Program Director (Harlem, NY)

Description

The YWCA of the City of New York (YWCA NYC) is on a mission to eliminate racism, empower women and promote peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. We are a multiracial social justice organization dedicated to addressing issues that emerge at the intersection of race, class, and gender. We reach more than 3,000 New York City youth each year, offering leadership and advocacy training for young women through our high school Girls Initiatives, and providing after-school COMPASS and SONYC programs for elementary and middle school students in culturally diverse communities. Through culturally responsive programming and a strong model of youth development, we create pathways for the next generation of leaders to reach their dreams and drive social change.

The Program Director oversees the implementation of all aspects of a YW-NYC school-based OST program to support positive youth development and outcomes; meet the needs of families and the school community; and further YW-NYC’s mission to eliminate racism and empower women and girls. This position will report directly to the Senior Director of Out-of-School Time.

A successful Program Director will bring a positive youth development lens to the role; build collaborative relationships with the school principal and staff; use evidence-based practices and data to continuously improve the OST program; ensure compliance with all licensing and funder requirements; hold themselves and others accountable for program results; and demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism.?

Salary Range: 68K-75K

Job Type: Full-time/ Exempt

Expected hours: 35 per week

Start Date: August 1st

Key Responsibilities:

Program Leadership & Operations

• Strategic Alignment: Ensure all program activities align with DYCD's COMPASS/SONYC frameworks and organizational goals, as well as the YWCA mission and vision, emphasizing leadership, economic empowerment, social justice, and advocacy.
• Compliance & Safety: Oversee daily operations, maintain a safe, structured, and compliant environment, and implement comprehensive emergency preparedness plans.
• Data Management: Supervise all data collection and entry, attendance tracking, and documentation in DYCD Connect to meet contractual compliance and reporting requirements.
• Monitoring & Audits: Coordinate and participate in all DYCD monitoring visits, audits, and internal leadership meetings.
• Manage special projects and initiatives such as financial literacy, Funny Girls and other specialized and community-based programs.

Supervision?

• Recruit, hire, onboard, train and supervise all program staff.
• Conduct structured observations and evaluations of program activities and provide program staff with feedback, at least twice during the year and once during the summer.
• Act as a task supervisor to MSW intern(s).
• Oversee Inclusion Coordinator’s management of referral service and partnering in the oversight of mental health support services.

External Relations & Recruitment

• NYCPS Liaison: Serve as the primary point of contact with day school personnel to integrate after-school programming with school-day academic goals.
• Family Engagement: Coordinate and oversee effective family engagement initiatives and communication strategies.
• Enrollment: Lead and execute recruitment and retention efforts to consistently meet DYCD contractual and attendance goals.
• Partnerships: Establish and maintain relationships with school leadership and external partners; establish and maintain relationships with key stakeholders to enhance program quality.

Curriculum & Enrichment

• Quality Programming: Collaborate with the Content Specialist to implement high-quality, sequenced programming across all required DYCD content areas (e.g., Literacy, STEM, Arts, SEL, Civic Engagement).
• Academic Support: Actively support NYC Reads and other academic initiatives to strengthen literacy instruction and enrichment outcomes.
• Co-design and deliver high-quality, project-based programming with the Program Manager using the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework across Literacy, STEM, SEL, and Arts, aligned to the DYCD model.
• Plan, coordinate, and execute three culminating events per fiscal year showcasing youth learning and projects.
• Ensure all activities meet DYCD PMT Rubric quality standards.
• Deliver a minimum of 13 OST Holiday Camp service days each program year.

Administration & Compliance

• Regulatory compliance and licensing: Ensure full compliance with funder, SACC/OCFS, and DOHMH Part 414 requirements; maintain active SACC license (ratios, staff clearances via FAMS/CBC, safety drills, staff files, required postings); prepare for and respond to inspections and corrective actions.
• Budget and procurement: Oversee site budget within the approved plan; track monthly expenditures and orders; follow procurement policies; proactively flag variances and budget concerns during the program year.
• Enrollment and attendance: Meet DYCD enrollment deadlines and ROP benchmarks; monitor weekly ADA; implement outreach/retention strategies to sustain participation.
• Professional development (team): Plan and deliver annual PD for Assistant Director and line staff; ensure completion of 129 hours covering Mental Health, SEL, Youth Development, DEI, Trauma-Informed Practice, CPR/First Aid/AED, FDNY F-07/S-95, Mandated Reporting/Child Abuse & Maltreatment, Sexual Harassment Prevention, and Health & Safety (minimum 5 hours).

Inclusion & Special Needs Coordination

• Work with the Inclusion Coordinator to help participants and families identify and access specialized resources, including support with plan management to provide participants' Individualized Accommodation Plans (IAPs) and maintain Student Behavioral Support Plans and Logs.
• Service Coordination: Coordinate direct services (e.g., hiring paraprofessionals, staff with language skills) and/or indirect services (e.g., making referrals or coordinating with NYCPS for screenings/diagnoses).
• DYCD Communication: Communicate with DYCD regarding needs for specialized support (e.g., nurses, specialized transportation) that require reasonable accommodation beyond the program's capacity.

Requirements

Qualifications & Requirements:

• SACC Director Requirement (Mandatory): A Bachelor’s degree in a child-related field (e.g., Education, Child Development, Psychology, Social Work) AND at least two years of direct experience working with school-age children; OR
• A minimum of 2 years of supervisory or program management experience in youth development or educational settings.
• CPR/First Aid certification (or willingness to obtain).
• F-07 & S95 Certification (or willingness to obtain).
• Health & Safety 15 hours Certification (or willingness to obtain).
• Demonstrated knowledge of DYCD COMPASS and SONYC frameworks and NYCPS partnership protocols.
• Proven track record in staff management, budget oversight, and regulatory compliance.
• Exceptional communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong commitment to youth development principles, safety, educational equity, and culturally responsive practices.
• Knowledge of telecommuting platforms, SharePoint and Microsoft Office suite products (Outlook, TEAMS, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)?

The hours for this position will fluctuate depending on the needs of the school; general hours of operation can range anywhere from 10:00am – 6:00pm. The Program Director role requires occasional travel across New York City.

Benefits:

Eligibility requirement rules apply

• Health / Dental/ Vision insurance?- employer-funded for the employee
• YWCA Retirement Plan Matching?
• 403(b) Plan?
• Paid time off?
• Life Insurance?
• UNUM Voluntary insurance (Additional Life, Life AD&D, Dep. Life)?
• FSA and employer-funded HRA dollars to spend towards out-of-pocket health costs?

Physical Demands:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and listen. This position is very active and requires standing, walking, bending, kneeling, and stooping all day. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move items under 20 pounds. During fire drills, the employee, unless physically unable, will need to use the stairs to go to ground level from the fourth floor. Typing is required for composing emails and writing reports. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.?

The YWCA of the City of New York is an equal opportunity employer and contractor. We provide equal employment and contracting opportunities to all applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. The YWCA of New York City utilizes only job- related criteria in making decisions concerning applicants and employees. Moreover, we encourage applicants from historically underrepresented communities to apply.?