COMMUNITY PROGRAM MANAGER

Location: Honolulu, Oahu (The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Ho’okupu Center)
Kupu’s Story

Kupu, which means “to sprout” or “to grow” in Hawaiian, has a two-fold mission: to preserve the land while empowering youth. The organization provides hands-on training in conservation, sustainability, and environmental education for young adults, with the goal of fostering our next generation of environmental and cultural stewards. Kupu’s work has been likened to the role of the kupukupu fern, which is one of the first plants to recultivate the land after a lava flow. The fern not only serves as a foundational species for rebuilding a healthy, native ecosystem, but it also symbolizes a place where knowledge can grow.

Established in 2007 as a 501(c)3 non-profit, Kupu empowers future generations to create a more sustainable, pono Hawai‘i. Kupu accomplishes this by partnering with conservation and sustainability focused agencies throughout the state and pacific in providing hands-on service opportunities which educate and mentor young adults and emerging professionals to become stewards of our communities and environment. Since 2007, Kupu has risen to meet the increasing demands of the green job sector by engaging over 3,000 youth in the areas of conservation, sustainability, and environmental education. Kupu affirms the Hawaiian notion of “ma ka hana ka ʻike” or “in working one learns.” This approach has led to the creation of hundreds of service-learning opportunities which assists in the development of Hawai’i’s emerging professionals in the green job sector while supporting over 150 conservation and sustainability organizations across Hawaiʻi and the Pacific region.

Kupu’s Mission

“To empower youth to serve their communities through character-building, service-learning, and environmental stewardship opportunities that encourage integrity (pono) with Ke Akua, self, and others”

Kupu’s CHOSEN Values

C Character

H Humility

O ‘Ohana

S Service

E Excellence

N Nobility

Reports to: Senior Program Manager - Community

Position Overview
The Community Program Manager has general oversight of the delivery of trauma-informed services for opportunity youth at The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Ho’okupu Center. The manager is also responsible for partner development, staff supervision and development, program strategy, grant and contract management, and budget management among other key responsibilities.

• Provide mentorship and experiential learning opportunities for under-resourced youth, so that they may gain knowledge, skills and confidence to pursue higher education and/or jobs, and to positively impact their communities.
• Collaborate with other environmental and cultural organizations to teach youth the principles of natural and cultural resource management in Hawai‘i.
• Instill in youth a conservation ethic, so that as next generation stewards, they may lead Hawai’i to a more sustainable future.

• Collaborate with direct supervisor to develop goals, vision and strategy for program’s trauma informed services
• Manage the delivery of Community program activities to meet strategic and financial goals
• Build effective and collaborative relationships with internal and external program partners (i.e. Hawaii Department of Education)
• Ensure harmonious and safe environment for program staff and participants
• Build and maintain effective working relationships between program volunteers and staff
• Build out Malama ‘Aina phase of the program by bridging connections with new and continuing partnerships
• Monitor, review, and evaluate program and operations for effectiveness in reaching program goals
• Collaborate with direct supervisor to develop new services
• Develop and manage the program budgets, and review monthly expenditure reports
• Assist and sometimes lead grant proposal development with research and writing
• Manage all program’s grants and contracts including reporting supported by other staff
• Oversee data management and documentation of program related information
• Ensure program is meeting all compliance requirements
• Collaborate with recruiting staff to execute a recruitment strategy

Staff Support, Development and Supervision

• Hire, train, and supervise program staff
• Collaborate with other program managers to identify team building opportunities
• Identify opportunities of growth for each staff. Provide support and guidance by leading or connecting them to professional development opportunities
• Schedule and lead regular check in meetings with staff
• Lead performance reviews and corrective action meetings
• Manage and document incidents or conflicts that may arise among the staff or interns
• Build and maintain effective working relationships between volunteers and staff
• Provide general supervision, in addition to daily supervision by direct service staff, for any volunteers involved with the Community program
• Provide mentorship and guidance for staff facing challenges with service delivery

Direct Service

• Provide mentorship and support for program interns in the form of check-ins when necessary, connecting them with external support services, and leading meetings with interns’ family/guardians
• Ensure that regular communication is maintained with interns’ family/guardians regarding intern performance and opportunities of support
• Participate in intern intake interviews when needed
• Lead the planning of and participate in intern orientation activities
• Conduct occasional check ins with program participants
• Support education efforts by monitoring students during study time, redirecting students as needed, and providing feedback to staff
• Mentor students through difficult and new situations utilizing a trauma informed lense
• Participate in field days when appropriate

• Work in conjunction with other Kupu staff across departments to help create, streamline and improve systems, policies and procedures, and to promote cohesion
• Represent Kupu at events, in the media, statewide and nationally as opportunities arise

Minimum Qualifications:

• 5-7 years of experience with effective personnel management and staff supervision
• 5 or more years of Hawai’i based work experience, and able to provide local professional references
• Strong administrative skills necessary to organize, document and prioritize
• Prior experience working or volunteering with youth or young adults, and with people of diverse cultural backgrounds
• Effective verbal and written communicator with excellent interpersonal relationship skills
• Strong skill set in the use of Microsoft Office programs
• Able to remain objective, positive, and flexible in a fast-growing non-profit setting
• Able to show good judgment and clear Criminal History Background Check
• Able and willing to drive for Kupu business and to meet driver’s abstract requirement
• Available full-time Monday through Friday, as well as occasional weekends and evenings

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with national service program and/or youth conservation corps
• Experience, knowledge of, or demonstrated interest in environmental conservation
• Experience in entrepreneurial management
• Experience working in a non-profit setting
• Familiarity with and appreciation for Hawaiian natural resources, culture, and places
• Previous experience working or volunteering with under-resourced or at-risk youth
• Budgeting and grant writing experience

Compensation and Benefits:

• Pay commensurate with experience
• Health benefits
• Paid time off
• Eligible for 401(k) plan after one year of service and 1,000 hours of service
• Other employee benefits

Physical Requirements:

Due to the nature of Kupu’s programs, the physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Must be able to talk, listen and speak clearly on telephone
• Must be able to participate in light conservation field work (i.e. weeding, planting)