ABOUT US

Established in 1917, YM&YWHA of Washington Heights & Inwood (the “Y”) is a not-for-profit Jewish community center that welcomes people of all backgrounds and beliefs. We offer a wide range of educational, sports, recreational, and social services programs to enhance the quality of life of the people we serve. From topnotch early childhood education and youth development programs to innovative senior center services, there’s always something for everyone at the Y!

ABOUT THE POSITION

This is a dual role that allows the successful candidate to serve as the Director of the Y’s Teen Programs year-round (including at our shared summer day camp Camp Twelve Trails) and as the Director of Young Adult Engagement. The successful candidate will be tasked with managing programs, experiences, and relationships with Teenagers and Young Adults. These will be infused with Jewish values and culture, and inclusive for people of all backgrounds so that all Teens and Young Adults in Northern Manhattan find a home at the Y.

DIRECTOR OF TEEN ENGAGEMENT (80%)

The year-round Director of Teen Engagement will oversee existing programs both during the year and the summer, and create new programs to expand engagement opportunities for the Y’s and Camp’s Teens. The main responsibilities include:

1. Lead the Y’s Jewish-Latinx Youth Council(school-year program). This is a program funded by UJA-Federation of NY and New York’s City Council. The Director will recruit and bring together a cohort of up to 24 Jewish and Latinx teenagers to learn about each other’s identity and heritage and develop and implement social justice projects that will enhance the quality of life of our community. This includes:

• Designing and implementing the program’s activities (twice-a-month social justice and learning activities plus two 2-day retreats and a possible 4-day trip).

• Participant recruitment and ongoing engagement.

• Supervising part-time staff.

• Writing reports for our funders.

2. Lead the Y’s Better Together program (school-year program). This is a monthly intergenerational program comprised of middle school students and seniors. The Director will recruit at least 10 middle school students to participate in the program and work with the Director of the Y’s Center for Adults Living Well (CALW) to recruit at least 5 seniors. Responsibilities include:

• Organizing at least 8 thoughtfully planned interactions between seniors and teens.

• Conducting a learning program (minimum of 8 sessions) in Jewish values and texts related to the elderly for students.

• Writing reports for our funders.

3. Lead Camp Twelve Trails’ Teen Adventure Program. This summer program offers teenagers 7th – 10thgrade the opportunity to have fun and meaningful activities both at our campgrounds as well as on trips. Trips go from day-trips to a 5-day experience in different locations. Main responsibilities include:

• Advance planning, including programmatic goals, content, budget, and logistics (supported by Camp Leadership)

• Participating and assisting in the leading of staff training during the lead up to camp.

• Recruiting and serving as the main point of contact for teens and their families.

• Hiring, training and supervising seasonal staff.

• Working with Inclusion staff and participant families to ensure appropriate accommodations are planned and implemented.

• Supporting the year-round camp team in additional pre-summer tasks as needed.

• Running the Teen Adventures program throughout the summer, including being physically present as the lead staff on all activities.

• Providing Camp’s communications team with meaningful and appealing content

4. Expanding the Y’s Teen experiences and programs (school-year). This involves:

• Serving as the Y’s lead professional for, and building relationships with, local teens and their families.

• Designing and facilitating regular (at least every 2 weeks) additional events/activities for Northern Manhattan teens.

• Working with the Y’s Director of Elementary Programs to create pathways for our elementary-program participants to naturally “graduate” into our Teen programs.

• Working with our Inclusion staff to plan for expanding our programs for teens with special needs.

• Serving as a liaison between the Y and Bar/Bat Mitzvah families who would like to complete a community service project through the Y.

• Providing support and oversight for the High School and College CLASSP programs.

• Creating partnerships with other Teen organizations that support our mission.

DIRECTOR OF YOUNG ADULT ENGAGEMENT (20%)

As the person responsible for the Y’s Young Adult engagement portfolio, the Director will create and implement excellent programs with rich content to bring Young Adults into the community. The main responsibilities include building relationships with Young Adults in our community, identifying needs and opportunities for this population, and facilitating networking opportunities so that personal and professional connections are made at every encounter. The main responsibilities include:

1. Lead the Y’s Encountering Community program**.** This is a new UJA-funded program through which up 20 Jewish and Latinx young adults (ages 21-30) will explore the history, identity, and evolving relationship of these two communities in upper Manhattan. Participants will also create long-lasting relationships, engage in social action projects of their choice, and finalize the program running Northern Manhattan’s first Social Action Summit.

This includes:

• Recruiting and establishing relationships with (and among) participants invested in such an initiative.

• Planning for and running the program’s regular meetings, retreats and special activities.

• Providing social action engagement options for participants.

• Leading the group’s effort in planning and running a successful Social Action Summit.

• Writing reports for our funders.

• Regularly evaluating the program with the participants.

2. Expanding the Y’s Young Adult experiences and programs (school-year). This involves:

• Serving as the Y’s lead professional for Young Adults in Northern Manhattan.

• Designing and facilitating regular events/activities for Northern Manhattan Young Adults. Programs may include social, educational, and social-action experiences; there should be opportunities for personal and professional networking.

• Regularly evaluating programs and implementing new ideas based on feedback and interest.

POSITION TYPE/EXPECTED HOURS OF WORK

● Full-time position

● School-year hours: Usually Sunday - Thursday, 10 am - 6:30 pm, with flexibility for regular evening events and programs.

● Summer Hours: Based on Teen Adventures’ schedule. Usually two days per week are 9-5:00 PM and the remaining three days involve traveling with the teens, except for one week in which there is no traveling, and one week in which the trip goes from Monday through Friday.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

● Work is performed in typical community center and camp environments.

TRAVEL

• Able to be on trips during the summer weeks of camp and occasionally during the school year.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

● Able to manage competing priorities and follow through with multiple deliverables.

● Comfortable working with, recruiting, and engaging Teenagers and Young Adults across programs

● Solid organizational skills including attention to detail.

● At least two years of Jewish Experiential Education with teens and/or Jewish Engagement Experience with Young Adults.

● Proven planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluation skills.

● Excellent verbal and written communication skills; able to clearly and appropriately communicate in a variety of settings and styles.

● Able to present in front of large groups of participants.

● Proficient in the use of Google Suite, MS Office applications, social media, and other technology platforms for youth programs.

● Knowledge of Spanish and/or Hebrew - preferred.

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

● Bachelor's Degree in Education, Psychology, or Jewish Studies with at least two years of successful experience in providing Jewish educational services to teenagers and/or young adults.

● Master’s Degree Preferred.

● Experience in managing and supervising staff.

● Experience in program planning and execution.

BENEFITS

Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) and competitive benefits package:

● Health Insurance; Retirement Plan; Optional 403b Plan; Life Insurance; Flexible Spending Account; Commuter Benefit Plan.

WORK AUTHORIZATION & CLEARANCE

● Documentation of U.S. citizenship or eligibility to work in the U.S.

● Must pass the background check, medical tests, fingerprinting through the Department of Health and Department of Education, and other pre-employment requirements.

● Must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 upon commencement of employment.

OTHER DUTIES

● This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Additional functions and responsibilities may change or may be assigned.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

YM & YWHA of Washington Heights & Inwood provides equal employment opportunity to all individuals regardless of their race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by state, federal, or local law.