Associate Director of Youth Development - Boston

About the Organization 

More Than Words (MTW) is a nonprofit social enterprise that empowers youth who are in the foster care system, court involved, homeless, or out of school to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business. By working as a team to manage their own retail and online used book business and community space, youth develop the employment skills, leadership, and self-confidence they need to successfully transition to adulthood. 

MTW is an exemplary organization that has continually held up a mirror to identify areas for improvement and accountability; that ethic is part of the culture and fabric of MTW and it extends to our commitment to ensure our staff and board reflect the racial and ethnic diversity and lived experiences of the young adults we are privileged to serve. People of color are highly encouraged to apply.

The Opportunity

More Than Words (MTW) is seeking an experienced youth services professional to lead the design, implementation, and management of high-impact youth development programs. This leadership role combines strategic program development with hands-on youth engagement, staff management, and partnership building. The Associate Director will foster a strong, data-driven culture to continuously improve outcomes for young people as they develop academic, workforce, and life skills. 

This position reports to the Director of Youth Development and works closely with the Associate Director of Youth Development (Waltham) and Social Enterprise leaders. Responsibilities include supervising youth development staff, interns, and volunteers; leading program development and management; and serving as a positive role model and resource for youth. 

Key responsibilities of this position include but are not limited to: 

Case Management & Youth Services: 

• Caseload Management: Manages a caseload of 8–10 youth, maintaining regular communication with collaterals (e.g., DCF, probation, schools) and internal staff. 
• Data & KPI Oversight: Tracks departmental and youth KPIs using the Q0 board to ensure staff accountability and youth progress through the MTW model. 
• Policy Compliance & Communication: Ensures Youth Development staff adhere to policies through timely shift reports, updates, and communication with internal and external partners; provides coaching and feedback as needed. 
• Interview Pipeline Management: Oversees the Boston-site interview pipeline, monitoring monthly recruitment targets and coordinating schedules to move youth efficiently through the process. 
• Youth Progression Oversight: Manages the youth performance review, 3-2-1 process, ensuring youth meet required benchmarks as they prepare to transition from MTW. 

Youth Program Development & Management: 

• Program Design & Collaboration: Partners with the Director of Youth Development and the Waltham Associate Director to design and implement high-quality programming across both sites, with a focus on education, employment, and self-efficacy. 
• Program Delivery Systems: Develops and maintains structured program systems, including staffing schedules and progress-tracking tools, to support consistent delivery and youth advancement. 
• Program Execution & Quality Assurance: Oversees day-to-day program implementation, providing feedback to staff on curriculum delivery, youth management, and alignment with the MTW program model. 
• Coaching & Professional Development: Leads ongoing coaching and professional development for Youth Development staff, ensuring trauma-informed practices are consistently applied. 
• Staff Recruitment & Management: Supports recruitment, onboarding, scheduling, coaching, and evaluation of Youth Development staff and interns in alignment with organizational priorities. 
• Supervision & Performance Management: Supervises 2–3 team members, conducts weekly one-on-one supervision, and manages performance to support continuous improvement. 
• Community Program Oversight: Oversees the Community Re-Engagement Program and develops systems to support youth in successfully re-engaging with the MTW program. 

Leadership & Collaboration: 

• Leadership & Innovation: Takes initiative at the Boston site, applying creative problem-solving to address challenges and advancing the MTW program model across the organization. 
• Safety & Policy Management: Ensures site safety and compliance with all policies and protocols; serves as the primary point of contact during crises and provides staff coaching as needed. 
• Team Coaching & Training: Coaches Youth Development staff on effective communication and partner collaboration and leads internal meetings or trainings as appropriate. 
• Cross-Department Collaboration: Facilitates strong coordination between Youth Development and Social Enterprise teams to align goals and support youth and staff through a solutions-driven approach. 
• Stakeholder Relations: Builds and sustains relationships with state agencies (e.g., DCF, DMH) through regular updates, site visits, and collaborative planning for shared youth. 
• Partner Development: Collaborates with the Director of Youth Development to identify new partnerships and referral sources to expand youth support. 
• Stakeholder Satisfaction: Demonstrates responsiveness to internal and external stakeholders and takes proactive steps to address needs and concerns. 
• Data Leadership & Continuous Improvement: Leads accurate and timely data reporting, uses data to strengthen program delivery, and fosters a culture of continuous improvement to support long-term youth outcomes. 

Key Qualifications: 

• Minimum of bachelor's degree in related field 
• Minimum of 5 years of related work experience working directly with high-risk youth in a youth development program or education setting 
• Experience coaching youth to navigate career and college planning, possess strong facilitation skills, and be able to inspire and motivate individuals and groups to work toward achieving goals 
• Responsible, flexible, hard-working, ethical, trustworthy, sincere, and willing to hold youth accountable for their choices 
• Strong attention to detail and high level of organization, solid oral and written communication skills and strong computer skills are essential 
• Must be able to work some evening and weekend hours each month.  

Schedule: Monday-Friday 9am-5pm and must be able to work some evening and weekend hours each month. This role will primarily be based at our Boston site, with occasional travel to our Waltham site. 

Compensation: $70,000-$80,624; commensurate with skills and experience  

Benefits  

• Medical and Dental Insurance  
• 401K with up to 3.5% Employer Match  
• Optional tax saving Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for health, dental, dependent care, transportation and parking   
• Generous paid vacation and sick time  
• Significant growth opportunities and professional development  
• Employee Discounts  

To apply: Please include both resume and a cover letter.  

All of MTW’s sites are commuter friendly and are conveniently located near public transportation.  

Background Checks

More Than Words requires all staff, service members, volunteers, board members and youth over 18 years of age to undergo background checks. More Than Words is a CORI friendly organization and reviews CORIs on a case-by-case basis.  

MTW EEO Statement

MTW is an equal opportunity employer, fully committed to achieving a diverse and inclusive workplace that embraces and encourages applicants of every background. The organization's policy regarding equal employment opportunity means that all decisions regarding recruitment, hiring, benefits, wage and salary administration, scheduling, disciplinary action, and termination will be made without unlawful discrimination on the basis of sex, gender, race, color, age, national origin, religion, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, citizenship status, pregnancy or maternity, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state or local law. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing an application, interviewing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to HR@MTWyouth.org.