Director of Entrepreneurship

By The Hand Club For Kids is a Christian, after-school program that emphasizes academic excellence while nurturing the whole child – mind, body and soul. Located in Chicago’s most under-resourced neighborhoods, By The Hand helps children have abundant life. The culture of By The Hand is Christ-centered, people-focused and results-oriented. While loving and nurturing, By The Hand has a strong results-orientation, a very structured program and a growth mindset that believes with hard work we can all continue to learn and grow. 

Joining By The Hand’s incredible mission as an abundant life builder means jumping right into the work of healing and hope on behalf of our extraordinary children. You’ll have the opportunity of a lifetime to impact the trajectory of generations of stories; helping students soar to success in their academic performance, practice personal accountability and, even more importantly, grow in their understanding of God and their relationship with Jesus. 

By The Hand is a not-for-profit, religious organization. Individuals employed at By The Hand are working in ministerial roles and perform all or some of the following responsibilities: sharing the Gospel, teaching chapel, leading Bible studies, discipling students, and modeling behavior that is consistent with Christ’s teaching. 

Rate of Pay: $65,000-$70,000 per year

Overview of Position

Reporting to the Director of NXT, the Director of Entrepreneurship will oversee the Entrepreneurial programs at By The Hand. The Director of Entrepreneurship will empower and develop 9th-12th grade students to pursue their God-given desires and responsibilities through entrepreneurship, professional and spiritual discipleship as well as world citizenship. The person will need to create high quality training and developmental experiences, set and measure program goals, meet key objectives through planning and adept project management, lead, communicate and work effectively with others. The Director of Entrepreneurship will lead the entrepreneurship program for 1)Serving cross-site high school youth, 2) The Gil and Marlene Bowen Fresh Food and Nutrition Center in Altgeld Gardens, including a program that uses a state-of-the-art hydroponic Freight Farm, and 3) Austin Harvest, the youth-led, fresh food market on Chicago’s West Side.  This position supervises the Director of Entrepreneurship and Economic Development, the Economic Development Project Manager and the Media Lab Manager. 

Spiritual Requirements

• Has a personal and saving relationship with Jesus Christ, evidenced by a lifestyle that demonstrates the Word of God, and is in regular fellowship with other members in a Bible-believing church.

• Agrees with the By The Hand Club Doctrinal Statement and adheres to the Employee Biblical Standards of Living.

• Shows by example the importance of Scripture memorization, Bible study, prayer, witnessing, and Christian fellowship.

• Leads a team devotional on a regular basis and participates in weekly team prayer.

• Has completed an evangelism course and is trained and prepared to share the gospel with anyone who inquires.

• Works with staff and members of the EOS Leadership Team to monitor and enforce policies and procedures to further By The Hand’s religious purpose and freedom.

Role Responsibilities 

• Performs in a way that is consistent with the vision, mission, and culture of By The Hand and commits to excellence in every aspect of the overall operation. 

• Models cultural values of By The Hand Club For Kids in day-to-day behavior. 

• Follows all policies as outlined in the operational guide, including maintaining brand standards and ensuring 100% adherence to the Child Protection Policy. 

• Participates in employee growth plans, including quarterly conversations and annual review meetings. 

• Building relationships with students, staff, parents, donors, and both community and corporate partners.

• Developing a comprehensive entrepreneurial curriculum for students in By The Hand’s entrepreneurship programs.

• Manages the implementation of the entrepreneurial program at our Altgeld Gardens location around hydroponic freight farm gardening and nutrition, as well as the on-going entrepreneurial programs at  Austin Harvest and the Media Lab. 

• Creates project plans, sets goals and monitors progress of entrepreneurial and nutrition programs.

• Collaborates with various teams and sites across By The Hand. 

• Performs all other duties as required and assigned.  

Required Skills/Abilities

• This position requires a Christ-like servant leader who has a sense of calling and who models Biblical principles.

• Passion and commitment for urban student transformation, confidence to lead in a challenging situation and belief that all children can learn.

• Outstanding problem-solving skills with an orientation toward results, action, impact and influence.

• Ability to work both as a team player and independently.

• Proven ability to work under tight deadlines and multi-task well.

• Outstanding time management and communication skills.

• An entrepreneurial spirit. 

• A passion for gardening and nutrition.

• Understanding of entrepreneurship, youth development and program development. 

• Knowledge of marketing, branding or advertising.

• Ability to work across lines of difference to build and maintain relationships and partnerships. 

• Project management skills.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in business, youth development/education or equivalent experience preferred. 

• Entrepreneurial experience and or education preferred.

• 3 or more years of management experience.

• Technical skills with Gmail, Google Docs, Slides and sheets or Microsoft Office.

• Experience working with youth and parents/families in an urban context.

• Must have a valid driver's license, available transportation and their own auto insurance to travel around the city. 

Work Environment

This job operates in a varied work environment, including a professional office environment, indoor gardening in the hydroponic freight farm, classroom settings in the after-school locations and Austin Harvest. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopies, filing cabinets and fax machines. 

Physical Demands

The employee is regularly required to speak and listen. This role may require you to move equipment between rooms and/or locations and lift up to 50 pounds. The individual is also required to travel to other organizational sites to meet with staff. 

Disclaimer

The duties and responsibilities described are not an exhaustive list of all functions that the employee may be required to perform. The employee may be required to perform additional functions as necessitated by business demands. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice. Employment with By The Hand Club For Kids is at will, and the employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily, with or without reasonable accommodation. 

By The Hand Club For Kids is an equal opportunity employer. By The Hand does not unlawfully discriminate against any protected classes. As a ministry, By The Hand is permitted and reserves the right to prefer employees or prospective employees on the basis of religion in our screening and selection process. By The Hand is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified candidates with a disability, absent undue hardship. An employee or applicant who believes he or she has a disability and may require an accommodation must contact the Human Resources Department at [email protected] or call 773-854-4176.