Deputy Director of School-Year Programs
- Salary
- $70K–$80K
- Hiring from
- United States
- Work type
- Hybrid
- Posted
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Salary Range: $70,000.00 To $80,000.00 Annually
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL-YEAR PROGRAMS (FULL-TIME)
Since 1877, The Fresh Air Fund (Fresh Air) has been a leading youth development organization providing transformative opportunities for children and young adults from New York City's underserved communities. Rooted in the belief that access to nature and outdoor experiences can change lives, Fresh Air connects young people to the outdoors while providing opportunities for personal growth, leadership development and exploration. Through free summer camp and year-round leadership development, educational enrichment and career exploration programs, Fresh Air helps young people develop the skills, confidence and connections they need to thrive.
Serving more than 1.8 million children throughout its history, Fresh Air remains committed to expanding access to life-changing experiences that empower young people to reach their full potential. At Fresh Air, employees are driven by purpose, collaboration and a shared commitment to creating opportunities that help young people succeed.
Position Summary
The Deputy Director of School-Year Programs partners closely with the Director of School-Year Programs to plan, implement, supervise, and continuously improve Fresh Air’s school-year program portfolio. As a key member of the School-Year Programs leadership team, the Deputy Director shares responsibility for program quality, youth safety, staff development, participant engagement, and consistent delivery of engaging, youth-centered experiences that connect young people with nature and the outdoors.
Reporting to the Director of School-Year Programs, the Deputy Director takes a hands-on leadership role in day-to-day program operations, including staffing, schedules, curriculum and lesson planning, training, on-site facilitation, logistics, and troubleshooting. The Deputy Director works collaboratively with the Director on priorities and decisions, independently manages delegated operational responsibilities, and keeps the Director informed of progress, risks, and emerging needs.
Responsibilities
Collaborative Leadership and Program Planning
- Partner with the Director to translate department-wide goals, priorities, and youth development outcomes into actionable program plans, schedules, milestones, and team expectations.
- Participate actively in program design, implementation, evaluation, and improvement; bring operational insights, staff feedback, and youth and family perspectives into shared planning and decision-making.
- Coordinate across school-year programs and Camping teams to strengthen consistency, outdoor learning opportunities, and connections between summer and school-year experiences.
- Provide clear, timely updates to the Director on program readiness, staffing, risks, results, and decisions requiring escalation.
Day-to-Day Program Operations and On-Site Leadership
- Lead daily coordination of school-year programming, including calendars, staffing coverage, session preparation, transportation, supplies, vendors, facilities, and activity logistics.
- Ensure program coordinators and frontline staff have clear work plans, session agendas, materials, participant information, and contingency plans before each program.
- Provide direct on-site leadership during scheduled programs, including evenings and Saturdays; facilitate activities, support staff, and respond to operational needs in real time.
- Monitor attendance, enrollment, participant retention, and family communications; identify gaps and coordinate timely follow-up with staff and relevant departments.
- Implement established safety procedures, incident response and escalation protocols, and program policies; promptly communicate significant concerns to the Director.
- Coordinate program-related support for camp departures and returns and other cross-program activities as assigned.
Curriculum Design, Facilitation, and Program Quality
- Develop, adapt, and review age-appropriate curricula, session plans, and hands-on activities grounded in youth development, social-emotional learning, leadership, and outdoor exploration.
- Directly facilitate youth sessions, group discussions, staff workshops, orientations, and other learning experiences as needed; model engaging and inclusive facilitation techniques.
- Coach program coordinators and facilitators on lesson design, group management, experiential learning, and adapting activities for diverse participant needs.
- Conduct program observations and debriefs with staff, using feedback and evaluation findings to improve instructional quality and participant experience.
- Work with the Director and Camping partners to align school-year curriculum with broader Fresh Air programming goals.
Staff and Volunteer Supervision and Development
- Directly supervise assigned program coordinators and part-time staff, with clear work expectations, regular check-ins, coaching, performance feedback, and accountability for deliverables.
- Partner with the Director on staffing plans, recruitment, interviews, hiring recommendations, onboarding, training, scheduling, and retention.
- Coordinate and facilitate staff and volunteer orientations and ongoing professional development, emphasizing youth safety, inclusive practices, and effective facilitation.
- Support volunteer mentor recruitment, screening coordination, preparation, and ongoing engagement in collaboration with relevant teams.
- Escalate significant personnel matters to the Director and work together on appropriate next steps.
Family Engagement, Partnerships, and Coordination
- Support responsive, culturally respectful communication with youth and families, including program information, registration, attendance, and follow-up.
- Coordinate program delivery with schools, community organizations, outdoor education partners, vendors, and other collaborators; support the Director in cultivating strategic relationships.
- Help gather and incorporate youth and family feedback, and identify opportunities for alumni and advisory group engagement.
- Collaborate with Camping, Enrollment, IT, Research & Evaluation, and other internal teams to address operational needs and improve participant experience.
Data, Compliance, and Resource Stewardship
- Ensure timely, accurate participant and program records in Salesforce/FreshForce and other approved systems; monitor data quality and staff compliance with established processes.
- Partner with the Director and Research & Evaluation to track program milestones, attendance, outcomes, and key performance indicators; help implement improvements based on findings.
- Oversee routine purchasing, supplies, and operational spending within approved budgets and purchasing procedures; provide information to support the Director’s budget management.
- Implement and reinforce program manuals, safety protocols, background-check procedures, and other organizational requirements in coordination with responsible departments.
Other responsibilities as assigned.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred.
- Minimum 5–7 years of experience in youth programming, education, nonprofit management, or community engagement.
- Demonstrated success supervising staff and/or volunteers and fostering strong team culture.
- Experience designing or improving program systems, curricula, or training models.
- Strong operational and logistical planning skills, particularly across multi-site or field-based programming.
- Skilled communicator with the ability to facilitate trainings, represent program goals, and engage external partners.
- Experienced working with diverse youth, families, and community partners.
- Experience with data-informed program improvement.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office; Salesforce or similar CRM experience preferred.
- Bilingual (Spanish or Mandarin) and valid driver’s license a plus.
- Passion for youth development, equity, and The Fresh Air Fund’s mission of providing transformative outdoor experience.
- Willingness to work evenings/weekends as required by program activities.
- Ability to spend significant amounts of time outdoors/all seasons.
- As part of our commitment to maintaining a safe and healthy workplace, The Fresh Air Fund requires all employees to meet applicable vaccination requirements in accordance with federal, state, and local laws. As new public health issues arise, The Fresh Air Fund may require additional vaccinations. Proof of vaccination or an approved exemption will be required as a condition of employment, if applicable.
This “at-will” position is full-time, based in our New York City office, and currently requires three days a week in the office. The Fresh Air Fund offices are open and available all week, and all employees are permitted and encouraged to come to the office to work. Fresh Air may modify its remote work policy generally or with respect to any position at any time.
Salary & Benefits
The salary for this “at-will” position is $70,000-$80,000, commensurate with experience. The Fresh Air Fund offers a generous benefits package including medical, dental and vision insurance, flexible spending accounts, commuter benefits, and employer and employee retirement contribution plans.
Application Instructions: To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter. We are hiring on a rolling basis and encourage interested applicants to apply as early as possible. No calls or recruiters, please.
The Fresh Air Fund is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, committed to inclusive hiring, and dedicated to diversity in its work and on its staff. We strongly encourage candidates of all identities, experiences, orientations and communities to apply.
