Business & Leadership Instructor – Quantum South Groundbreakers in Chicago, Illinois at After School Matters

Summary of Position: After School Matters is seeking committed part-time instructors to teach a Business and Leadership program located at a partner site in the South Chicago neighborhood during the Summer 2026 Program Session.

Quantum Shore Groundbreakers is a structured, hands-on youth engagement program designed to introduce teens to careers in the building industry. The program will allow teens to explore how projects are conceived, designed, financed, engineered, and built through mentorship and real-world learning. The instructor will co-lead a cohort of approximately 20 teens, guiding participants through learning activities related to business, leadership, and real estate development. The instructor will recruit, teach, and mentor teens and will also manage operational pieces such as program planning, attendance, and budget creation.

Program Schedule: The summer program will run one day a week for five weeks from July 8th - August 5th. Program hours are Wednesdays from 9:00 AM – 1:30 PM. Additional hours are allotted for planning, preparation, meetings, and professional development as required by ASM.

Program Location: 8555 S Green Bay Avenue, Chicago, IL

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Introduce a diverse group of teen participants in collaboration with Related Midwest to business, leadership, and real estate development concepts while fostering a positive, safe, and collaborative learning environment.
• Support teens in applying weekly learning toward a team-based capstone design project, culminating in a final presentation and showcase.
• Provide supervision during all program activities, including on site sessions and any approved field-based experiences.
• Report all problems or concerns and program updates to After School Matters Program Specialist to maintain consistent lines of communication throughout the program session
• Attend all planning and program dates, including Instructor orientation, professional development workshops, meetings and other required sessions
• Participate in the recruitment, interview, and selection process of teen program participants
• Manage and track program activities such as attendance, interview outcomes, enrollment, evaluation surveys, and pertinent student records in an online data tracking system (Cityspan).
• Other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Supervise teens at an average of 20:1, instructor: teen ratio

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrated knowledge of business, leadership, entrepreneurship, real estate, development, or related fields.
• Ability to translate professional or technical concepts into accessible, engaging learning experiences for teens.
• Commitment to youth development principles, including safety, inclusion, and youth voice.
• Customer service skills; ability to effectively communicate with a variety of stakeholders (teen participants, parents, ASM programs staff, vendors, etc.)
• Cultural competence

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant business or education major preferred; high school diploma or GED required.
• Prior experience teaching, mentoring, or facilitating learning with teenagers is required.
• Professional experience in business, leadership, development, construction, real estate, or related industries preferred.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is required.

Compensation: $20–27 per hour, depending on experience and education.
About Us: After School Matters is a Chicago-based nonprofit organization that annually offers after-school and summer programs to nearly 19,000 Chicago high school teens to explore and develop their talents while gaining critical skills that will set them up for success in college and beyond.

Thirty-five years later, now known as After School Matters, our program has engaged more than 450,000 Chicago teens and is the nation’s largest and most successful provider of after-school and summer programs for high school teens. No other organization offers programs to high school students at the scale and quality that we do.

We offer paid apprenticeships led by professionals in the fields of arts, communications and leadership, sports, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). Our nationally respected youth development model has been replicated in cities across the country and earned us the City Livability Award from the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

Programs take place at community locations throughout the city, including four ASM buildings: downtown at Gallery 37 Center for the Arts and Orleans, the Michael and Karyn Lutz Center in Belmont Cragin, and the Pullman community at Gately Park. Currently, After School Matters' annual operating budget is approximately $48M and employs approximately 500 staff across the organization. For more information, visit www.afterschoolmatters.org.
EEO: After School Matters is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status, military discharge status, age, marital status, parental status, or source of income.