We’re Hiring!
Career Accelerator Program Specialist or Manager
Lead our paid, hands-on Frameworks Career Accelerator for Atlanta teens/young adults (15–22). High-energy, roll-up-your-sleeves role for passionate leaders who value hard work over handouts.
Bearings Bike Works is a faith-based, mission-driven organization dedicated to empowering young people through hands-on learning, real-world mentorship, and career development. Our Frameworks Career Accelerator Program is a cornerstone initiative that combines gritty, practical skills training—like bike repair and shop operations—with personal growth, preparing participants for meaningful careers as they step into adulthood. At Bearings, we reject entitlement and "follow your passion" myths; instead, we embrace a Mike Rowe ethos and sentiment towards career: hard work is a choice, every job is an opportunity, and success comes from showing up, working hard, taking ownership, and bringing passion to the task—no matter how dirty or demanding.
Job Overview:
We're seeking a high-energy, no-nonsense Program Manager to lead our Frameworks Career Accelerator Program. This isn't a desk job—it's a hands-on, life-on-life mentorship role where you'll roll up your sleeves alongside teens and young adults in our training program. You might be cleaning windows, wrenching on bikes, sweating through repairs, and modeling relentless work ethic in the trenches. We need someone with the heart of a pastor and guide—compassionate, encouraging, and invested in their growth—but also the backbone for direct, sometimes hard conversations. We're not coddling anyone here. We're empowering them to own their choices, set real goals, and move forward in a supportive yet challenging environment that demands accountability and grit. You'll be the heartbeat of the program: a hands-on coach and manager, inspiring participants with radical empowerment and relentless encouragement, holding them to high expectations with high support, recruiting driven candidates from Atlanta's urban communities, driving growth, and building futures through sweat equity and character development.
Key Responsibilities:
Program Recruitment: Hit the streets and leverage word-of-mouth, relationships with schools, community organizations, and program graduates for grassroots outreach to attract high-potential, motivated participants ready to put in the work.
Workshops & Training Facilitation: Lead engaging, hands-on workshops and sessions built on the Frameworks curriculum—blending bike mechanics, career skills, goal-setting, character development, and the S.W.E.A.T. mindset (Skills & Work Ethic Aren't Taboo).
Hands-On Mentorship & Participant Support: Serve as a role model and mentor for young adults (especially young men) in the program. Provide straight-talk feedback, encouragement, and practical guidance while working side-by-side on shop tasks, bike repairs, and daily operations to help them succeed and plan their next career step.
Unwavering commitment to participant success: Relentless focus on supporting young adults to secure and transition into their next meaningful step—whether enrolling in postsecondary education, vocational training, or sustainable employment—through personalized encouragement, practical resources, and comprehensive guidance.
Program Management: Oversee daily operations, track progress with accountability, manage budget/resources, maintain records, and report outcomes to leadership—ensuring we deliver transformation, not excuses.
Qualifications:
Deep passion for tough-love mentorship and uplifting teens/young adults—building trust and connecting authentically while holding adults accountable when needed and challenging them to rise.
Strong work ethic and can-do attitude that motivates through action, not just words.
4+ years in mentorship, youth development, youth ministry, career coaching, program coordination, social work, case management, or similar. Experience with urban youth and/or nonprofits is a big plus.
Proven recruitment/outreach chops—comfortable with grassroots hustle and non-traditional growth methods.
Growth mindset: Innovative, sees challenges as chances to expand impact through hard work and smart effort.
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel (including data management, tracking, and analysis) and strong writing skills for the clear reporting and compelling storytelling critical in the non-profit sector.
Expertise in helping people set achievable goals, track progress, and achieve them (social work, case worker experience a strong advantage). Experience and track record of placing program graduates in their next roles a plus.
Bonus: Familiarity with bike mechanics, career training frameworks, or the Mike Rowe Works philosophy (dirty jobs, delayed gratification, personal responsibility).
Why Join Us?
At Bearings Bike Works, you'll join a tight-knit team making real, tangible difference—no fluff, just sweat, growth, and transformed lives. This is more than a job—it's a calling to ignite potential, instill work ethic, and grow a program that breaks cycles of poverty through empowerment, not handouts. We offer a supportive (but demanding) environment, professional development, and the deep satisfaction of seeing your grit fuel lasting change.
Other Key Information:
Schedule: Full time, in-person (no work from home option); Monday–Thursday: 9:00 AM – 6:45 PM (1-hour lunch) Friday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM (1-hour lunch) (Subject to adjustment based on program needs.)
Title & Salary Range: $50,000-$68,000; Salary and Title will commensurate based on experience
Benefits: Bearings offers health, dental, and vision insurance options, as well as a 401(k) with employer matching. Full-time employees also receive paid time off and a generous annual holiday schedule.
To Apply:
If this sounds like a fit for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please send your resume with a cover letter to info@bearingsbikeworks.org.
