Youth Program Director

arabamericanfamilysupportcenter; New York (NY); On-site; USD 80,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

AAFSC is seeking a visionary Youth Program Director to lead and grow our afterschool programs for youth aged 14-24. You will oversee the Youth Program, align with organizational strategy, and enhance opportunities across communities.

The role requires 5+ years in youth development, supervisory experience, strong grant and budget skills, and a commitment to immigrant and refugee families in New York City. Reporting to a Senior Director of Strategy, you’ll collaborate across departments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work, psychology, education, human services, counseling, or related field.
• 5+ years in youth development, education, or community programming.
• 3+ years of supervisory experience.
• Proven ability to design and grow youth programs.
• Strong understanding of positive youth development principles.
• Experience with immigrant communities preferred.
• Knowledge of challenges facing immigrant youth and young adults.
• Project management, organizational and administrative skills.
• Experience managing grants, budgets and metrics.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Ability to build relationships with youth, families, schools, partners and funders.
• Bilingual in Arabic or Bangla is a plus.
• Background check and fingerprint clearance; U.S. work authorization.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for AAFSC’s youth programming and align with priorities.
• Develop and implement a vision to expand youth services across AAFSC.
• Identify opportunities to deepen leadership development, civic engagement and workforce readiness.
• Build systems and partnerships for sustainable, impactful programming.
• Oversee day-to-day operations, ensure high-quality program delivery and staffing.
• Supervise staff, interns and volunteers with coaching and development.
• Set clear goals, performance metrics and accountability.
• Ensure grant compliance and effective budgets with finance/ops teams.
• Engage with schools, community organizations and government partners.
• Use data to demonstrate impact and inform strategic decisions.
• Collaborate across departments and represent AAFSC in youth-serving initiatives.

Skills

Youth development

Program management

Grant management

Staff supervision

Stakeholder collaboration

Communication

Bilingual (Arabic/Bangla) helpful

Education

Social work / psychology / education advanced degree

Tools

Budget management

Grants tracking systems

Job description

Job Title

Youth Program Director

Employment Type

Full-Time

Reports To

Senior Director of Strategy

Location

Downtown Brooklyn & Long Island City, Queens

Salary

$80,000 – $85,000

About AAFSC

For over 30 years, the Arab-American Family Support Center (AAFSC) has proudly served immigrants and refugees. We help children stay safe, families remain together, and newcomers navigate life in New York City. While our doors are open to all, AAFSC has expertise in serving Arab, Middle Eastern, North African, Muslim, and South Asian communities.

Job Summary

AAFSC is seeking a visionary and community-centered Youth Program Director to lead and grow our afterschool program. The Director will oversee AAFSC’s Youth Program, including individual and group-based programming for young people ages 14-24, while helping shape our broader organizational strategy for supporting youth and young adults across our communities. This role is ideal for a youth development leader who is passionate about creating meaningful opportunities for young people, understands the unique experiences of immigrant youth, and is excited to build innovative programs that respond to community needs.

The Director will ensure the excellence of existing programming while identifying opportunities to deepen AAFSC’s impact and expand services for young people across our communities. The ideal candidate has experience developing and leading holistic youth programs that address the diverse needs and aspirations of young people. They bring knowledge of multiple areas of youth development – including leadership development, educational support, workforce readiness, mental health and wellness, civic engagement, and community-building – and can help AAFSC strengthen and integrate a continuum of opportunities that help young people thrive.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Strategy, the Director will supervise youth program staff and work collaboratively across departments to strengthen AAFSC’s youth-serving work organization-wide.

Duties and Responsibilities

Program Leadership & Strategy

• Provide strategic leadership for AAFSC’s youth programming, ensuring services are responsive to community needs and aligned with organizational priorities.
• Develop and implement a vision for expanding and strengthening youth services across AAFSC.
• Identify opportunities to deepen programming in areas such as leadership development, civic engagement, workforce readiness, educational success, wellness, and community participation.
• Build the systems, structures, and partnerships necessary to translate AAFSC’s vision for youth services into sustainable and impactful programming.

Program Operations & Team Management

• Oversee the day-to-day operations of AAFSC’s youth programs, ensuring effective high-quality implementation, participant engagement, achievement of program goals, and an effective staffing structure to support program delivery.
• Supervise, coach, and develop youth program staff, interns, and volunteers.
• Establish clear program goals, performance metrics, and accountability systems.
• Ensure compliance with grant requirements, contracts, organizational policies, and applicable regulations.
• Oversee program budgets and work closely with finance and operations staff to ensure effective stewardship of resources.

Community Engagement & Partnerships

• Serve as a visible ambassador for AAFSC’s youth programming, promoting services and strengthening the organization’s presence within the communities it serves.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with schools, community-based organizations, government agencies, faith institutions, and other partners that support youth and young adults and expand access to services.
• Identify opportunities to connect youth to programs and resources across AAFSC, helping advance an integrated and holistic approach to serving young people and families.
• Stay informed about emerging trends, challenges, innovations, and opportunities in the youth services sector and ensure AAFSC’s programming remains responsive to community needs.

Program Development & Organizational Leadership

• Collaborate with development and finance staff on grant proposals, reports, budgets, and funding opportunities related to youth programming.
• Support communication efforts that highlight youth achievements, program impact, and community needs.
• Utilize program data and outcomes to demonstrate impact and inform strategic decision-making.
• Contribute to organizational planning and cross-departmental initiatives as a member of program leadership.
• Help position AAFSC as a leading voice on issues affecting immigrant, Arab, Middle Eastern, North African, Muslim, South Asian, and other underserved youth in New York City.

Background and Position Requirements

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work, Psychology, Education, Human Services, Counseling, or a related field preferred; equivalent combination of education and relevant experience will also be considered.
• Five or more years of progressively responsible experience in youth development, education, community-based programming, or related fields.
• At least three years of supervisory or management experience.
• Demonstrated success designing, implementing, and growing youth programs.
• Strong understanding of positive youth development principles and best practices.
• Experience working with immigrant communities and youth from historically marginalized backgrounds strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of the challenges and opportunities facing immigrant youth and young adults.
• Strong project management, organizational, and administrative skills.
• Experience managing grants, budgets, and program performance metrics.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to build strong relationships across diverse stakeholders, including youth, families, schools, community partners, funders, and government agencies.
• Bilingual proficiency in Arabic or Bangla is a plus.
• Job contingent on pre-employment background check and fingerprint clearance.
• U.S. Work Authorization required.

Application Instructions

Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter outlining their relevant experience and interest in the position. Applications submitted without a cover letter will not be considered.

Equal Opportunity Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer that values diversity at all levels. All individuals, regardless of personal characteristics, are encouraged to apply.