After-School Program Staff Lead

EduCare Foundation; San Fernando (CA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

EduCare Foundation in Los Angeles County seeks an After‑School Program Staff Lead to support daily operations of a middle school after‑school program, combining direct student activities with admin duties.

You will work approximately two hours each workday on attendance, compliance, and records, while guiding frontline staff and delivering engaging academic, enrichment, and recreation activities to empower students and families.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent; associate degree preferred.
• Two years of experience in after-school, youth development, education, recreation, or community programs required.
• Experience mentoring or supporting staff is preferred.
• Experience coordinating attendance, compliance, and program records is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day guidance to frontline staff under Site Coordinator.
• Develop and facilitate engaging activities for students.
• Maintain attendance, incident, and program records accurately.
• Ensure safety procedures and program compliance.
• Communicate professionally with families and school personnel.
• Support program quality and coordination during operations.

Skills

Mentoring

Communication

Organizational skills

Time management

Bilingual proficiency

Problem solving

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Associate degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

Attendance-tracking systems

Scheduling tools

Job description

About EduCare Foundation

At EduCare Foundation, we believe that love is the foundation of education and that every young person deserves the opportunity to learn, lead, and thrive.

Description

Through expanded learning, academic enrichment, social-emotional learning, and student-support programs, we partner with schools and communities across Los Angeles County to help young people build confidence, discover their strengths, and reach their full potential.

Our mission is to inspire and empower young people to become responsible global citizens, courageous and compassionate leaders, and to live their dreams. Guided by our Heartset® Education approach, our employees create safe, caring, and engaging spaces where students feel seen, supported, and inspired.

When you join EduCare, you are not simply accepting a job—you are becoming part of a mission-driven community committed to shaping brighter futures.

Position Summary

The After‑School Program Staff Lead helps bring EduCare Foundation’s mission to life by supporting the daily operation of a safe, organized, engaging, and student‑centered middle school after‑school program.

Working closely with the Site Coordinator, the Staff Lead combines direct student programming with administrative support and day‑to‑day staff guidance. This position generally dedicates approximately two hours each workday to office, attendance, compliance, and program‑support responsibilities while also facilitating academic, enrichment, or physical‑recreation activities for students.

The Staff Lead serves as a dependable resource for students, families, school personnel, and program employees. The position receives training to provide temporary school‑site coverage when the Site Coordinator is absent and helps ensure that program expectations, safety requirements, and EduCare procedures are followed consistently.

Why Join EduCare?

As an After‑School Program Staff Lead, you will have the opportunity to expand your leadership skills while continuing to work directly with young people. You will help create the organization, consistency, and caring relationships that allow students and after‑school programs to thrive.

In This Role, You Will Have The Opportunity To

• Make a meaningful difference in the lives of middle school students.
• Lead engaging academic, enrichment, and physical‑recreation activities.
• Serve as a mentor and positive role model for students.
• Develop practical experience in staff leadership, school‑site administration, compliance, and program operations.
• Help create a safe and welcoming environment where students feel connected and supported.
• Strengthen your skills through training, coaching, collaboration, and professional development.
• Prepare for future advancement into school‑site or expanded‑learning leadership roles.
• Work alongside colleagues who believe in leading with empathy, integrity, and heart.

What You’ll Do

In this role, you will combine student engagement, program facilitation, administrative support, and day‑to‑day staff leadership. Your primary responsibilities will include:

Site Administration and Compliance

• Support the Site Coordinator with the daily administration and operation of the assigned after‑school program.
• Dedicate approximately two hours each workday to assigned office, administrative, attendance, compliance, and program‑support responsibilities.
• Collect, review, enter, and maintain accurate attendance, incident, registration, and other required program records.
• Ensure required documentation is complete, organized, and submitted by established deadlines.
• Support student sign‑in and sign‑out procedures and promptly address or report attendance discrepancies.
• Help maintain program calendars, schedules, rosters, activity plans, and other school‑site documents.
• Monitor program supplies and equipment and ensure materials are properly organized, stored, and maintained.
• Promptly report missing, damaged, or malfunctioning supplies and equipment to the Site Coordinator.
• Follow applicable grant requirements and all EduCare, school‑site, and district policies and procedures.
• Protect confidential student, family, and employee information.

Staff Leadership and Program Support

• Provide day‑to‑day guidance and support to assigned frontline employees under the direction of the Site Coordinator.
• Help employees understand daily assignments, schedules, program expectations, safety procedures, and documentation requirements.
• Monitor program implementation and communicate observations, successes, concerns, and support needs to the Site Coordinator.
• Reinforce consistent adherence to EduCare, school‑site, district, grant, and program requirements.
• Support positive teamwork, communication, accountability, and collaboration among school‑site employees.
• Assist employees with questions and routine program challenges within the scope of the position.
• Promptly refer significant employee‑performance, conduct, safety, or compliance concerns to the Site Coordinator or other appropriate leader.
• Help identify opportunities to strengthen student engagement, program quality, and school‑site operations.
• Support adjustments to activities, schedules, staffing assignments, and program processes as directed.

Temporary Site Coverage

• Complete assigned training to provide temporary school‑site coverage when the Site Coordinator is absent.
• Help coordinate daily program operations, employee assignments, attendance, student supervision, communication, and safety procedures during temporary coverage.
• Serve as a point of contact for employees, students, families, and school personnel within the authority delegated by program leadership.
• Promptly communicate significant student, employee, safety, compliance, or operational concerns to the appropriate program leader.
• Document and communicate important activities, decisions, incidents, and follow‑up needs to the Site Coordinator or designated supervisor.
• Recognize the limits of delegated authority and seek leadership guidance when a situation requires approval or escalation.

Program Facilitation and Student Engagement

• Develop and facilitate engaging, age‑appropriate academic, enrichment, and physical‑recreation activities.
• Prepare and maintain activity or lesson plans for assigned programs.
• Provide students with clear instructions, guidance, encouragement, and constructive feedback.
• Build meaningful relationships with students and serve as a positive mentor and role model.
• Encourage students to explore their interests, develop new skills, build confidence, and participate fully.
• Promote creativity, self‑expression, teamwork, leadership, positive relationships, and social‑emotional development.
• Maintain active supervision of students during programs, events, transitions, and field trips.
• Establish and consistently reinforce appropriate behavioral and safety expectations.
• Respond appropriately to student needs and promptly report behavioral, safety, attendance, or program concerns requiring additional support.
• Adjust activities based on students’ ages, abilities, needs, interests, participation, and feedback.

Family, School, and Community Communication

• Communicate professionally and respectfully with students, parents and guardians, school administrators, school‑site employees, district representatives, community partners, and EduCare employees.
• Provide families with appropriate program updates and refer sensitive, confidential, or escalated concerns to the Site Coordinator.
• Coordinate with school personnel to support smooth program operations and alignment with school‑site expectations.
• Build collaborative relationships that strengthen student participation, family engagement, and program quality.
• Represent EduCare Foundation professionally in all school‑site and community interactions.

Program Quality and Safety

• Help monitor program effectiveness, student participation, and activity quality.
• Share observations and recommendations with the Site Coordinator and support approved program improvements.
• Participate in required program observations, emergency drills, meetings, training sessions, coaching, and professional‑development activities.
• Help maintain a physically and emotionally safe, inclusive, organized, and welcoming program environment.
• Follow and reinforce all EduCare, school‑site, and district safety and security procedures.
• Promptly report incidents, injuries, hazards, suspected policy violations, or unsafe conditions.
• Use program equipment, technology, and materials responsibly.
• Perform other related duties and projects as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

The After‑School Program Staff Lead provides day‑to‑day work direction, guidance, and support to frontline employees under the supervision of the Site Coordinator. The Staff Lead may coordinate assignments, reinforce procedures, monitor program implementation, and provide temporary site coverage when authorized.

Unless specifically delegated in writing, this position does not independently hire, terminate, discipline, evaluate, or make compensation decisions regarding employees. Formal employment decisions remain the responsibility of designated management and Human Resources.

The Staff Lead is also responsible for actively supervising, mentoring, and supporting students during after‑school programs, activities, events, transitions, and field trips.

Additional Responsibilities

The duties listed above describe the primary responsibilities of the position but are not intended to be an exhaustive list. The After‑School Program Staff Lead may perform other related duties and projects as assigned to support students, employees, the school community, and EduCare Foundation’s mission.

Requirements

What You’ll Bring

We are looking for a dependable, organized, and compassionate emerging leader who believes in the potential of every young person. The ideal candidate has experience working directly with students, earns the trust of colleagues, communicates clearly, and can balance program facilitation with administrative, compliance, and day‑to‑day leadership responsibilities.

Required Qualifications

Education

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Must meet any educational or instructional‑aide requirements established by the assigned school district, grant, or program.
• An associate degree, completion of at least two years of college‑level coursework, or progress toward a degree in education, child development, recreation, social sciences, or a related field is preferred.

Experience

• At least two years of experience working in an after‑school, youth‑development, educational, recreation, or community‑based program.
• Experience teaching, facilitating, mentoring, or supporting middle school students from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
• Experience developing and facilitating academic, enrichment, or physical‑recreation activities.
• Experience providing day‑to‑day guidance, training, peer leadership, or support to other employees is preferred.
• Administrative, attendance‑tracking, compliance, data‑entry, scheduling, or record‑keeping experience is preferred.
• Experience supporting program events, field trips, family communication, or school‑site operations is preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Ability to develop and facilitate engaging, age‑appropriate academic, enrichment, and physical‑recreation activities.
• Ability to prepare clear and organized activity or lesson plans.
• Ability to build meaningful relationships with students and contribute to a safe, caring, inclusive, and engaging environment.
• Ability to actively supervise students and consistently reinforce behavioral and safety expectations.
• Ability to provide employees with clear day‑to‑day guidance, instructions, encouragement, and constructive feedback.
• Ability to support team accountability while maintaining positive and respectful working relationships.
• Ability to recognize the limits of the Staff Lead’s authority and refer employee‑relations, disciplinary, safety, or compliance concerns to the Site Coordinator or other appropriate leader.
• Strong administrative, organizational, time‑management, and record‑keeping skills.
• Ability to collect, review, enter, and maintain accurate attendance, incident, registration, and compliance documentation.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to completing assignments accurately and on time.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to communicate with empathy, professionalism, and respect.
• Ability to communicate appropriately with students, families, school personnel, district representatives, community partners, and EduCare employees.
• Ability to provide routine program updates to families while referring sensitive or confidential matters to the Site Coordinator.
• Ability to manage multiple responsibilities, deadlines, interruptions, and changing priorities.
• Ability to remain calm, focused, and solutions‑oriented during unexpected situations.
• Ability to understand and follow written, verbal, and electronic instructions.
• Sound judgment, initiative, discretion, and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to work independently while contributing to a collaborative and supportive team.
• Ability to coordinate work and accomplish tasks through employees over whom the Staff Lead may not have formal supervisory authority.
• Ability to receive and apply coaching, feedback, and program direction.
• Ability to adapt to changing schedules, student needs, staffing conditions, program priorities, and school‑site assignments.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Proficiency with Google Workspace and shared‑document platforms.
• Ability to learn and use databases, attendance‑tracking systems, scheduling tools, timekeeping applications, and other workplace technology.
• Bilingual proficiency