ESOL Program Director — Lead & Elevate Adult Learners

Sunnyside Community Services, Inc.; Sunnyside (NY); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Sunnyside Community Services, Inc. seeks a Program Director to lead our ESOL program within the Adult and Immigrant Services department.

You will set strategy, oversee curriculum implementation, recruitment, testing, and daily operations to support 500+ students. You will supervise instructors and staff, ensure data accuracy for reporting, and collaborate across departments to connect students with benefits and services.

Qualifications

• M.A. in TESOL, Education, Applied Linguistics, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of three years of ESOL, adult education, or program management experience.
• Demonstrated supervisory or team leadership experience required.
• Strong knowledge of adult ESOL instruction, student assessment, curriculum implementation, and learner engagement.
• Demonstrated ability to manage staff, program operations, multiple priorities, and contractual deliverables.
• Demonstrated ability to lead diverse teams with professionalism, sound judgment, emotional intelligence, and clear and respectful communication, including during high-pressure situations and workplace disagreements.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to use program data to evaluate performance and develop improvement strategies.
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.
• Ability to motivate, coach, and develop staff while maintaining clear expectations and accountability.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, and program databases or student tracking systems.
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred; additional languages spoken within the Western Queens immigrant community are highly valued.
• Flexibility, patience, creativity, resourcefulness, and the ability to work independently in a fast-paced community-based environment.
• Demonstrated commitment to racial equity, social justice, and culturally responsive service delivery.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership and direction for SCS’s ESOL program and ensure efficient day-to-day program operations.
• Develop and implement program plans to achieve contractual deliverables, enrollment and retention goals, attendance targets, testing requirements, and other program outcomes.
• Coordinate student recruitment, registration, orientation, intake, pre/post testing, class placement, and other core program activities.
• Monitor program performance and develop strategies to address enrollment, retention, attendance, or operational challenges.
• Ensure ESOL programming is implemented in accordance with funder requirements, SCS policies, established procedures, and applicable program standards.
• Coordinate field trips, workshops, special events, and other activities that support student learning and engagement.
• Remain available for evening and/or weekend classes, registration periods, outreach activities, or events as required.
• Collaborate across the Adult and Immigrant Services department and other SCS departments to strengthen referrals, service coordination, and student access to additional supports.

Skills

Leadership

Staff supervision

Communication

Program management

Analytical skills

Bilingual English/Spanish

Education

M.A. in TESOL, Education, Applied Linguistics, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Google Workspace

Student tracking systems

Job description

Sunnyside Community Services, Inc. seeks a Program Director to lead our ESOL program within the Adult and Immigrant Services department.

You will set strategy, oversee curriculum implementation, recruitment, testing, and daily operations to support 500+ students. You will supervise instructors and staff, ensure data accuracy for reporting, and collaborate across departments to connect students with benefits and services.