Senior Program Director

Program Development

Oversees the day-to-day operations of funded Department of Youth & Community Development (DYCD) COMPASS programs, including after-school, holiday camp, and summer programming.

Ensures all programs meet or exceed DYCD contractual requirements, Department of Health (DOH) regulations, and Grand St. Settlement quality standards.

Provides leadership, supervision, coaching, and accountability to site management teams to ensure high-quality program implementation, staff performance, and operational excellence.

Coordinates part-time staff schedules and program activities; recruits, supervises, coaches, develops, and evaluates part-time staff.

Attends all required Grand St. Settlement, DYCD, DOH/SACC, DOE, and funder trainings.

Serves as Grand St. Settlement's primary liaison and representative within the school community, fostering strong partnerships with school leadership, families, and community stakeholders.

Promotes alignment of expanded learning opportunities with the school-day curriculum, school goals, and student needs.

Supports school-day initiatives that enhance after-school programming and student success.

Maintains positive, professional, and productive working relationships with school personnel and Grand St. Settlement partners.

Led outreach, recruitment, enrollment, and retention efforts to achieve contractual enrollment and attendance goals.

• Core program components:
• Academic Support & STEAM
• Academic and Creative Arts Enrichment
• Physical Activity & Healthy Living
• Parent/Caregiver Engagement
• Youth Leadership and Civic Engagement

Ensures participants engage in safe, inclusive, high-quality programming that promotes academic success, social-emotional development, leadership, wellness, and positive youth outcomes.

Collaborates with the Educational/Content Specialist to monitor participant academic progress and support school success.

Conducts quarterly program quality assessments and develops continuous quality improvement plans to strengthen program effectiveness and participant outcomes.

Plans and executes a minimum of four annual events and showcases that celebrate participant achievement, family engagement, and community partnerships (e.g., Back-to-School Night, Open House, End-of-Year Showcase).

Develops and manages implementation timelines and action plans for major initiatives, events, and program deliverables.

Cultivates collaborative relationships with school administration, families, community partners, and other stakeholders to strengthen program impact and participant success.

Develops and sustains community partnerships by securing a minimum of three new partnerships annually to expand programming and leverage community resources.

Participates in community coalitions, advocacy initiatives, program assessments, and stakeholder feedback efforts to strengthen services and respond to community needs.

Attends and actively participates in school meetings, staff meetings, professional development, trainings, and workshops.

Administrative

Ensures the accuracy, integrity, and timely submission of all data entered into the DYCD Connect system and other required databases.

Maintains regular communication with school administration, DYCD representatives, families, and other key stakeholders, and participates in all required meetings.

Coordinates agency-wide events and initiatives in collaboration with Grand St. Settlement Program Directors and cross-department teams.

Participates in cross-borough initiatives, agency-wide events, and strategic planning efforts that advance Grand St. Settlement's mission and organizational goals.

Ensures staff, participants, and families adhere to all DYCD, DOE, and Grand St. Settlement social media and confidentiality policies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience in a school-based or community-based after-school program, including at least two (2) years in a supervisory role.
• Experience overseeing multiple programs, budgets, and staff.
• Demonstrated success collaborating with school leadership, families, and community stakeholders.
• Knowledge of the New York City public education system, positive youth development principles, and New York State Learning Standards.
• Experience designing, implementing, and evaluating lesson plans, curriculum, and structured youth programming in school settings.
• Strong leadership, organizational, project management, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to prioritize multiple responsibilities and work independently.
• Excellent written, verbal, public speaking, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to build and maintain productive relationships with school administration, staff, community partners, and families.
• Experience with program budgeting and fiscal management preferred.
• Familiarity with DYCD Connect and other data management systems preferred.
• Knowledge of STEM, Health & Sexuality, Careers & Life Planning, Sports & Adventure, and Academic Enrichment programming is highly desirable.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and other computer applications required.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment while managing multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Spanish language proficiency is preferred.
• Must obtain the School-Age Child Care (SACC) Program Director Credential (30-hour) as required.
• Must maintain Statewide Central Register (SCR) clearance (including the required nonrefundable fee of $25) and fingerprint clearance throughout employment.
• Must maintain current CPR and First Aid certification.