Community School Director

Community School Director

Young Audiences New York (YANY)

Full-time, Exempt                     

Reports to: Director of Programs

Department: Programs

Position Summary:

The Community School Director (CSD) is YANY’s lead staff member at PS 165M, a community school in Manhattan where YANY serves as the lead community-based organization (CBO). The CSD is a highly visible, results-driven, relationship-centered leader who serves as both an ambassador for YANY and a collaborative change agent within the school community.

Working in close partnership with the principal and school leadership, the CSD is accountable for identifying needs and opportunities, developing solutions, driving implementation, and ensuring that expanded learning, family engagement, and youth development initiatives produce strong results for students and families. The CSD must bring a high level of ownership, initiative, persistence, and follow-through and be comfortable being held accountable for the successful execution and outcomes of the work they lead.

The ideal candidate brings an anticipatory, impact-driven, and visionary approach to the role, with a trailblazer mindset and the belief that they can be a catalyst for positive change for the next generation. They are proactive, personable, resourceful, solutions-oriented, and persistent in developing relationships and maintaining communication with busy school leaders, families, community partners, and other stakeholders. Rather than waiting for direction, the CSD anticipates needs, identifies barriers, recommends solutions, and moves priorities forward.

As a member of the School Leadership Team (SLT), the CSD serves as a strategic thought partner and leader, helping align YANY’s work with school priorities while identifying opportunities to deepen YANY’s impact, strengthen partnerships, leverage resources, and expand services. The CSD brings an opportunity-oriented mindset to the role, consistently looking for new partnerships, resources, collaborations, and opportunities that advance the goals of the school and YANY.

The CSD is an advocate for the arts and positive youth development (PYD) and is accountable for ensuring that students and families have access to high-quality, engaging, developmentally appropriate programming. The CSD uses feedback, data, relationships, and knowledge of the school community to assess what is working, identify gaps, and continuously strengthen programming.

The CSD also serves as the leader and manager of YANY’s school-based team, setting clear expectations, establishing priorities, delegating effectively, monitoring performance, coaching staff, and holding team members accountable for strong execution and follow-through. The CSD will directly supervise a full-time Program Coordinator and part-time staff and is expected to foster a culture of professionalism, accountability, collaboration, responsiveness, and high performance.

Success in this role requires a strong work ethic, leadership presence, sound judgment, resilience, and a willingness to take ownership of challenges through resolution. The CSD must be able to balance strategic leadership with hands-on execution and understand that strong relationships ultimately translate into meaningful results for students, families, the school community, and YANY.

The CSD reports directly to YANY’s Director of Programs. The incumbent will work primarily at the school site during the school year and from YANY’s office when school is not in session, exclusive of holidays.

Responsibilities:

Leadership, Strategy, and School Partnership

• Serve as YANY’s lead strategist and champion advocate at PS 165M and in the broader community, advancing YANY’s mission in arts education, youth development, and community engagement;
• Build and maintain a strong partnership with the principal, school administration, and educators through proactive communication, regular follow-up, and responsiveness to school needs, priorities, and opportunities;
• Through partnership, identify needs, develop strategies and resources, and move ideas from planning through implementation and follow-up;
• Operate as a collaborative thought-partner to school administration, aligning community school programming with CEP goals, SEL objectives, curriculum, and student and family needs;
• Participate as an active member on the SLT, lead Attendance Team meetings, and work with school leadership to assess goals, track progress, and develop responsive strategies;
• Partner with stakeholders (i.e. SLT, PTA) to create accessible family engagement opportunities that strengthen school-to-home connections;
• Facilitate collaboration among partners while cultivating strong relationships with key stakeholders, including teachers, students, families, YANY staff, community organizations, funders, and the DOE Office of Community Schools;

Program Design, Quality, and Impact

• Collaborate with YANY and school administration to design and oversee high-quality after-school arts and enrichment programming grounded in PYD and responsive to student, school, family, and community needs;
• Under the guidance of the Senior Director of Programs and Impact, use data, observation, outreach, feedback, and reflection to assess program effectiveness, identify improvements, track progress, and adapt strategies as needs change;

Operations and Team Management

• Manage core after-school operations, including student recruitment, attendance tracking, dismissal, annual program budget, data collection, and reporting;
• Supervise and support the Program Coordinator and other community school staff, setting clear expectations and supporting their professional growth;

School-Wide Support and Organizational Engagement

• Support school-wide priorities and day-to-day needs, including student wellness and other responsibilities identified in partnership with school leadership;
• Attend YANY staff meetings and prepare program presentations for YANY’s Board, funders, and other stakeholders as required.

Additional duties and responsibilities may be assigned as needed.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree preferred, Masters a plus;
• 5+ years of experience working with school-aged youth, including significant experience with elementary-aged students and their developmental needs, NYC Public School or community school experience preferred;
• Demonstrated experience designing, managing, or supervising after-school, expanded learning, or programming grounded in PYD practices;
• Demonstrated ability to build trusting, productive relationships with school leaders, educators, families, partners, funders, and other stakeholders;
• Proactive, responsive communicator with strong initiative, follow-through, and the ability to manage competing priorities;
• Strong written and verbal communication, organizational, and presentation skills;
• Strategic, solutions-oriented thinker who can anticipate needs and challenges, develop plans, adapt thoughtfully, and move priorities forward;
• Ability to identify opportunities, build partnerships, and advance new ideas that support goals;
• Ability to use data, feedback, observation, and community input to assess program impact, identify gaps, improve services, and strengthen community outcomes;
• Growth mindset with openness to feedback, reflection, learning, and continuous improvement;
• Strong people-management skills, including the ability to set clear expectations, coach staff, build accountability, and support professional growth;
• High level of ownership, accountability, and follow-through from planning through implementation;
• Strong operational and administrative skills, including program logistics, budgets, data collection, reporting, and compliance requirements;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Salesforce or similar database systems a plus;
• Friendly, personable, enthusiastic, and professional demeanor, with the ability to serve as an effective external-facing representative for YANY;
• Commitment to arts education, PYD, family engagement, and racial and social justice;
• Bilingual Spanish preferred, but not required;
• Must pass DOE fingerprinting and background clearances;
• Ability to work occasional weeknights/weekends for school events or meetings.

Salary: $72,500-$75,000. YANY also offers a competitive benefits package including health insurance coverage (medical, dental, vision), generous paid time off, transit benefits, and 403b plan participation.

Application Instructions

Applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences are encouraged to apply. Please send a cover letter and résumé to employment@yany.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Preference will be given to applications received by August 28, 2026.

Young Audiences New York is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

Disclaimer: The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the employee in this position. These statements are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of a person in this position.

About Young Audiences New York

We believe art can be a catalyst to create equity and opportunity for New York City’s youth, their families, and communities. Founded in 1952, YANY continues to act as explorer and trailblazer in the field of arts education. Our innovative programming expands from inside the classroom out into the surrounding neighborhood, integrating artmaking with youth development and community engagement. Through the process of creating and sharing art, children build important life skills, grow social networks, and affirm their belief in a positive future.