Youth Development Manager

Rising Sun Center for Opportunity

Job Opening: Youth Development Manager (YDM)

About Us

We’re deeply rooted at the intersection of equity, climate, and good, sustainable careers. In 1994, Rising Sun Center for Opportunity began as Rising Sun Energy Center in Santa Cruz, California. Much has changed as we’ve adapted and innovated to respond to the needs of our participants and communities, but today, we remain rooted in our origins, preparing people throughout the Bay Area and Central California who have been locked out of prosperity for good jobs and green pathways that offer economic equity and mobility while building a climate-resilient future for all. Learn more about who we are www.risingsunopp.org
 

The Climate Careers Program

Climate Careers uses a social enterprise model to combine home energy and water-saving services with youth development. Our no-cost Green House Call service consists of energy and water use assessments, installation of efficiency devices, and client education. Youth program participants deliver this service to thousands of homes every summer while growing personally and professionally, advancing on to paid externships in the fall with organizations doing climate-related work to increase their career exposure and experience.

Job Summary

The Youth Development Manager (YDM) is responsible for supporting a cohort of up to 18 youth, ages 15–24, with the goal of helping participants identify and overcome barriers to employment in order to promote full program retention and engagement. The YDM provides programmatic enrichment through professional skills development, career planning, and externship placement, while working closely with and mentoring youth program participants and alumni. This role reports directly to the Workforce Initiatives Manager and requires the ability to transition between different sets of responsibilities throughout the year, as outlined in the Job Responsibilities section. A successful YDM is highly organized, enthusiastic about youth case management, and skilled in curriculum development and delivery.
 

Position Timeline 

This position consists of two contract phases. The Summer phase will run from June 3, 2026, to August 3, 2026. At the conclusion of the summer term, an end-of-summer evaluation will be conducted to determine eligibility for continuation. Pending a successful evaluation, the Fall phase will run from August 4, 2026, to November 25, 2026.

Job Details

• Compensation: $26.00/hour, 40 hours/week (must be able to work some weekends)
• Sick time: Accrual of 1 hour for every 30 hours worked beginning after 30 days of employment, up to a maximum accrual of 80 hours. Sick leave becomes available for use after 90 days of employment, in accordance with the terms of Rising Sun’s sick leave policy.
• Reimbursements:
  • Monthly phone: Phone ($30) June through November
  • Monthly internet: Internet ($20) August through November
  • Vehicle use*: When traveling to a Rising Sun event location from primary work site or home depending on which is closer, Rising Sun reimburses mileage at the 2026 federal mileage rate. Toll fees incurred as part of work travel are reimbursed.
• Locations: Concord, Napa, Santa Rosa, Oakland, San Francisco, or San Jose. Be able to travel to Rising Sun’s headquarters in Oakland as required or requested.

*Mileage and toll reimbursements will only be offered for driving done solely for work-related purposes. Note that travel considered as work commute does not qualify for reimbursement.

Job Responsibilities 

Program Dates & Schedule (Green House Call Program): June-August 2026

• Collaborate with appropriate parties to onboard youth participants for summer program
• Lead and facilitate weekly youth workshops in assigned site offices
• Hold regular 1-1 meetings with youth participants, focusing on empowering them to overcome employment barriers and maintain program participation using Salesforce and other tools
• Mobilize community, school, and family referrals to help youth access services and resources 
• Develop trusting relationships and be a mentor to the youth program participants
• Provide job search support and tailor individual career goals
• Support the development of LIFTs by providing feedback, mentorship, and tasks that align with their skill level
• Maintain youth progress reports and case management to update appropriate parties while maintaining confidentiality
• Ensure completion of all youth program surveys in collaboration with Site Managers
• Support Regional Managers and Workforce Initiatives Managers in the externship youth transition process, barrier removal, and relevant tasks as needed. 
• Other duties as assigned
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Training Dates (Paid)

Summer Training (Managers): June 3-June 12

Summer Training (Youth): June 15-22

In-person Green House Calls: June 23- August 3

YDM Fall Training Week: August 4-August 7

Program Dates & Schedule (Fall Externship & Taskforce Support): August-November 2026

• Support transition and externship placement by working with Workforce Initiatives Manager
• Supervise up to 18 youth participants throughout the Externship program and ensure the completion of all deliverables, including but not limited to: professional portfolio, externship surveys, etc
• Coordinate the submission and approval of timesheets and expense reimbursements
• Co-facilitate onboarding presentation for externs during the first week of externship participation
• Communicate between all externship stakeholders (youth participants, hosts, Workforce Initiatives Manager), gather feedback, and provide updates on youth progress
• Collaborate with the YDM team to update and deliver youth curriculum
• Schedule and facilitate 1-1 meetings with participants to support development of goals
• Other duties as assigned

Externship Key Dates

Externship Youth & Host Orientations: Monday, August 10 and Tuesday August 11

Externship Program: August 10- November 20

Youth Development Manager Last Day: November 25

As a Youth Development Manager, you must:

• Adhere to all Rising Sun policies
• Adhere to public health safety regulations and/or best practices, including (but not limited to) wearing a mask during work hours
• Have a car, valid driver’s license, and motor vehicle insurance
• Be able to pass a motor vehicle record check with a safe driving record and be able to pass a background check
• Have stable phone access to make phone calls 
• Have a stable internet connection to work remotely when needed
• Be able to travel to and from assigned site office for in-person meetings with youth  
• Be able to lift 25 pounds and walk up to half a mile at a time 
• Be able to complete the virtual Mandated Reporter and Sexual Harassment Training within the first week of hire
• Maintain confidentiality of all program participants and all files and records pertaining to youth participants and clients

As a Youth Development Manager, you are:

• Proficient operating technology like laptops, tablets, and other devices
• Proficient with Software like Google Suite, Salesforce, Rippling/HR software and information management systems
• An effective verbal and written communicator with strong customer service skills 
• Comfortable with general administrative tasks
• Passionate about youth development and/or education, with the compassion and empathy to work with youth from various backgrounds 
• Comfortable training and teaching others in a virtual and in-person settings
• Able to foster a fun, energetic, and goal-oriented environment 
• Able to support and supervise youth program participants, assign work effectively, and address performance issues as they arise
• Highly motivated to further develop and learn new managerial and professional skills
   

As a Youth Development Manager, it would be great if you:

Have experience in youth development, education, management, sustainability, and/or community engagement and outreach, knowledge of trauma-informed care practices and framework 

Are bilingual in Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and/or other languages