Elementary Program Director (PS 136 Roy Wilkins School)

The Police Athletic League (PAL) of New York City is an independent youth development nonprofit organization that has served as a bridge between police and communities across all five boroughs of the City since 1914. PAL offers programs for children as young as 2 years old to young adults, including Head Start, after‑school programs, summer day camps, Playstreets, evening teen centers, college readiness, youth employment, and juvenile justice programs. A cornerstone of our youth development strategy is competitive and recreational sports for children of all ages. Requirements 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. Manage all aspects of PAL Elementary School Afterschool Programming, including oversight of mental health support, inclusion coordination, and resources for youth with special or mental health needs. Recruit, hire, and supervise part‑time Group Leaders, Activity Specialists, Administrative Assistants, and Content Specialists. Ensure the program aligns with PAL’s strategic objectives, policies, SACC regulations, and contractual obligations of government and private funding sources. Develop a strong Youth Development culture, conduct observations, and coach staff on SEL, mental health, and inclusion policies. Coordinate with the Principal, Director, Regional Director, SYEP Director, and Head Quarters staff to enhance creative programming opportunities unique to the Site. Collect, analyze, and use program data to drive continuous improvement. Maintain strong reciprocal partnerships with NYPD, NYCPS school partner, DYCD, DOH, and other community partners aligned with PAL’s mission. Plan and coordinate citywide programs, activities, and special events. Assist in developing future funding grants and requests for proposals. Provide mediation and troubleshooting for on‑site issues. Respond appropriately when time‑sensitive mental health services are needed, such as suicide prevention, grief, or loss due to death or incarceration of a family member. Qualifications What You Bring: Associate’s in child development, education, physical education, recreation, or a related field with two years of direct experience working with youth under 13; OR a NYS Children’s Program Administrator Credential with 2 years of experience with youth under 13; OR a SACC Credential with 2 years of experience; OR two years in college with 18 credits in a relevant field plus two years of direct experience. Minimum of 4 years of successful supervisory experience providing services to youth, including at least three years in a leadership capacity. Demonstrated skills in program planning, implementation, and evaluation. Open to learning and growing; all staff will receive training in mental health, SEL, and special needs inclusion. Knowledge of DYCD Connect preferred; Microsoft Office skills required. Strong verbal and written communication skills and ability to work collaboratively; bilingual in Spanish, French, or Chinese preferred. Able to travel to any PAL location in the 5 Boroughs for training. Work Schedule Monday to Friday, 10:00‑6:00 pm with weekends and nights as needed. Compensation The salary for this role is $68,000‑70,000 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 PS 136 Roy Wilkins 201‑15 115 Avenue, Queens, NY 11412 Tentative Start Date August 3rd, 2026 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. #J-18808-Ljbffr Police Athletic League