCal’s Global Innovation Award project nominee(s)
. Coordinate team registration for tournaments
. Coordinate volunteer recruiting and management
. Placing and fielding calls and emails with schools, organizations and others interested in the program to grow the program
. Preparing materials for media before, during and post event(s)
. Working with media and coaches after event(s) on coverage of teams by local media
. Supporting development committee in fundraising activities.
. Preparing grant applications and reports and arranging for sponsor recognition.
. Assist with other duties as assigned

Salary Range is $18 to $25 per hour depending on experience for up to 25 hours / week.

To apply, please email a summary of your experience and interests and how this aligns to the job duties. Please do not just email a resume.