Principal Responsibilities:

The Program Director for the Edgies Teen Center @ MCC is a high-impact leader responsible for the development, implementation, supervision, and evaluation of a high-quality afterschool program designed to provide meaningful enrichment opportunities to Lower East Side teens. Working closely with leaders across MCC and Educational Alliance, this Program Director will collaborate with both internal and external stakeholders to develop and maintain an excellent student-centered program that uses data to reflect on new initiatives and generate best practices.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Implement and continually assess a comprehensive center-based Teen program catering to the diverse needs of students aged 13-19 on the Lower East Side
• Collaborate with educators, counselors, and community leaders to integrate college-preparation curricula, career readiness modules, and enrichment activities to complement their academic endeavors at school.
• Stay updated with the latest educational approaches and methodologies to ensure program relevance and effectiveness.
• Oversee daily operations of the Teen Center, located with the Manny Cantor Center, ensuring a safe, inclusive, and productive environment.
• Supervise and develop a diverse staff, including a deputy (Associate Director) who should receive consistent professional development, coaching, and leadership capacity enhancement.
• Promote professional growth and development program staff, interns, and volunteers through regular supervision, observations, training, and staff meetings.
• Maintain student records and actively track attendance, chronic absenteeism, family engagement, program referrals, school performance and engagement, and other relevant metrics.
• Establish a system for tracking individual student success, using data to refine and enhance program offerings.
• Conduct data analysis via multiple sources to understand trends, obtain feedback, integrate student and family voice in programming.
• Liaise with local schools, colleges, and businesses to foster partnerships and create opportunities for teen exposure to real-world experiences.
• Prepare and manage the annual teen center budget, ensuring optimal resource allocation.
• Monitor and analyze expenditures regularly, adjusting as necessary to remain within budgetary confines.
• Work with Development to uphold grant requirements and reporting.
• Organize fairs, campus visits, and guest speakers.
• Develop and oversee targeted initiatives to enhance college and career readiness among teens, while proactively identifying and addressing any observed gaps or additional needs within the teen/youth demographic.
• Work with other Program Directors across MCC to support center-wide initiations and creative collaborative programming.
• Other duties as assigned by Associate Executive Director

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required, Masters in Social Work Preferred
• At least five to seven years of education or social service leadership experience
• Demonstrated passion for the mission, vision, and core values of Manny Cantor Center, and a proved belief in the innate competence, value, and strengths of teens in our community.
• Experience working with teens in school or program settings.
• Life-long learners who see the potential in every child and can help children see the potential in themselves.
• Strong interpersonal skills, good judgment, and an ability to work both independently and in a highly collaborative environment.
• A commitment to thinking outside of the box - dedication to creativity, innovation, and fun.
• Strong program management skills and a sense of ownership over the programming that drives efficiency and excellence in all aspects of work.
• The belief that parents and families are important stakeholders in their children's social, emotional, and academic growth.
• Ability to work seamlessly between high-level strategy and detail-oriented work.
• Ability to work well under pressure and keep track of multiple projects/deadlines.
• Passion for driving innovation, disrupting the status quo, trying new approaches, and tackling problems from many angles to find creative solutions.
• Proficient in all Microsoft Office applications
• Appropriate background checks and clearances

Salary:

80k-90k

Agency Information:

A nonprofit beacon of hope for over 130 years, as a historically Jewish organization Educational Alliance believes in the power of communities to lift up people of all ages and turn strangers into neighbors. We offer high-quality, affordable education programs, health services, and diverse cultural enrichment right where New Yorkers live and raise their families. We make the city a brighter, friendlier and more supportive place. Our community centers offer multi-generational programs that push boundaries and break barriers, sharing critical tools to foster relationships and advance the well-being of people in New York City.

Our pioneering educational programs-like 2Generation Head Start, and courses ranging from art to fitness, career readiness to citizenship-are carefully curated and developed with our city's residents in mind. We offer dozens of options and we never stop innovating to help people of all ages grow, connect, and engage.

Guided by Jewish values, Educational Alliance celebrates the differences and individuality every person brings when they walk through our doors because we know that there is more that connects us than keeps us divided. Today, our reach extends beyond the city as our innovative programs serve as models for other organizations to adopt and implement in their communities. We invite you to join us as we partner with our neighbors, strengthen our city, and pave the way for more generations of New Yorkers to live enriched and fulfilling lives - because you belong here.