Assistant Director (Webster Center - Bronx, NY)

Police Athletic League, Inc.; New York (NY); On-site; USD 48,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Flexible spending account options

Employee assistance program

Tuition reimbursement

Pet insurance

Life insurance

Retirement savings options

Generous paid time off

Job summary

Police Athletic League, Inc. seeks an Assistant Director to lead afterschool and school-based programming across New York City, reporting to the Program Director. This role focuses on youth development, SEL, and building partnerships with NYPD, NYCPS and community organizations.

The candidate will bring 2+ years of youth-program leadership, strong communication, and a commitment to inclusive practices. Location: Webster Center, Bronx; Start: Sept 7, 2026.

Qualifications

• Two years of direct experience working with youth under 13.
• Minimum of 2 years of leadership experience in program management and staff supervision with at least three years in a leadership capacity.
• Demonstrated skills in program planning, implementation, or evaluation.
• Open to learning and growing; mental health, SEL and inclusion skills will be integrated into programming.
• Knowledge of DYCD Connect preferred. Microsoft Office skills are required.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills; bilingual in Spanish, French, or Chinese preferred.
• Able to travel to any PAL location in the 5 Boroughs for training.

Responsibilities

• Foster social and emotional competencies and mental and physical well-being in a safe, welcoming, inclusive, and nurturing environment.
• Assist with the management of all aspects of PAL School Afterschool Programming including overseeing the implementation of mental health support and inclusion coordination.
• Assist with recruitment, hiring, and supervision and support to all part-time Group Leaders and Activity Specialists.
• Ensure the program is aligned to PAL’s objectives and regulatory requirements including SACC and funding sources.
• Develop a strong Youth Development culture within the Center and coach across programs to implement SEL, mental health and inclusion policies.
• Coordinate with Directors and HQ staff to grow creative programming opportunities per site.
• Collect program data and provide data-driven recommendations to PAL leadership.
• Foster partnerships with NYPD, NYCPS, DYCD, DOH and community partners.
• Plan and coordinate citywide programs, activities, and events.
• Provide mediation and troubleshooting for on-site issues.
• Respond to time-sensitive mental health needs such as suicide prevention and grief.

Skills

Communication skills

Team leadership

Bi-lingual (Spanish/French/Chinese)

Education

Associate’s in child development / education / physical education / recreation or related

NYS Children’s Program Administrator Credential

SACC Credential

Two years of college with 18 credits in child development / education / physical education or recreation

Tools

Microsoft Office

DYCD Connect

Job description

Assistant Director

The Police Athletic League (PAL) of New York City is an independent youth development nonprofit organization and has been a vibrant and vital institution, serving as an effective, critical bridge between police and communities across all five boroughs of the City since 1914. PAL operates diverse programs for children as young as 2 years old to young adults. Programs include Head Start, after-school programs and summer day camps for elementary, middle and high school youth, and summer Playstreets. PAL also runs evening teen centers and college readiness programs, youth employment, and juvenile justice programs. Staying true to PAL’s roots, a cornerstone of our youth development strategy includes offering competitive and recreational sports for children of all ages. At PAL, we’re devoted to empowering communities and building the best places to work, and that goes for our own teams too.

Assistant Director

The Police Athletic League (PAL) of New York City is an independent youth development nonprofit organization and has been a vibrant and vital institution, serving as an effective, critical bridge between police and communities across all five boroughs of the City since 1914. PAL operates diverse programs for children as young as 2 years old to young adults. Programs include Head Start, after-school programs and summer day camps for elementary, middle and high school youth, and summer Playstreets. PAL also runs evening teen centers and college readiness programs, youth employment, and juvenile justice programs. Staying true to PAL’s roots, a cornerstone of our youth development strategy includes offering competitive and recreational sports for children of all ages. At PAL, we’re devoted to empowering communities and building the best places to work, and that goes for our own teams too.

In its 110th year, PAL continues to reimagine the agency’s leadership structure to ensure the next 110 years are nimble, strategic, responsive, and efficient. We are looking for COMPASS School Program Assistant Directors to elevate our out-of-school programming embedded within a New York City public school or PAL Center. Locations may serve Elementary through High School youth through SEL, STEM, Literacy, Sports, Arts, Mental Health, and College and Career Access Programming.

This position reports to the Program Director.

Requirements

Assistant Directors are key on-site supervisors assisting with all programming as well as relationships with youth, parents, school community, and the community at large. Assistant Directors must be creative programmers, skilled supervisors, and skilled talent developers. Familiarity with SACC regulations and DYCD funding requirements is a plus. Assistant Directors will partner with the NYPD, DOH, DYCD, NYCPS, and local community organizations. We are looking for individuals who can listen, problem solve and build bridges to partnerships that expand opportunities for NYC’s youth. As such:

• Candidates must be dedicated to learning and implementing Best Practices in the field of youth development.
• Candidates must be able to support programming that happens during the day, evenings, and weekends.
• Candidates must support the ideas and opportunities of the youth, staff, and community.
• Candidates must possess excellent communication and listening skills.
• Candidates must work together as a team to support PAL's programming throughout the entire City.

Major Duties & Responsibilities

• Foster social and emotional competencies and mental and physical well-being in a safe, welcoming, inclusive, and nurturing environment.
• Assist with the management of all aspects of PAL School Afterschool Programming including overseeing the implementation of mental health support and inclusion coordination, identifying resources to support youth with special needs. Use identified resources to support youth with special needs and/or mental health needs, complete mental health referrals, and/or activate DYCD’s inclusions resources.
• Assist with the recruitment, hiring, and supervision and support to all part-time Group Leaders and Activity Specialists.
• Ensure the program is aligned to strategic objectives of PAL, policies and procedures, agency programming calendar, SACC regulations, and the contractual obligations of government and private funding sources including fire safety certification.
• Develops a strong Youth Development culture within the Center ensuring voice, growth, and advancement for all youth and staff. Train, conduct observations, and coach across all programs ensuring SEL, mental health, and inclusion policies are being implemented as designed.
• Coordinates with the Director, Regional Director, SYEP Director, and Head Quarters staff to grow creative programming opportunities unique to the Site.
• Collects program data, analyzes and drives PAL forward with data driven recommendations.
• Ensure strong reciprocal partnerships with NYPD, NYCPS school partner, DYCD, DOH and other Community partners aligned with PAL’s mission.
• Plans and coordinates various citywide programs, activities, and special events.
• Provides mediation and troubleshooting for on-site issues.
• Respond appropriately when time-sensitive mental health services are needed such as suicide prevention, grief, and loss due to death or incarceration of a family member.

Qualifications

What You Bring

• Prefer an associate's in child development, education, physical education or recreation or related and two years of direct experience working with youth under 13 OR a NYS Children's Program Administrator Credential and 2 years of experience working with youth under 13 OR a SACC Credential and 2 years of experience working with youth under 13 OR two years in college with 18 credits in child development, education, physical education or recreation or related and two years of direct experience working with youth under 13.
• A minimum of 2 years of demonstrated successful experience in providing services to youth that includes program management and staff supervision with at least three years in a leadership capacity.
• Demonstrated skills in program planning, implementation, or evaluation.
• Open to learning and growing. All staff will be learning mental health, SEL, and special needs inclusion skills and expected to integrate them into programming.
• Knowledge of DYCD Connect preferred. Microsoft office skills are required.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills and ability to work collaboratively. Bi-lingual in Spanish, French, or Chinese preferred.
• Able to travel to any PAL location in the 5 Boroughs for training.

Work Schedule

Monday to Friday

Compensation

The salary for this role is $48,000-50,000 annually.

Benefits: PAL offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes health insurance, flexible spending account options, an employee assistance program, tuition reimbursement, pet insurance, life insurance, retirement savings options, a generous paid time off policy, training and more!

Location

Webster Center - Bronx, NY

Start Date

September 7th, 2026

At the Police Athletic League, we seek people who are talented, creative and passionate to help create a more inclusive city and better futures for our youth. We’re devoted to empowering communities and building the best places to work, and that goes for our own teams too.

The Police Athletic League is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected characteristic including, but not limited to, an individual’s sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy

Employment with PAL is contingent upon successful completion of all the Agency’s lawful pre-employment checks, which may include a background check.