Afterschool Director

About the role

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 122 nd and 152 nd 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, foster

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