Afterschool Director

About Us

Harlem Grown is an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to inspire youth to lead healthy and ambitious lives through mentorship and hands-on education in urban farming, sustainability and nutrition. We operate local urban farms, increase access to and knowledge of healthy food for Harlem residents, and provide farm-based development programs to Harlem youth.

Founded in 2011 by Tony Hillery with one school partnership, one urban farm and an idea to help Harlem children, today Harlem Grown’s farms and greenhouses are used as classrooms and as venues to cultivate a connection to the environment and food among young people. Harlem Grown operates 14 urban agricultural sites featuring soil-based urban farms, hydroponic greenhouses, and a mushroom chamber. All of our sites are located between 122nd and 152nd Streets in Central Harlem, Manhattan.

Our Programs

Harlem Grown cultivates deep community roots by growing fresh food, strong youth, and lasting relationships. We meet children where they live, learn, and grow—offering opportunities that extend beyond our farms to the classroom and into their futures. Through Food and Farm Education, we help youth build healthy habits, leadership skills, and a deeper connection to their community. Our urban farms provide free produce and nutritious meals for families while creating joyful spaces for connection and support. Through 14 urban farms and year-round programming, we provide free produce, nutritious meals, and cooking lessons while creating joyful spaces for connection and support. In addition, our programs increase economic opportunity for families and develop leadership and advocacy skills so participants can drive transformational change in their communities.

At Harlem Grown, we grow healthy children and communities through hands-on education, access to resources, and long-term youth support. Our Food and Farm Education —including summer camp, in-school and after-school programs, mobile education, service learning, and farm tours—delivers farm-based lessons to children in our community. We offer free community resources like farmstands, Saturdays on the farm, and events that provide fresh food and create spaces for support and connection. Through academic support, internships, and career readiness programs, we help our young people build confidence and skills to thrive from elementary school through adulthood.

Position Overview

The School-Based Afterschool Director serves as the onsite leader and supervisor of Harlem Grown’s COMPASS after-school program at Young Diplomats Academy, overseeing all program operations, staff supervision, compliance, participant engagement, and program implementation. The Afterschool Director is responsible for ensuring high-quality youth development programming that supports academic achievement, social-emotional learning, enrichment, and community engagement in alignment with Harlem Grown’s mission and NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) standards. With oversight from the Director of Youth Programs, this role leads the overall management and day-to-day operations of the site, ensuring a safe, engaging, and high-quality environment for youth and families. The Afterschool Director oversees the successful implementation of afterschool, summer camp, and family engagement programming while maintaining compliance with all organizational and funder requirements.

As the primary liaison between Harlem Grown and Young Diplomats Academy, this role works closely with school leadership, families, community partners, and Harlem Grown teams to ensure strong collaboration and seamless program implementation. The ideal candidate brings strong leadership and relationship-building skills, experience managing school-based youth programs, a commitment to food and farm education, and a passion for helping young people learn, grow, and thrive.

Responsibilities

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT – 40%

• Lead the planning, implementation, and continuous improvement of Harlem Grown’s COMPASS after-school program at Young Diplomats Academy in partnership with the Director of Youth Programs, ensuring a safe, inclusive, and high-quality environment for youth and families.
• Oversee all site-based programming, including after-school, summer camp, family engagement activities, youth leadership initiatives, and special events.
• Ensure high-quality program implementation through effective scheduling, staff training, coaching, and alignment with Harlem Grown’s mission, values, curriculum, and program expectations.
• Ensure all programming is delivered within established timelines and in compliance with DYCD, organizational, school, licensing, and safety requirements.
• Supervise daily program operations, including attendance tracking, activity coordination, student transitions, scheduling, and overall program logistics.
• Manage participant recruitment, enrollment, attendance, retention, and engagement strategies, fostering strong relationships with youth and caregivers.
• Support the implementation of youth leadership and workforce development opportunities, including Counselor-in-Training (CIT) and other youth development pathways.
• Oversee the implementation of Harlem Grown’s food and farm education curriculum and ensure programming is engaging, developmentally appropriate, and outcome-driven.
• Work in alignment with organizational calendars and priorities, including evaluations, surveys, professional development, reporting cycles, and special initiatives.
• Use program data, observations, and feedback to drive continuous improvement and strengthen participant outcomes.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of Harlem Grown’s mission.

PARTNERSHIP & FAMILY ENGAGEMENT – 20%

• Serve as Harlem Grown’s primary representative at Young Diplomats Academy, building and maintaining strong relationships with school leadership, teachers, families, and community partners.
• Partner with caregivers to support student participation, attendance, engagement, and overall program success.
• Support family engagement events, school-wide initiatives, and community-building opportunities that strengthen Harlem Grown’s presence within the school community.
• Build and manage partnerships with community organizations and enrichment providers to enhance programming and opportunities for youth.
• Collaborate with internal teams, including Youth Programs, Operations, Agriculture, and Advancement, to ensure effective program implementation and alignment with organizational goals.

PROGRAM OPERATIONS & COMPLIANCE – 25%

• Oversee day-to-day site operations, including program schedules, staffing coverage, space coordination, safety procedures, and resource management.
• Obtain and maintain all required licenses and ensure ongoing compliance with OCFS, DYCD, DOE, and organizational requirements.
• Monitor and ensure compliance with student registration requirements, attendance policies, staff documentation, staff-to-student ratios, participant records, and all applicable regulatory requirements.
• Maintain accurate program records, attendance, incident reports, participant files, and compliance documentation.
• Ensure program spaces are organized, safe, welcoming, and conducive to high-quality youth development programming.
• Coordinate with school personnel, Harlem Grown’s operations team, and vendors as needed to address site needs and operational challenges.
• Track program budgets, expenditures, and purchasing in collaboration with organizational leadership and funding requirements.
• Oversee data collection, evaluation, reporting, and documentation in alignment with Harlem Grown and DYCD expectations.
• Lead site-level responses to incidents, emergencies, and safety concerns while ensuring compliance with all policies and procedures.

STAFF SUPERVISION & LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT – 15%

• Hire, supervise, mentor, and support site-based staff, including coordinators, educators, specialists, and group leaders.
• Manage staff schedules, coverage plans, team meetings, and professional development activities.
• Provide regular coaching, feedback, supervision, and performance evaluations to support staff growth, accountability, and professional development.
• Build and sustain a positive, collaborative, and youth-centered team culture aligned with Harlem Grown’s values.
• Model strong leadership, communication, relationship-building, and youth development practices.
• Develop staff capacity by fostering a culture of continuous learning, leadership development, and professional growth.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Food or Environmental Studies, Child Development, Nonprofit Management, Community Development, or a related field required; Master’s degree a plus. 
• 5–7 years of experience in youth development, education, community-based programming, or nonprofit program management, including at least 3 years in a supervisory or management role. 
• Must be on the pathway to being OCFS certified site director or already meet the requirements (a bachelor’s degree in a child-related field or a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential). 
• At least 2–3 years of experience leading and supervising after-school and/or out-of-school-time programs in a school-based or community-based setting. 
• Experience managing or supporting multi-generational, community-based programming and/or a multi-use community space, community center, or similar site strongly preferred. 
• Demonstrated experience training, coaching, and supervising adult staff, including performance management and professional development. 
• Experience working with public systems or partners such as NYC DOE, DYCD, or similar agencies is a plus. 
• Strong understanding of youth development principles, trauma-informed and inclusive practices, and family- and community-centered engagement strategies. 
• Commitment to equity and experience integrating racial and social justice principles into program design and team leadership is a plus. 
• Excellent organizational, communication, and project management skills, with strong leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving abilities in a fast-paced, multi-program environment. 
• Background in food education, urban agriculture, environmental education, or related fields is a plus. 
• Bilingual in Spanish is a plus. 
• Must be available to work day times, weekends, and evenings, as needed.