Director, Post Secondary Programs

Commonpoint Queens (Samuel Field YM and YWHA); Bronx (ID); On-site; USD 70,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Commonpoint Queens (Samuel Field YM and YWHA) seeks a Director of Postsecondary Programs to oversee college access, persistence, and participant support for multi-site programs serving high school students and college students. You will supervise managers and frontline staff, maintain partnerships, manage budgets, and guide data-driven improvements to outcomes.

The role requires a Master’s degree or equivalent experience, 3–5 years in college access or related field, and ability to travel among

Qualifications

• Master's degree strongly preferred; equivalent relevant experience will be considered.
• 3–5 years of experience in college access, college success, youth development, or a related field, including staff supervision.
• Experience managing multi-site programming, program budgets, contracts, data systems, and performance outcomes.
• Strong knowledge of admissions, financial aid, scholarships, opportunity programs, enrollment processes, and the transition from high school to college.
• Ability and willingness to travel regularly among program sites and work occasional evenings and weekends.
• Commitment to positive youth development, equity, inclusion, cultural responsiveness, and strength-based practice.

Responsibilities

• Lead a cohesive college access and persistence strategy across multiple school- and community-based sites, with annual goals and measurable outcomes for application, financial aid, matriculation, retention, credit accumulation, academic standing, and year-to-year persistence.
• Supervise, coach, and evaluate managers, advisors, persistence staff, and other assigned team members through clear expectations, reflective supervision, professional development, and performance support.
• Conduct regular site visits to observe services, meet with staff and partners, review participant engagement and documentation, troubleshoot barriers, and ensure consistent program quality.
• Oversee college exploration, applications and essays, FAFSA/TAP and scholarship support, opportunity-program referrals, college selection, enrollment steps, and culturally responsive family engagement.
• Maintain a limited strategic caseload and provide individual or group support for participants facing complex or urgent barriers, including academic probation, financial holds, housing or food insecurity, mental health needs, stop-out risk, and institutional navigation.
• Lead case conferences and model motivational interviewing, goal setting, accountability, solution-focused coaching, warm handoffs, and culturally responsive advising for staff.
• Oversee workshops, peer cohorts, summer bridge activities, alumni outreach, campus visits, and family programming that strengthen readiness, transition, belonging, and persistence.
• Build partnerships with school leaders and with college admissions, financial aid, academic advising, student support, career services, and opportunity-program personnel to improve referrals and resolve participant barriers.
• Develop and manage program budgets; review spending and variances monthly; forecast needs; ensure allowable, documented expenditures; and align resources with contracts and participant outcomes.
• Oversee contract compliance, audits, procurement, staffing plans, vendors and consultants, and resource allocation across sites.
• Contribute to proposals, renewals, work copes, and funder reports that support program sustainability and growth.

Skills

Staff supervision

Budgeting

Data analysis

Partnership development

Travel willingness

Bilingual

Education

Master's degree in related field

Job description

STATEMENT OF THE POSITION

Within a holistic, strength-focused, youth development, and family-supported framework, the Director of Postsecondary Programs provides strategic and operational leadership for a multi-site portfolio serving high school students, college- bound participants, and college students. The Director ensures that participants receive coordinated support from college exploration and application through matriculation and persistence, with particular attention to first-generation students and college freshmen and sophomores navigating academic, financial, social-emotional, and institutional barriers. The Director supervises program leaders and frontline staff, conducts regular site visits, manages program budgets and contracts, uses data to strengthen outcomes, develops school and college partnerships, and maintains a limited direct- service role for participants with complex or time-sensitive needs. The Director will report directly to the Senior Director of High School and College Success.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Portfolio Leadership, Quality, and Staff Development
• Lead a cohesive college access and persistence strategy across multiple school- and community-based sites, with annual goals and measurable outcomes for application, financial aid, matriculation, retention, credit accumulation, academic standing, and year-to-year persistence.
• Supervise, coach, and evaluate managers, advisors, persistence staff, and other assigned team members through clear expectations, reflective supervision, professional development, and performance support.
• Conduct regular site visits to observe services, meet with staff and partners, review participant engagement and documentation, troubleshoot barriers, and ensure consistent program quality.
• Review participant- and site-level data, identify service gaps and equity concerns, lead documented improvements, and ensure timely case records, contract deliverables, and stakeholder reports.
• College Access, Persistence, and Participant Support
• Oversee college and career exploration, applications and essays, FAFSA/TAP and scholarship support, opportunity-program referrals, college selection, enrollment steps, and culturally responsive family engagement.
• Ensure first- and second-year college students receive proactive persistence support related to summer transition, academic advising, degree mapping, credit completion, satisfactory academic progress, aid renewal, registration, campus belonging, career development, and re-enrollment.
• Maintain a limited strategic caseload and provide individual or group support for participants facing complex or urgent barriers, including academic probation, financial holds, housing or food insecurity, mental health needs, stop-out risk, and institutional navigation.
• Lead case conferences and model motivational interviewing, goal setting, accountability, solution-focused coaching, warm handoffs, and culturally responsive advising for staff.
• Oversee workshops, peer cohorts, summer bridge activities, alumni outreach, campus visits, and family programming that strengthen readiness, transition, belonging, and persistence.
• Partnerships, Budget, and Operations
• Build partnerships with school leaders and with college admissions, financial aid, academic advising, student support, career services, and opportunity-program personnel to improve referrals and resolve participant barriers.
• Develop and manage program budgets; review spending and variances monthly; forecast needs; ensure allowable, documented expenditures; and align resources with contracts and participant outcomes.
• Oversee contract compliance, audits, procurement, staffing plans, vendors and consultants, and resource allocation across sites.
• Contribute to proposals, renewals, work copes, and funder reports that support program sustainability and growth.
• Qualifications
• Master's degree in counseling, social work, education, higher education, psychology, public administration, or a related field strongly preferred; equivalent relevant experience will be considered.
• Three to five years of progressively responsible experience in college access, college success, youth development, higher education, or a related field, including three years of staff supervision or program leadership.
• Demonstrated experience managing multi-site programming, program budgets, contracts, data systems, and performance outcomes.
• Strong knowledge of admissions, financial aid, scholarships, opportunity programs, enrollment processes, and the transition from high school to college; demonstrated success supporting first-generation freshmen and sophomores through academic, financial, social-emotional, and institutional challenges.
• Experience developing partnerships with high schools, colleges, community organizations, and funders.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, facilitation, interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Ability and willingness to travel regularly among program sites and work occasional evenings and weekends.
• Commitment to positive youth development, equity, inclusion, cultural responsiveness, and strength-based practice.
• Bilingual capacity is a plus and may be required based on program and community needs.
• College Persistence Competencies
• Persistence and early intervention: Applies knowledge of credit momentum, satisfactory academic progress, aid renewal, registration, campus navigation, stop-out prevention, and re-enrollment; recognizes risk indicators and closes the loop on referrals.
• Student-centered coaching: Uses motivational interviewing, active listening, goal setting, accountability, and solution-focused practice to build participant agency.
• Data, operations, and fiscal leadership: Translates outcome data into program improvements and aligns staffing, schedules, budgets, contracts, and resources with commitments.
• Relationship building and execution: Builds trust across cultures and institutions, manages competing multi-site priorities, and follows through with clarity and consistency.

General Responsibilities of Commonpoint Staff

• Promote and uphold the Core Values of Commonpoint.
• Participate in all staff meetings and required training sessions.
• Participate in agency-wide programs, committees, and initiatives, as assigned.
• Actively engage in the supervision process as a supervisee.
• Support and advance the mission of Commonpoint.
• Contribute to agency-wide strategic initiatives, including but not limited to goal setting and professional development.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned that support the goals and operations of Commonpoint.

To Apply

Salary: $70,000-$75,000

Commonpoint Queens is a community-centric nonprofit, serving diverse audiences though every chapter of life, across the five boroughs and beyond. We offer a rich range of services through our vast network of professionals, social workers, and volunteers, giving people the tools and resources to succeed. Originally founded in Queens in the early 1960s, we are guided by values of service and justice as we meet the evolving needs of 80,000 people through our wide-ranging dynamic programs at over 75 locations, including flagship sites in Little Neck, Forest Hills and Elmhurst. And with an inclusive, personalized approach, our exceptional services reflect, nurture, and embrace the breadth of lives we serve across New York and beyond. At every stage and every age, people can look to Commonpoint to find care during a crisis, access opportunities to grow, and deepen their sense of connection to those around them. From summer camps and job training to food pantries and private pool clubs, Commonpoint is by your side. We are proud of our clients, partners, and team members who lift each other up, building relationships for a lifetime. Because being a part of Commonpoint is investing in a community where everyone is invited and welcome.