Application Guide

How to Apply for Director of Postsecondary, Career and Life Coaching

at Friends of the Children - National

🏢 About Friends of the Children - National

Friends of the Children is unique for its 12+ year commitment to youth from kindergarten through graduation, breaking cycles of generational poverty through long-term, salaried professional mentors. Working here means joining a mission-driven national organization that values innovation, data-driven impact, and deep relationships with underserved communities.

About This Role

This role leads the design and implementation of a new national program focused on postsecondary access, career readiness, and life success for youth ages 16-22. You will supervise a team of Life Coaches and an Alumni Coordinator, drive data analysis, and coordinate with national leadership and external partners to shape a transformative initiative.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might start with a virtual check-in with your Life Coaches to discuss caseloads and challenges, followed by analyzing program data to identify trends. You could then meet with the national leadership team to align on strategy, and spend the afternoon developing training materials or coordinating with external partners on postsecondary pathways.

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🎯 Who Friends of the Children - National Is Looking For

  • Experienced in college access, workforce development, or youth development with 5+ years of relevant work, including direct work with first-generation or marginalized students.
  • A strong people manager with 2+ years of team leadership, able to coach and evaluate Life Coaches to ensure consistent, high-quality support.
  • Data-driven and analytical, with experience using quantitative and qualitative data to identify trends and improve program outcomes.
  • Collaborative and skilled in project management, comfortable coordinating with national leadership, chapters, researchers, and external stakeholders in a remote environment.

📝 Tips for Applying to Friends of the Children - National

1

Highlight specific examples of designing or scaling a postsecondary or career-readiness program, especially for underserved youth.

2

Demonstrate your people management experience by describing how you have coached and developed a team to achieve measurable outcomes.

3

Showcase your data analysis skills with concrete examples of using data to drive program improvements or decisions.

4

Tailor your resume to emphasize experience with first-generation, low-income, or historically marginalized students, as this aligns with the company's mission.

5

In your cover letter, explain why you are drawn to Friends of the Children's unique 12+ year model and how your background prepares you to lead this new national initiative.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Your passion for breaking cycles of generational poverty and alignment with the organization's long-term mentoring model.", 'Specific experience in postsecondary access, career readiness, or workforce development for underserved populations.', 'Your leadership philosophy and examples of managing a team to deliver high-quality coaching or services.', 'Your ability to work in a remote, collaborative environment with multiple stakeholders and use data to inform strategy.']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Read about Friends of the Children's 12+ year model and its impact on breaking generational poverty, including any published outcomes or studies.
  • → Review the organization's strategic plan or annual report to understand current priorities and how this new program fits in.
  • → Learn about the national chapter network and how programs are implemented locally, as this role involves coordination across sites.
  • → Familiarize yourself with best practices in postsecondary success for underserved youth, such as near-peer mentoring or holistic coaching models.
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💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 How would you design a postsecondary and career coaching program for 16-22 year olds that is both scalable and personalized?
2 Describe a time you used data to improve a program or identify gaps in outcomes for marginalized youth.
3 How do you coach and manage a remote team to ensure consistency and quality across different locations?
4 What is your understanding of the challenges first-generation students face in postsecondary transitions, and how would you address them?
5 How would you build partnerships with national chapters, researchers, and external stakeholders to align on program goals?
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Avoid a generic application that doesn't reference the specific 12+ year model or the focus on ages 16-22.
  • Don't overlook the people management aspect; failing to highlight how you've developed and supported a team can weaken your candidacy.
  • Avoid being too vague about data use; provide concrete examples of how you've leveraged data to drive decisions or improve outcomes.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Friends of the Children - National!

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