Fair Futures Director

About Fair Futures & Little Flower Children & Family Services of NY 

Fair Futures is a youth-led advocacy movement and coalition of 100 organizations advocating for all young people in New York City’s foster care system to have access to the individualized supports they need to achieve their potential.  Fair Futures is also a comprehensive model that includes a middle school program that prepares students for success in high school and a coaching program where young people ages 14 are matched with a full-time, professionally trained Coach.  

As a result of the Fair Futures youth-led advocacy efforts, New York City became the first in the nation to secure public funding for all young people in foster care through age 26. In 2020, the Fair Futures model was implemented at all 25 foster care agencies, including Little Flower Children & Family Services of NY.

The overall goals of the Fair Futures program model are to help young people:

• Build trusting relationships and a network of positive adult and peer supports;
• Prepare for and graduate from high school;
• Connect to and persist in post-secondary settings;
• Engage in career exploration and career development experiences in line with their interests to help them eventually navigate onto a living wage career pathway;
• Access and maintain stable, affordable housing if they are exiting foster care and gain independent living and life skills. 

Overview and Job Description of the Program Director Position

The role of the Program Director mirrors that of the Coach Supervisor, but at scale. Program Directors provide direct supervision to Coach Supervisors and Specialists in their work with young people, in addition to serving as the external face of the program.

Program Directors typically report directly to agency leadership. Duties can include but are not limited to:

• Promote a youth development philosophy and framework and work cross-divisionally to infuse youth development principals and skills across the program and agency;
• Lead, manage, and directly supervise the Fair Futures staff;
• Provide direct, regular supervision to Supervisors and Specialists;
• Ensure all Coaches, Supervisors, and Specialists receive the proper trainings;
• Monitor youth goals & steps and key academic data monthly;
• Ensure peer groups are in place and running effectively;
• Serve as the outward face of the program with both public and private stakeholders;
• Partner externally to develop workforce, internship, and career exposure partnerships;
• Ensure that efficient administrative procedures are in place within the program and that financial and physical resources are effectively used.

Qualities and Competencies

The Program Director must and create the culture of trusting relationships and that forms the foundation of the coaching program. Thus, the relational skills of the Director are paramount to the success of the program and include the following relational skills: 

• Ability to create a warm, inclusive, strength-based, non-judgmental, and trauma-informed culture;
• Ability to facilitate harmonious relationships among staff; 
• Support staff in developing strong relationships with young people; 
• Provision of emotional support to staff to reduce stress and build resiliency; 
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to build relationships with community and governmental stakeholders; 
• Values and promotes diversity; 
• A belief that change is possible; 
• Able to maintain healthy boundaries; 
• Able to remain calm during moments of tension and stress. 

Program Directors should have a Master’s degree in social work, education, or related field, significant experience working with at-risk or system-involved youth, and 3 years of management experience, ideally. Exceptions can be made for candidates with Bachelor’s degrees who have significant managerial experience and who are credible messengers, including the following professional skills:

Successful Program Directors are also able to: 

• Be self-directed, strategic thinkers; 
• Lead and work under pressure and meet deadlines; 
• Build external partnerships and meet with funders and government partners. 

Other critical skills include:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; 
• Strong experience using data to monitor program outcomes; 
• Strong budgeting and fiscal skills.