Director, Program Administration & Evaluation

Job Description

Job Description

Position: Director, Program Administration and Evaluation, Atlas HOPE, Justice & Opportunity

Reports to: Senior Director of Atlas HOPE, Justice & Opportunity

Department: Justice and Opportunity

Organization Summary:

United Way of New York City (UWNYC) works with a coalition of trusted partners to unite community power with citywide possibility. Together, we meet today’s most urgent needs while building transformative solutions for tomorrow — striving for health, opportunity, and prosperity for every New Yorker in every neighborhood. Part of the United Way Worldwide system, one of the world’s most recognized charitable brands, we believe that New Yorkers deserve to thrive where they live and envision a future where all New Yorkers have the resources they need to live long, healthy lives in flourishing and resilient neighborhoods. We strive to model our values in all our relationships, both internal and external: Collaboration, Compassion, Integrity, Accountability, and Superior Performance.

UWNYC’s Justice and Opportunity work is grounded in a place-based approach, collaborating with community organizations, government partners, and policymakers to advance policies and public investments informed by local knowledge, community priorities, and the lived experiences of New Yorkers.

Position Overview: 

Reporting to the Senior Director, Atlas HOPE, the Director for Program Administration and Evaluation (Director) will provide leadership and direction to the program in the areas of workforce development, education, transitional employment, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship through an equity and trauma-informed lens. With a specific focus on the Atlas Workforce program launching in partnership with the Office of Neighborhood Safety (ONS), the Director is responsible for designing and overseeing the program’s career pathway, the stage advancement model, as well as identifying employer and education partnerships. The Director provides consistent, high-quality technical support to colleagues, provider staff, and employer partners. They advise and advocate approaches and policy changes that reduce barriers to employment for populations at risk of violence and criminal-legal system involvement. 

Primary Responsibilities:

Program Operations:  

• Identify, develop, and implement strategies to address performance gaps across all Phases of the program within both the program’s coordinating agency (UWNYC) and implementing provider agencies. 
• Provide vision, strategic direction, management, oversight, and leadership for training and technical assistance development and delivery.
• Conduct program observations (on-site), assess performance against standards, and provide feedback on performance; design observation tools and protocols, as well as the overall approach to monitoring program fidelity and quality, leveraging a mixture of qualitative/quantitative data and hands-on observation.
• Coach implementing partner staff and partner with providers to co-design performance interventions.
• Identify programmatic capacity-building opportunities for partner organizations and community areas, and shepherd essential resources, expertise, and support to meet network-wide and community-specific needs, as related to the success of the Atlas HOPE unit
• Support staff and partners to achieve program outcomes by applying strategic planning, adaptive management, systems strengthening, adult learning principles, creative problem solving, and effective communications and knowledge management approaches.
• Project manages interventions through completion, assessing performance interventions impact and adjusting based on standards
• Support the day-to-day program management of the Atlas HOPE initiative
• Coordinate and deliver face-to-face and virtual training and create accessible and relevant curricula for diverse adult learners.
• Maintain a Learning Management System to store and retrieve knowledge, enhance understanding, productivity, and collaboration.
• Analyze root causes, distinguishing skill gaps from staffing, process, and system drivers.
• Develop and continuously improve the program’s career pathways and stage advancement model. 
• Support CBO to identify, vet, and onboard employer partners. 
• Support the program’s transitional jobs (TJ) providers and employer partners in maintaining safe, trauma-informed working conditions. 
• Build safety protocols and policies for the workforce development component and ensure implementing partners comply with them. 
• Develop and enforce policies and procedures that strengthen the workforce development component. 
• Support CBO to identify work crew assignments in accordance with the program model and philosophy. 
• Build trusting relationships with frontline and leadership staff across provider agencies and provide remote and on-site technical assistance and training. 
• Use observational, quantitative, and qualitative data to assess performance across all four phases of the program and adjust service delivery as needed. 
• Share findings, recommendations, and plans of action with relevant staff for continuous quality improvement. 
• Encourage, mentor, and support partner organizations and staff; coach and develop staff to achieve performance targets, build their knowledge, and improve skills. 
• Provide capacity-building, community-building, and technical assistance to CBOs and subcontractors as directed.  
• Demonstrate extensive experience with relevant programs/initiatives.
• Partner with staff at various levels to identify, develop, and implement strategies to address performance gaps within both the program’s coordinating agency (UWNYC) and implementing provider organizations.
• Participate in team and partner meetings, as required.
• Assumes other responsibilities as assigned to meet business and operational needs.

Cross-Functional Alignment:  

• Partner with UWNYC’s Finance and Legal/Administration staff to ensure procurement, contract compliance, and payment to CBOs and subcontractors; support the collection of any necessary information to prepare grant proposals and applications; and help develop and implement internal mechanisms to support this work.  
• Partner with UWNYC's Marketing & Communications team to create Justice & Opportunity materials and collateral, carry out social and traditional media efforts, and coordinate logistics for Atlas Workforce photo and video shoots, with final review by the Senior Director and/or department Vice President.
• Supervise other members of the Justice & Opportunity Unit, as needed.

External Relations:

• Lead meetings and convenings of external stakeholders by building and setting agendas, developing meeting materials, liaising with invitees and attendees, and ensuring follow-up.  
• In collaboration with leadership, represent Justice & Opportunity in the workforce development community through participation in relevant coalitions, committees, and conferences. 
• Support the day-to-day relationship with OCS, working closely with its leadership, program staff, and contracting and finance staff to ensure program success.  
• Manage relationships with Atlas Workforce stakeholders and CBO providers to keep the program operating smoothly. 
• Support relationships with model experts and provide CBOs with on-the-ground technical assistance, capacity building, and training to ensure model fidelity.  
• Help strengthen connections within the CVI ecosystem and build J&O’s network and stay up to date on community developments by attending relevant events, webinars, conferences, and other convenings. 

Skills, Knowledge, and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, public policy or a related field required.
• A minimum of five years of experience in program management, strategic relationship building or performance intervention. 
• Master’s degree in criminal justice, public policy, or a related field with a minimum of three years of experience in program management, strategic relationship building or performance intervention preferred. 
• Deep understanding of criminal justice systems, stakeholders, agencies, and providers; context within New York City preferred. 
• Experience with large-scale community-based program implementation. 
• Strong verbal and written communications with exceptional attention to detail. 
• Recognition of the importance of interdepartmental coordination and communication. 
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills and strong ability to build partnerships. 
• Ability to work both independently and be a team player. 
• Excellent writing, editing, verbal, and presentation skills. 
• Innovative thinker, with a track record for translating strategic thinking into action plans and results. 
• Demonstrated experience building, leading, and mentoring a team of program specialists, both internal and external. 
• Excellent judgment and creative problem-solving skills. 
• Management skills, including the ability to manage budget priorities. 
• A passion for UWNYC’s mission, vision, and accomplishments. 

Key Competencies :

• Strategic Community Collaborator 
• Integrity 
• Critical Thinking and Creative Problem Solving
• Effective and Engaging Communicator
• Planning and Project Management

Salary Range:

• Director Salary Range

• The final determination of salary, within this range, will depend on the candidate’s education, skills and experience required for the position.

Additional Requirements:

• UWNYC is presently on a Hybrid/In-Person work schedule.

United Way of NYC Core Competencies for All Staff

• Mission Focused: Catalyze others’ commitment to the mission to create real social change that leads to better lives and healthier communities. This drives their performance and professional motivations.
• Relationship-Oriented : Understands that people come before processes and is astute in cultivating and managing relationships toward a common goal.
• Collaborator : Understands the roles and contributions of all sectors of the community and can mobilize resources (financial and human) through meaningful engagement.
• Results Driven: Dedicated to shared and measurable goals for the common good: creating, resourcing, scaling and leveraging strategies and innovations for broad investment and impact.
• Brand Steward : Steward of the brand and understands his/her role in growing and protecting the reputation and results of the greater network .

United Way of New York City is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer