Program Manager - SLAM

Job Title: Program Manager, SLAM (Service, Leadership, Artistry, and Mentorship) Honors Program 

Location: All 4 TPMS sites:

• Uptown Academy (931 W. Eastwood, Chicago)
• Greater South Side (5410 South State Street, Chicago)
• Back of the Yards (Lara Elementary, 4619 S Wolcott Ave.)
• Albany Park (Hibbard Elementary, 3244 West Ainslie St.)
• Occasionally hybrid

Reports to: Chief Program Officer

Organizational Overview

The People's Music School is Chicago’s oldest and largest completely free nonprofit music school, providing transformational music instruction to over 800 K-12 students in Chicago. The school has a straightforward mission: to provide access to the transformational benefits of high-quality music instruction to youth who otherwise would not be able to afford it.  We focus our work in communities that have been systematically excluded and marginalized from receiving a high quality music education.

Through intensive instruction and performance, The People's Music School's students grow not only musically, but also socially, emotionally, and academically, developing a foundation of responsibility, self-esteem, resilience, and purpose. From putting an instrument in an aspiring young musician's hand for the first time, to teaching students how to read and write music and perform in an ensemble, The People's Music School provides opportunity and instruction at sites located in four Chicago communities: Uptown, Albany Park, Back of the Yards, and the Greater South Side. Students receive an average of four hours of instruction per week, at absolutely no cost, delivered by world-class teaching artists.
 

Job Summary

The Manager of the Service, Leadership, Artistry, and Mentorship (SLAM) Honors Program leads The People’s Music School’s student honors program to support our most exemplary students across the city. SLAM inspires these students to achieve excellence (both musical and non-musical), serve their communities, be creative, work hard, and learn to avail themselves of opportunities. SLAM demonstrates that there need not be compromises between excellence, equity, inclusion, and joy in a high-level extracurricular music program that is proud to be 100% tuition-free.

We are looking for an inspiring and mission-driven artist-educator to bring that vision into its next chapter.
 

About SLAM

SLAM’s programming is a combination of advanced musical training and student leadership. SLAM sustains high musical and non-musical expectations of all students, with a high bar for attendance, preparation, and engagement. SLAM students build community with one another and take a leading role in their own musical and non-musical development. Each SLAM student receives private instrumental lessons, plays in at least one ensemble, performs regularly at TPMS sites and externally, mentors at least one other non-SLAM TPMS student, and volunteers at TPMS.

Joining SLAM as a student is an audition- and application-based process with a high bar both musically and non-musically. To get into SLAM, students must be at a sufficiently high musical level and have clearly demonstrated TPMS’s values of Excellence, Community, Creativity, Hard Work, and Opportunity. SLAM students are TPMS’s student leaders, exemplifying TPMS values and serving as inspiring role models for and representatives of the broader TPMS student body. SLAM students are encouraged and expected to attend a degree program, not necessarily in music, upon graduation. Most SLAM students are in high school, but some advanced middle school students may be admitted to SLAM. SLAM students are often called upon for TPMS’s highest-profile external performances.  In the 2025-26 school year, there will be 85 students enrolled in SLAM.

About the role

The Manager of the SLAM Honors Program will take ownership of building and strengthening TPMS’s premier advanced program. They will build trusted relationships with the diverse community of SLAM students and families, inspiring them to excel in the program. They will gain a deep understanding of TPMS’s program broadly, building awareness of the SLAM student pipeline in all sites, and proactively inspiring TPMS’s younger student body to aspire to join SLAM. They will also manage TPMS’s Summer Ambassadors program, in which TPMS provides all-in funding to select students (SLAM students and beyond) attending transformative external summer programs, which have included Berklee: Aspire 5-Week Intensive, Blue Lake, Interlochen, YOLA, and more.

The role’s activities include, but are not limited to: manage SLAM student culture and outcomes, including community, attendance, discipline, and engagement, in close partnership with site-based TPMS Program Managers; build trusted relationships with SLAM students’ families, inspiring them to support their child’s SLAM participation; set and maintain programmatic expectations for SLAM, including managing and inspiring SLAM faculty; ensure excellence in performance opportunities for SLAM students, both internal to TPMS and externally; end-to-end management of SLAM recruitment, including building student pipeline in partnership with TPMS Program Managers, maintaining high standards for audition/application process, and partnering with TPMS staff and faculty to select students and communicate decisions to all relevant stakeholders.

Today, SLAM classes are conducted from 9-4pm on Saturdays at Uptown Academy at 931 West Eastwood Ave, and at our Greater South Side and Back of the Yards community sites during after-school hours between Monday and Thursday. The Manager of the SLAM Honors Program is expected to be at the full day of programming on Saturdays at Uptown Academy, and be regularly present at SLAM programming at community sites (although 100% presence would not be possible due to overlapping schedules).

The Manager of the SLAM Honors Program will directly supervise a part-time SLAM Associate, who is available to support administrative activities, communication, and other tasks as needed.

Responsibilities - SLAM Program Management (23 hours/week)

• Achieve TPMS’s goals related to the SLAM program, most notably student progression, retention, recruitment, and student and family engagement
• Build trusted relationships with SLAM students’ families, inspiring them to support their child’s involvement in SLAM
• Manage and inspire SLAM faculty. Assist with their hiring, observation, and evaluation
• Collaborate closely and effectively with members of the Program, Learning & Teaching, and leadership teams to ensure programmatic success and collective ownership
• Organize and administer all student activities for SLAM (i.e., performances, field trips, and master classes)
• Manage and administer TPMS’s Summer Ambassadors program, including stewarding relationships with external partner institutions, communicating with students and families about available opportunities, assisting families and students with their application completion, tracking funding and expenses, and managing follow-up.
• Manage SLAM student conduct, including as needed disciplinary meetings with students and families
• Carefully manage budget allocation for the SLAM program, identifying cost-saving opportunities, and collaborating with key Leadership Team members on budget planning
• Maintain student databases, including attendance, student outcomes, fundraising, service hours, and instrument inventory/repairs
• Create and maintain SLAM Saturday at Uptown Academy class schedule for faculty and students, and collaborate closely with other Program Managers to schedule SLAM students’ classes taking place at other sites and on other days
• Ensure collection and analysis of student outcomes data (e.g. juries, behavior reports, attendance, grades) to help meet TPMS strategic goals and to support work of the Development team (e.g. information needed for grants)
• Execute all administrative paperwork, projects, and tasks on time and to a high level of accuracy
• Implement safety and security protocols with faculty and students to ensure compliance, in collaboration with the appropriate site managers
• Oversee all activities related to smooth operation of the program, including set-up /take-down and other program related activities (e.g. class transitions, dismissal)
• Actively participate in staff/faculty meetings and professional development
• Other duties as may be assigned from time to time

Qualifications

• Personal commitment to the mission and values of The People’s Music School
• Minimum level of education required is a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution; major in music education, performance, pedagogy, arts administration or related field. Masters degree is preferred
• Credible leader of artistic endeavors based on prior experience in high-quality performing arts ensemble(s), educational institution(s), connections to artistic community, or other institutional affiliations
• 3+ years of experience teaching music in private, small group, or large group settings
• 1+ years of management/leadership experience in either the non-profit or for-profit sector
• Professional degree or certification in music performance a plus
• Proven experience and success collaborating with and inspiring people from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds
• Proven experience collaborating successfully in a diverse, cross-functional team
• Meticulous attention to detail and adherence to deadlines
• Proficiency in Google Workspace a plus
• Must pass Chicago Public Schools background check
• Excellent oral and written communication skills

Physical Demands

• Local travel required
• Tolerance of prolonged and continuous stationary periods at a desk/computer
• Occasionally required to push, pull, lift and/or move up to 20 pounds

Schedule

• Part-time position: 23 hours/week: During the school year, this will include selected regular weekdays from 1-6pm (exact days to be determined) and Saturdays from 8:30-4:30pm. It is expected that this work will be conducted at TPMS program sites during the school year.
• Some weekend or evening hours may be required for events. Schedule will flex accordingly, aligned on with the Chief Program Officer.
• Summer schedule can be discussed with Chief Program Officer and will be hybrid.

Compensation

• $27.50-$30 per hour, for total annual compensation of $32,890-35,880 (23 hours per week, 52 weeks per year)

• Paid Time Off, Paid Sick Leave, 403b Retirement Plan with Employer Match

For more information about The People’s Music School, please visit: www.peoplesmusicschool.org.

The People’s Music School does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religious belief, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, ancestry, veteran status, physical or mental disability or any other protected status in admission or access to, or employment in its programs and activities.