Program Communication Coordinator

Position Posted: November 14,2022                Apply Before: February 14, 2023

Job Category & Wage: Full-time Exempt, commensurate with experience

Location: West Michigan

Career Level: 2+ years experience

Preferred Education Level: Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resource Management or Communications

Organization Overview 

The Lake Michigan Junior Golf Association was established in 2006 but soon shifted its focus to creating a chapter of the First Tee. First Tee – West Michigan officially became a chapter on June 23, 2011. 

First Tee – West Michigan is one of 150 First Tee chapters worldwide. First Tee was created in 1997 by the World Golf Foundation to use golf and character education to provide kids and teens of all backgrounds an opportunity to develop life-enhancing values like honesty, integrity and sportsmanship. By engaging in a combination of life skills, leadership and golf activities, First Tee’s programs will help kids and teens become valuable assets in their community and eventually,  high-character, high-integrity men and women.

At First Tee – West Michigan, we are highly focused on reaching out to at-risk and disadvantaged youth. We want kids and teens to see the beauty of the golf course, learn the skills they need to succeed in life, and build relationships with those who care for their well-being.  In 2021, we worked with more than 1,500 participants and managed payroll for eight full-time staff, 50 part-time Lead Coaches, and 25 junior coaches across a regional territory that includes Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Muskegon, and Holland.

Position Description

This newly created position will be charged with the recruitment, scheduling, interviewing, and onboarding of all staff, focusing primarily on part-time Lead Coaches and Junior Coaches. They will also be responsible for multiple communication mechanisms connecting parents and coaches with one another.

This position will also take a lead role in evaluating employees, policies, programs, and practices and ensuring institutional compliance. This individual will design and develop position descriptions, identify job fairs and expos that are relevant to First Tee. 

The ideal candidate has outstanding communication skills (calling, texting, and emailing), empathy, a problem-solving attitude, interpersonal and organizational skills, an optimistic ‘can do’ attitude, and is proactive and flexible. This position will also coach sessions with students 2-3 days per week, including Saturdays during some portions of the year. 

The ideal candidate has outstanding administrative, communication, interpersonal and organizational skills, strong affinity for golf and the golf community, an interest in working with individuals as young as 14 (and their parents) and into retirement age. The ideal candidate has two plus years of experience in programming and/or recruitment. The candidate selected will also have a passion for working with kids and knowledge of the game of golf.

Job Summary

Essential Job Functions:

First Tee – West Michigan serves four main communities: Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Muskegon, and Holland. Each community requires Human Resources assistance and a focus on recruitment and retainment coaches. Job functions include:   

  • Identifying job fairs, expos, and golf opportunities in all four communities to spread the word on becoming a Mentor or a Lead Coach, with a focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
  • Enhance and strengthen the ‘recruitment’ to ‘employment’ funnel, with high attention to detail, industry understanding of legal requirements, and ensuring the on-boarding process for new coaches is smooth
  • Prepares employees via orientations and training programs. 
  • Helps bridge the gap between coaches and parents, as a communications conduit via multiple communication channels
  • Conduct and Analyze exit interviews with recommended changes.
  • Implements employee benefits programs and informs employees of benefits by studying and assessing benefit needs and trends, recommending benefit programs to Executive Director
  • Ensures legal compliance by monitoring and implementing applicable human resource federal and state requirements, conducting investigations, and maintaining records. 
  • Enhance and strengthen the relationship between First Tee and it’s at-risk, low income families by improving communication and communication tracking
  • Design and create text campaigns for at-risk students based on geography and current opportunities

●    Communications with families, coaches and volunteers on a daily basis

  • Lead (Coach) First Tee’s six-class sessions with kids and teens 2-3 times/week. 
  • Participate and fundraise for First Tee’s Annual Golf Marathon Event
  • A knowledge of the game of golf, and an ability and desire to work directly with students

Qualifications

The ideal candidate has a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Human Resources, Sports Management, and the following skills:

Communication Skills

  • Strong use of the written English language, including grammar, spelling and punctuation
  • Active listener
  • High emotional IQ
  • Ability to multitask

Technical Skills

  • Computer savvy
  • Comfortable learning online database systems
  • WhenIWork, PandaDoc, Hubspot, G-Suite, Asana, SalesForce, Slack, are used frequently
  • Golf swing knowledge
  • Youth/coaching experience

Personal Characteristics

  • A love for kids and teens (age 7 to 17)
  • High Integrity 
  • A servant heart
  • High attention to detail
  • Strong memory
  • Ability to focus in a high-energy environment or as an individual
  • Flexible
  • Organized
  • Personally accountable
  • Outcome driven
  • Efficiency seeker 
  • Challenger
  • Patient

Job Benefits

  • Mileage reimbursement for in-work travel
  • 3% Simple IRA match
  • Health Insurance HSA with organizational investment and match
  • Cell Phone Reimbursement
  • Flexibility of schedule
  • Ability to work remotely semi-frequently
  • Paid Time Off
  • Position could be based in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, or Muskegon, depending on the candidate. 
  • Holidays Off (New Years Eve & Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and  Friday after, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day)

Interested? 

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and salary requirements to the following email: [email protected]

Contact: David Hondorp, HR & Talent Acquisition Specialist

Telephone: 616-287-4879

Website Address: www.firstteewestmichigan.org

Watch this video for an overview of First Tee – West Michigan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=py0mtv16s64&t=1s