Director, Community and Family Partnerships

Job Description

Job Description

Position Title: Director, Community and Family Partnerships, Education Equity

 

Reports to: Vice President, Education Equity

 

Department: Education Equity

 

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 education work follows a place-based model—partnering directly with neighborhoods, schools, and families to design solutions informed by local knowledge, community priorities, and the lived experiences of students. This role leads the implementation and coordination of programs that are responsive to the strengths and needs of each community.

 

Position Overview: 

Reporting to the Vice President, Education Equity, the Director, Community and Family Partnerships will lead the strategy, implementation, and continuous improvement of United Way of New York City’s (UWNYC) community and family engagement initiatives designed to advance education equity across New York City. 

The Director will oversee three core program areas—Community Libraries, UWNYC’s Neighborhood Histories Plaque Project, and Parent Associations—ensuring each initiative strengthens the connection between families, schools, and communities while equipping parents and caregivers with the knowledge, resources, and leadership opportunities they need to successfully navigate their children’s educational journeys. 

The Director will cultivate strategic partnerships with schools, community-based organizations (CBOs), public agencies, and neighborhood stakeholders to expand access to educational resources, elevate community voice, and foster family engagement that supports student success. This role is responsible for ensuring all program activities are delivered on time, on budget, and aligned with UWNYC’s mission to advance educational opportunity and community empowerment. 

 

Primary Responsibilities 

 

Program Strategy, Design & Implementation

 

• Lead the strategic planning, implementation, and continuous improvement of UWNYC’s Community Libraries, Neighborhood Histories Plaque Project, and Parent Associations initiatives. 
• Develop and implement strategies that strengthen family engagement and build meaningful partnerships between schools, families, and community organizations. 
• Ensure programs provide families with the tools, information, and resources needed to advocate for and support their children’s educational success.
• Design and oversee community-centered programming that promotes educational access, civic engagement, and culturally responsive family engagement. 
• Monitor program performance through data collection, evaluation, and continuous improvement processes to measure impact and inform strategy. 
• Ensure all program goals, deliverables, and grant requirements are achieved while maintaining high-quality implementation. 

Community & Partnership Development:

 

• Serve as the primary relationship manager for schools, parent leaders, community-based organizations, cultural institutions, and other key stakeholders.
• Build and sustain strong partnerships that increase opportunities for family engagement and community participation. 
• Collaborate with New York City public agencies, school leaders, and neighborhood organizations to align programming with community needs and education priorities. 
• Represent UWNYC at community meetings, public events, partner convenings, and funder engagements. 
• Identify opportunities to expand partnerships, leverage community assets, and strengthen collaborative impact across UWNYC’s education portfolio. 

Administrative and Team Leadership:

 

• Maintain robust project planning and tracking systems to ensure all aspects of program design, delivery, and evaluation are well-documented and transparent.
• Demonstrate strong organization, time management, and problem-solving skills to anticipate needs, manage risks, and deliver results.
• Foster a team culture of innovation, excellence, and inclusion, modeling continuous learning and reflection.
• Proactively identify opportunities to streamline administrative processes and strengthen cross-team collaboration.

Skills, Knowledge, and Experience:

 

• Bachelor’s degree in education, instructional design, public administration, social sciences, or a related field with a minimum of 5 years of related work experience in community-centric program design, community engagement, and/or adult literacy and education or master’s degree with a minimum of 2 years work experience.
• Demonstrated experience designing and managing community-centered programs that strengthen family engagement and educational outcomes. 
• Deep understanding of education equity, family engagement, community organizing, and the New York City public education landscape. 
• Experience building collaborative partnerships with schools, community-based organizations, public agencies, libraries, and neighborhood stakeholders. 
• Proven leadership experience managing teams, developing staff, and overseeing multiple complex initiatives. 
• Strong project management, budgeting, and organizational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• Comfort with data analysis and learning evaluation to inform strategy and continuous improvement.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills with experience engaging diverse audiences including families, educators, community leaders, funders, and government partners. 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and virtual learning tools (e.g., Zoom, Canvas, Miro).
• Willingness to travel regularly throughout New York City’s five boroughs.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) strongly preferred.
• Passion for UWNYC’s mission and commitment to advancing education equity and community empowerment.

Key Competencies

• Planning and Project Management
• Relationship Oriented
• Effective & Engaging Communication
• Strategic Community Collaborator

• Data Collection and Use

 

Additional Information:

• 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 .

 

How To Apply: 

Please apply on our United Way of New York City career page. 

 

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