Lead Instructor

ABOUT US and WHY WE’RE HIRING

Hi there! We’re On My Own of Michigan, a nonprofit making independent living possible for people with developmental disabilities.

For nearly 30 years, our proven method has been changing lives for people with autism, Down syndrome and other cognitive impairments.

Our unique blend of immersive skill-building experiences, social activities, and personalized independent living support helps more than 100 people with developmental disabilities each year have the support they need to build and maintain their independence.

We have big plans for our future and that’s where you come in!

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

We have a few non-negotiable requirements for this role. You must have:

• an LLBSW, LBSW, MSW, or bachelor’s degree and valid teaching certificate in special education (or a related field),
• at least two years of experience teaching or providing case management services to adults with developmental disabilities, and
• a clean driving record and ability to safely operate a vehicle.

We also expect our team members to consistently demonstrate these five core competencies:

• integrity
  • when you make a commitment, you keep it
  • you admit your mistakes, learn from them and ask for help when needed
  • you do what’s right, not what’s easy or comfortable
  • you maintain confidentiality
• communication
  • you ask questions and listen to understand
  • you speak with confidence, clarity and compassion
  • you respond thoughtfully and in a timely manner
• collaboration
  • you are kind, inclusive and encouraging
  • you offer help and share credit
  • you avoid gossip and speak directly to solve issues
• excellence
  • you stay organized, meet deadlines and check your work for quality and accuracy
  • you prioritize effectively and make mission-aligned decisions
  • you take initiative to make things better
  • you treat every interaction as a chance to find the win-win and show people they matter
• growth
  • you embrace change, rebound after setbacks and stay calm under pressure
  • you seek feedback and apply what you learn
  • you set clear goals, anticipate challenges and adapt as needed
  • you take ownership of your actions and outcomes

If these describe you, we hope you’ll consider applying!
 
A DAY IN THE LIFE AS OUR LEAD INSTRUCTOR

Working alongside our education team, our Lead Instructor is responsible for growing the independent living and employment skills of the teens and young adults in our educational programs (Independence Prep and Independence College).  

This work includes:

• completing member assessments, documenting annual goals, and developing personalized learning plans to ensure our members are successful,
• providing individual and group life skills instruction using our unique curriculum and teaching methodology to members primarily in their apartments and sometimes at their job sites and in the community,
• proactively assisting members to ensure they meet their goals and are successfully living independently, working a paid job, and maintaining a high quality of life, and
• proactively and responsively communicating with members and their families to ensure high satisfaction and retention, and
• completing timely and accurate documentation of services provided and progress made.

We’re a small team, so you’ll also pitch in where needed. That could mean attending our community events or collaborating with other team members on a project to improve our work. We don’t expect these extra tasks to add many, if any, hours to your regular schedule.

And speaking of your schedule, this is a full-time, year-round position reporting to our Director of Education. While the role has some schedule and work-from-home flexibility during breaks in programming, in-person support is required from 12 to 7 pm five days per week, Monday through Friday, from September through May (for Independence College) and from 12 to 7 pm three days per week, Monday through Wednesday, in July (for Independence Prep).

A BIT ABOUT LIFE AT ON MY OWN OF MICHIGAN

Our work is only possible because of the commitment of our team. That’s why we take great care in ensuring our team has the support they need to do their work well.

Here’s just a few benefits you’ll receive if you join our team:

• a 35-hour work week (pay is based on a 40-hour work week)
• a competitive starting salary range of $50,000 to $65,000 (with the top of the range reserved for our most experienced candidates) and opportunities for annual merit-based increases
• generous paid leave including:
  • 7 weeks of paid time off given at the beginning of each fiscal year (prorated in year 1)
  • 6 weeks of additional paid time off for the birth or adoption of a child
  • 2 weeks of additional paid time off for the death of an immediate family member
  • 6 weeks of additional paid time off for a sabbatical every 7 years
• generous health and wellness benefits (paid primarily by us for full-time staff) including:
  • low-deductible medical, vision and dental insurance
  • short-term and long-term disability insurance
  • life insurance
• tailored professional development experiences and funding
• quarterly team-building experiences (like meals, movies and mini golf)

We work hard to create a team culture that supports long-term retention and achievement of our bold goals, and were named Best Managed Nonprofit by Crain’s Detroit Business.

How to Apply

If you’re interested in becoming one of our Lead Instructors, please email your resume to Chief Executive Officer at jennifer@onmyownofmi.org. We want to make our process as easy as possible, so there’s no need to write a cover letter.

If you meet our minimum requirements (outlined in What We’re Looking For), you’ll be invited to a 30-minute phone interview with our CEO. From there, we’ll select a smaller group of candidates to join our Director of Education, Lead Instructor, and CEO for a 1-hour Zoom interview. The final round with our top candidates will include an in-person interview with our education team and some of our members at our office in Troy, Michigan.

We’re committed to matching the diversity of our staff with the diversity of the people we serve and encourage people with developmental disabilities, people of color and people of all genders to apply.

We’d Love to Meet You!