Assistant Director, After-School & Youth Programs

Police Athletic League, Inc.; New York (NY); On-site; USD 35,817 - 38,572; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Flexible spending account

Employee assistance program

Tuition reimbursement

Pet insurance

Life insurance

Retirement savings options

Paid time off

Additional training

Job summary

The Police Athletic League (PAL) of New York City seeks an Assistant Director to elevate out-of-school programming inside NYC public schools and PAL Centers, serving youth from elementary through high school in SEL, STEM, literacy, sports, arts, mental health, and college-career access.

Reporting to the Program Director, you will lead afterschool operations, supervise staff, ensure safety and compliance, and collaborate with partners across the five boroughs to create engaging, inclusive

Qualifications

• Associate’s in child development, education, physical education or recreation (or related) with two years of direct youth work under 13, or NYS Children’s Program Administrator Credential with two years of experience, or SACC Credential with two years of experience, or two years in college with 18 credits in these fields plus current youth experience.
• Minimum of 2 years of demonstrated experience providing youth services, including program management and staff supervision, with at least 3 years in a leadership capacity.
• Demonstrated skills in program planning, implementation, or evaluation.
• Open to learning and growing; all staff will learn mental health, SEL, and special needs inclusion skills and be expected to integrate them.
• Knowledge of DYCD Connect preferred; Microsoft Office skills required.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills; ability to work collaboratively. Bilingual in Spanish, French, or Chinese preferred.
• Ability to travel to any PAL location in the five boroughs for training.
• Work schedule: Monday–Friday, 1:00–6:00 p.m., with weekends and nights as needed.

Responsibilities

• Foster social and emotional competencies and mental and physical well‑being in a safe, welcoming, inclusive, and nurturing environment.
• Manage all aspects of PAL School Afterschool Programming, including mental health support, inclusion coordination, and resources for youth with special or mental health needs.
• Recruit, hire, supervise, and support all part‑time Group Leaders and Activity Specialists.
• Ensure program alignment with PAL strategic objectives, policies, the agency calendar, SACC regulations, and contractual obligations of government and private funding, including fire safety certification.
• Develop a strong youth‑development culture, training, observing, and coaching staff to implement SEL, mental health, and inclusion policies.
• Coordinate with the Director, Regional Director, SYEP Director, and Headquarters staff to create creative programming unique to the site.
• Collect, analyze, and use program data to recommend improvements.
• Maintain strong reciprocal partnerships with NYPD, NYCPS, DYCD, DOH, and other community partners aligned with PAL’s mission.
• Plan and coordinate citywide programs, activities, and special events.
• Provide mediation and troubleshooting for on‑site issues.
• Respond to time‑sensitive mental health needs such as suicide prevention, grief, and loss due to death or incarceration of a family member.

Skills

Staff supervision

Program management

Leadership

Communication

Bilingual preference

Education

Associate degree in child development/education/PE

NYS Children’s Program Administrator Credential or SACC Credential

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

The Police Athletic League (PAL) of New York City seeks an Assistant Director to elevate out-of-school programming inside NYC public schools and PAL Centers, serving youth from elementary through high school in SEL, STEM, literacy, sports, arts, mental health, and college-career access.

Reporting to the Program Director, you will lead afterschool operations, supervise staff, ensure safety and compliance, and collaborate with partners across the five boroughs to create engaging, inclusive