Program Director

Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ) — a world-renowned education and poverty-fighting organization based in New York — seeks an enthusiastic, dedicated, and mission-aligned Program Director to join the Peacemakers After-School Program.

The Program Director will bring a passion for the mission of Harlem Children’s Zone: break the cycle of intergenerational poverty with comprehensive, on-the-ground programming that builds up opportunities for children and families to thrive in school, work, and life.

Peacemakers Program partners with NYC public schools to embed robust, year-round youth development programs and services. Our programs offer academic support, enrichment, SEL skill-building, and family engagement to foster youth achievement and long-term success.

The Director of Peacemakers will lead all operations, programming, and strategic development across HCZ’s Peacemakers sites. This includes oversight of site leadership teams, direct service programming, cross-site collaboration, engagement with stakeholders, and alignment with HCZ's comprehensive pipeline. The Director will serve as the key driver of program quality and innovation, ensuring that every scholar receives holistic support in line with HCZ’s mission and values. The program director will report to the Managing Director of K-12 After-School Programs.

For more information, check out Want to Work at Harlem Children’s Zone? Here’s 7 Things You Need to Know.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree in education, social work, youth development, non-profit management, or a related field strongly preferred.
• 5+ years of progressive leadership experience in youth development, education, or related fields.
• At least 3 years managing managers or leading multi-site teams.
• Proven success leading programs serving Black and Brown youth in under-resourced communities.
• Must be available to work on-site five days a week, including evenings.

Who you are

• A strategic and visionary leader with deep experience in youth development or K–12 education.
• A highly organized, data-informed, and mission-driven professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment.
• A people-centered coach and manager who can develop talent and build strong, cohesive teams.
• An effective communicator with excellent interpersonal skills across diverse stakeholder groups

What you’ll do

Program Leadership & Management

• Oversee the day-to-day operations and management at designated partnership school locations.
• Ensure quality services and program components are implemented aligned with HCZ’s Strategic Plan, Theory of Action and College, Career and Life Readiness framework.
• Monitor program effectiveness using data to inform decisions, outcomes, and improve service delivery.
• Lead strategic planning and innovation to expand program impact, engagement, and quality.

Talent Development & Supervision

• Supervise and support a team of Assistant Directors, other managerial levels, and direct participant-facing staff (both full and part-time) across all locations.
• Provide coaching, performance management, and professional development aligned with HCZ's job and leadership competencies, role priorities, and Core Beliefs & Values.
• Build and sustain a high-performing team culture focused on collaboration, accountability, and student success

Cross-Department Collaboration

• Serve as a liaison across HCZ departments (e.g., Advocacy/Case Management, Wellness, Evaluation, and others) to ensure wraparound services are accessible and embedded.
• Partner with school leaders to align Peacemaker’s programming with school-day goals and ensure strong school-community partnerships.
• Collaborate with fellow Directors across the K–12 pipeline to ensure consistency and shared best practices.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as a liaison between HCZ and DOE partners, as well as other community-based organizations.
• Cultivate strong relationships with students, families, school staff, and community partners.
• Represent the program internally and externally, including funder visits, tours, and presentations.

Operational Oversight

• Manage budgets, requisitions, supply chains, and contracts in compliance with DOE and HCZ operational policies.
• Ensure health, safety