Position: Retreat Program Manager

Reports to: Senior Program Director

Location: Remote in the United States

Employment Category: Full Time

Salary Range: $45,000 - $65,000

Deadline for submission: October 1st, 2023

Start date: October 1st, 2023

The LoveYourBrain Foundation is a US-based nonprofit that improves the quality of life of people affected by traumatic brain injury (TBI) through programs that build community and foster resilience. We believe that yoga, mindfulness, and community are essential to transforming the wellbeing of people impacted by TBI. That’s why we pioneered our programs - offered across the United States and Canada - to empower our community with new tools, resources, and connections. The Retreat Program is designed to support those impacted by brain injury to cultivate the resilient mindset, physical capability, and support system essential to their lasting wellbeing. We offer two types, including residential week-long Community Retreats for people with TBI and peers in different regions of the US, and online Caregiver Retreats for caregivers of people affected by brain injury. Watch our recent segment on CNN Heroes to learn more about our work and see our Community Retreat in action.

Position summary: The Retreat Program Manager is deeply invested in the transformative powers of community, mindfulness, movement, and nutrition for people affected by TBI. This person has demonstrated success in building and leading multicultural teams to support residential-style retreat program implementation and growth. This role manages program administration, retreat partnerships, contractors, program communications, travel logistics, safety and health protocols, volunteer sourcing, and retreat key personnel management. This role requires a leader who is operations-minded, person-centered, and skilled in providing accessible and affirming community-based holistic health programming for the brain injury community.

LoveYourBrain believes that TBI, caregiving, and the intersections where our organization works - namely within healthcare, yoga, and wellness spaces - disproportionality impact the most marginalized in our society, including BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, women, non-binary people, people living with disabilities, people with intersecting identities, and others with lived experience being part of marginalized communities. We believe these communities must be centered in the work we do. Therefore we strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities. If you share LoveYourBrain’s values of being real, compassionate, inclusive, fun, and curious, we’d love to speak with you. The LYB community believes in respect for all people and the planet. We embrace and strive for a community that values differences and stands for equity. Regardless of how you identify, or how the world sees you, please feel welcome to apply and join our community.

Essential duties and responsibilities include:

Administration

• Manages essential operational tasks related to communications, scheduling, website, program budget, and Standard Operating Procedures 

• Manages program email and phone in a timely and efficient manner

• Maintains overall programmatic data hygiene in Salesforce, our internal customer service software  

• Manages reports of Key Performance Indicators for external and internal purposes 

• Contributes to the Retreat program strategic plan 

• Contributes to drafting of grants and donor reports to secure funding 

• Opportunity to serve on Equity Team to advance our vision of being a more equitable, anti-racist organization

Outreach and participant intake

• Independently organizes and leads participant application, interview, and acceptance process towards goal of 55 people applying per Retreat (~300 per year)

• Implements outreach strategy to engage key stakeholders in existing program locations to support program sustainability 

• Identifies and cultivates strategic partnerships with individuals and organizations to enhance exposure to LYB Retreat program among key audiences 

• Manages program outreach collateral and presentation material

• Participates in external communication about the program (i.e., media inquiries)

Retreat center partnerships

• Manages relationships and communications with all Retreat locations and staff

• Manages onboarding and closing of Retreat location contracts and personnel 

• Identifies new locations to reach expansion goals, including onsite visits

Retreat program staff and volunteer management

• Manages the organization, communications, and logistics of each Retreat, approximately 4-8 per year, including travel onsite for up to 7 day periods

• Leads scheduling, travel arrangements for participants, staff, and volunteers, and day-today operation of weekly Retreat programming

• Identifies and onboards Retreat teams of 15+  key personnel, including LYB staff, Ambassadors, cooks, kitchen volunteers, medical professionals, and general volunteers

• Manages volunteer intake and shepherding processes to create a streamlined pipeline of support 

• Co-leads components of LoveYourBrain Retreat programming (e.g., Retreat Alumni Gathering)

Retreat operations

• In charge of all aspects of onsite operations (set up, team orientation, staff and volunteer task delegation, welcoming participants, communication with site management, clean up)

• Coordinates and supports transportation from airport to Retreat site for participants

• Serve as a 24-hour point person for Retreat support, including managing emergency situations in coordination with the Wellness Team

Fundraising

• Coordinate with Development team to support peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns with a goal of raising $20,000+ per Retreat

While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other or different tasks be performed as assigned.

Minimum requirements

• At least 4-6 years experience in managing accessible residential style nonprofit programming, preferably involving mindfulness, yoga, or brain health

• Experience with people affected by traumatic brain injury or other neurological conditions, including with emotional dysregulation, anxiety, and memory symptoms

• Ability to lead and attend Retreat programs at each of our geographic locations 5-8 times per year, including  irregular schedule during Retreat preparation and operation

• Program operations experience, including budget management, facility contract negotiation, personnel, and scheduling

• Experience working with Salesforce (or other CRM platform), Microsoft Office Suite, Google platform, and Zoom 

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills that effectively engages a range of audiences (i.e., people with TBI, health care professionals, media, general public) 

• Strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills, with a community centered approach

• Highly-developed organizational skills with a keen attention to detail, and a demonstrated ability to effectively prioritize tasks and meet deadlines 

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent)  

Qualifications and skills strongly preferred

• A depth of understanding and/or teaching experience in trauma-informed settings with a yoga and/or mindfulness focus

• Ability to skillfully manage complex situations with people with emotional dysregulation, familiarity with nonviolent communication a plus

• Experience sourcing and cultivating relationships with volunteers and program staff 

• Strong skills in managing relationships with contracted organizations and people

• Experience working in SquareSpace, familiarity with Classy a plus

• Experience in working well with and within multicultural groups.

Physical requirements

• Travel in the US and Canada (by air and car) once every 2-4 months (must have license, passport)

• Ability to move Retreat-related equipment in the Retreat environment 

• Drive a car

Work environment

• Ability to effectively work remotely 

• Ability to work on a computer for up to 8 hours per day

• Ability to talk over the phone or video conferencing (multiple times a day)

• Ability to work over weekends (occasionally)

LoveYourBrain is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment  process, please email us at kyla@loveyourbrain.com and let us know. LoveYourBrain is an Equal Opportunity Employer and actively seeks candidates from diverse backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or any other factor protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.

We provide the following benefits for full-time employee positions:

• Health insurance coverage for 100% of BCBS VT Bronze level or a pre-tax stipend

• Delta Dental insurance (basic plan)

• 19 days PTO (longer based on duration at LYB) + 7 days sick/personal + 9 Federal Holidays

• 12 weeks fully paid leave for person giving birth/primary caregiver and 4 weeks fully paid for secondary caregiver

• Summer hours – half days on Fridays in July and August

• And more!

APPLICATION PROCESS

Please submit to Kyla Pearce, Senior Director of Programs and Research, at kyla@loveyourbrain.com:

1. A cover letter that directly addresses: 1) how you meet the selection criteria and 2) motivations for applying to this position

2. Resume or CV

3. Writing sample related to program marketing or outreach, or equivalent

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible as interviews are scheduled on a rolling basis. Potential candidates will be offered a formal interview via videoconference with key LoveYourBrain staff and then a subsequent interview with the Executive Director.