ABOUT NEW CITY KIDS
New City Kids is a high energy, creative ministry for and with youth in Jersey City and Paterson, NJ and Grand Rapids and Detroit, MI. We are unique in trusting teens with leadership. It is a joyful place filled with laughter and hard work, and has an excellent staff of dedicated adults who love children. We employ local high school students as interns to lead an excellent and unique music- focused after school center and summer camp for children ages 6-13, which provides a platform for a whole host of development opportunities for children. As kids and teens engage New City Kids, we come alongside them and invite them to know the power of the gospel and to become disciples of Jesus Christ.
POSITION SUMMARY
Come join a diverse team committed to empowering youth to transform their cities through an innovative approach that links leadership, faith formation, learning, and the arts: employing local youth to lead after-school programming for school-age children in their own neighborhoods. The Center Director I serves as a lead staff member of a New City Kids After School Center site, ensuring excellence of all ministry and programming that happens in the center. They serve in a leadership role directly supervising staff, own goals and center administration, lead a team within a matrix structure, and serve as the primary relational contact for children, parents, and other community stakeholders. As a Center Director I, you have oversight and responsibility of a small team and will work closely with the City Director.
This position could be your dream job if:
You are excited to lead in a community that brings together your love for children, love for God, and love for teaching.
You enjoy spending time sharing stories and using stories to engage youth.
You love planning events, problem-solving, communicating, and organizing people and systems.
You are excited to build long lasting relationships in which you can be a blessing to others.
You are a self-starter who thrives in mission-driven, fast-paced team environments.
SCOPE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Site Leadership – Serving as lead staff of daily After School Center, leading a team of adults and teen staff to run the site of New City Kids. Accountable for all programming that happens at the site.
Seek Goal Achievement – Own and report on annual site goals. Lead staff and resources to effectively meet program goals.
Uphold Program Excellence – Ensure excellence of site-level academic, music, and faith-based programming. Continually assess programming and spearhead team efforts to drive effectiveness.
Budget Stewardship – Oversee program budget, tracking all expenses and tuition payments (includes parent payments and 4C’s reimbursements).
Supervise Staff – Supervise site staff, providing assignments, feedback, support, and performance reviews. Provide dotted-line supervision of Teen Life Internship adult staff serving the site.
Foster Community Development – Spearhead efforts to develop involvement with parents, schools, and community leaders. Serve as the primary parent contact and oversee hospitality, developing avenues for parents and volunteers to participate in the life of New City Kids. Foster an environment of learning, Christian discipleship, engagement across all ages, and servant-leadership at the center. Take part in leading site tours for funders, partners, and community leaders.
Administration – Lead recruitment, retention, and reporting efforts of the After School Center. Ensure the site is in compliance with all state and local licensing and New City Kids policies and regulations.
Mentor Discipleship – Cultivate a culture of faith exploration and cultivation at the site; lead engaging Scripture lessons for kids weekly; build one-on-one discipleship relationships with assigned Teen Life Interns.
QUALIFICATIONS
A commitment and ability to communicate the goals and mission of New City Kids, including strong and active Christian faith and alignment with our Statement of Faith and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policy.
Confident – Leads and communicates well in a dynamic environment, making decisions in the midst of chaos.
Dedicated Team Member – Flexible, willing to complete tasks that fall outside one’s job description.
Emotional Maturity – Self-aware, teachable, sensitive to cross-cultural issues, and able to maturely deal with youth from broken contexts.
Integrates faith with love for youth – Excited to use themes in their own Christian journey to invest in young people.
Resourceful – Responsible steward of entrusted resources; can accomplish a big vision on a shoestring.
Passionate, high-energy learner and teacher that possesses an infectious love of learning and transmitting knowledge.
Commitment to excellence – Able to lead multiple long and short-term projects simultaneously while meeting deadlines; attention and care for administrative detail; strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
Willingness to lean in and address hard situations, make difficult decisions while maintaining composure and good relationships, and apologize when necessary.
Comprehensive knowledge of interpersonal dynamics, system management, and operations.
2-3 Years of program leadership, staff management, or educational experience required; 5+ years preferred (or combination).
Bachelor’s degree required, with preference for degree in Education or Public Service (or any other subject with relevant child services experience).
Written and spoken Spanish fluency strongly preferred.
Proficiency in one or more musical instrument is a bonus, but not required.
Physical Requirements:
Constantly moves about the center during programming hours.
Regularly moves music equipment, supplies, and furniture weighing up to 50 pounds .
DETAILS
Position Type: Full-Time
Hours:40+ hours/week; 1-2 evenings a week, occasional weekends and overnights.
Compensation Grade: 14
Department: After School Center