Program & Volunteer Manager - GiGi's Playhouse, Inc.

About GiGi's Playhouse: Located in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, GiGi's Playhouse was founded in 2003 by a mother who wanted a place for her daughter, GiGi, and other individuals with Down syndrome who could realize their dreams. Twenty-one years later, we are growing across North America and have 59 locations and multiple openings each year. We expect to grow about 20% annually for the next three years. We provide free, life-changing therapeutic, educational, and career training programs, providing 300,000 hours of programming in 2023 to individuals of all ages. Visit www.gigisplayhouse.org.  

With a commitment to fostering a culture of acceptance and empowerment, GiGi's Playhouse provides resources, support, advocacy, and a lifetime commitment to individuals with Down syndrome and their families in North America and globally, while promoting a global message of acceptance for all.  

GiGi’s Playhouse Core Values:     

GiGi’s challenges all staff and volunteers to embody the following core values:   

• Enthusiasm: Bringing positive, high energy to your work.   

• Best of All: We are always looking to improve every day, with all that we do.  Challenge yourself every day to embrace a Generation G life.  

• Get It Done: Making things happen and blasting through barriers when needed. Figure it out together.  

• Believe: Believe in ourselves, believe in our mission, believe in each other, and believe in the history that brought us here.   

• Locally Concerned, Enterprise Minded: We collaborate, share best practices, and leverage the collective learnings from across the GiGi’s network.  

Position Summary: 

The Program and Volunteer Manager facilitates the implementation of all programs at the National Playhouse and ensures they operate effectively and impactfully.  This includes making sure they are properly staffed with skilled and trained volunteers and follow structured curriculums.  This person works collaboratively with the Playhouse staff and volunteers to provide high quality, outcome-driven programs according to the program model developed by GiGi’s Playhouse, Inc.  A flexible schedule is a must, as you may be needed to oversee or cover programs when needed, including some evenings and weekends. All staff members are the face of GiGi’s Playhouse and play an essential role representing GiGi’s to families, volunteers, donors, and community members.  As the flagship location for GiGi’s Playhouse, the Program Team in Hoffman Estates must also partner with the National Program Team to help set the example and test programs for the GiGi’s Playhouse network.  

 Goals of this role include: 

• Continually increase program participation and number of families participating. 

• Maximize measurable achievements for all playhouse participants through specific program outcomes. 

• Ensure sustainable engagement from program volunteers, with a goal of 70% ratio of volunteer hours to program participation hours. 

• Strive for “Center of Excellence” performance level in the Standards of Execution for Programs. 

Essential Job Functions: 

• Program planning, execution, and quality control 

• Oversee and execute all programs at the Playhouse (in-person and virtual). 

• Ensure program purposefulness, engagement, and continuous improvement. 

• Leverage the tools & resources and meet the stated program objectives delivered by the GiGi’s Playhouse Inc. 

• Grow program participation and family engagement through impactful program volunteers, stellar execution of programs, articulation of therapeutic and educational objectives, and demonstration of outcomes. 

• Interface with parents to demonstrate progress and expectations. 

• Maintain and support use of the Playhouse’s physical and cloud-based program resources and tools (Microsoft Teams, GoToMeeting, Sharepoint, etc.) 

• Maintain a project log for ongoing improvement of current programs and activities to help inform and create better solutions 

• Support all national pilot programs, deliver learnings, and continually seek to enhance centralized tools and curricula. 

• Define long term program plan, including program sessions, themes, rolling out new programs, etc. 

• Track program impact, participation, and volunteer hours 

• Becomes a savvy user of Salesforce (relational database tool) to ensure proper documentation and tracking of all volunteer activity, program participation and program impact results, including reporting on trends. 

• Continually seek opportunities to track participant progressions and program impact, while minimizing program interference and volunteer paperwork. 

• Ensure proper use of grant funding to support local programs and report on impact as required 

• Volunteer placement, training, and stewardship 

• Recruit, place, onboard and train Program Coordinators, Leaders, Assistants, Host Families, Greeters, and all other program volunteers. 

• Support, motivate, and acknowledge program volunteers to maximize retention. 

• Schedule volunteers as needed to best accommodate participants. 

• Continually support and communicate the needs of volunteers to help ensure they have the resources they need to be successful. 

• For All Members of National Playhouse Staff at Hoffman Estates 

• Share responsibilities in the day-to-day operations in the front of house answering phones, greeting families, volunteers and visitors, and general upkeep of the Playhouse.  

• Assist in supporting adult interns throughout Hugs + Mugs and GiGi Professional, as needed. 

• Support the team’s ability to maintain all Playhouse and store hours. 

• Ongoing volunteer recruitment and use of committees to support an organization that is 99% volunteer-run. 

• Collaborate with the team to maximize revenue, in-kind donations, volunteer participation and awareness surrounding all National Office/Playhouse events.   

 This position is onsite at our Hoffman Estates location and will require occasional weekend hours. 

Qualifications 

A college degree is preferred. 

Five years of experience in relevant programs. 

GiGi’s is a tech-savvy nonprofit, and familiarity with Salesforce, MS Teams, or similar tools is required. 

Ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders. 

 GiGi's Playhouse is an equal opportunity employer and encourages individuals from diverse backgrounds to apply.