DESCRIPTION
About Our Organization:
At Youth Guidance, we believe that no matter what challenges a young person faces, they are more likely to succeed when they have caring adults in their lives. Our highly-trained staff guides kids to overcome the life and academic challenges facing Chicago’s youth. We meet kids where they are — physically and emotionally — to help them focus on their education, make positive choices, and remain on the right path toward life success.

Founded in 1924 today Youth Guidance is a leading provider of outcomes-driven programs serving more than 8,500 youth while touching the lives of more than 14,000 youth, parents, teachers, and community members.

Position Summary:
The Director of Community and Afterschool (CAP) oversees all schools implementing the Community School model as well as Youth Guidance’s tuition-based enrichment and extended school day programs. The Director is responsible for setting the strategic vision for the Department and manages relationships with key partners and external stakeholders and works collaboratively with them to coordinate robust school-based programming that centers on healthy child and adolescent growth development and a strength-based approach.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities
Manage and provide direct supervision to Community School managers and Resource Coordinators and ensure staff receives appropriate professional development and technical assistance
Develop and implement strategic plans for Community Schools inclusive of clear objectives, and goals in line with agency mission, client needs, and contract deliverables and methods for tracking progress
Responsible for all applicable contract deliverables, program documentation, records, and required reports for program stakeholders
Manage team responsible for delivering tuition-based after school programs and provide critical cross-department leadership to ensure a robust and successful earned income revenue strategy
Direct the development of annual community school program budgets and ensure they are aligned to Youth Guidance’s Mission and Vision for Impact. Ensure sound fiscal controls are in place to monitor program personnel and non-personnel expenses
Cultivate and leverage relationships with partners to ensure cost-effective and high quality programming complies with standards articulated in the Youth Program Quality Assessment (YPQA) and the youth development standards articulated by the Council on Accreditation (COA)
Cultivating the trust and respect of program staff, principals, key external stakeholders (e.g., Chicago Public Schools, Federation for Community Schools), and the community
Perform related duties as required

Minimum Qualifications
Education/Experience/Training
Master’s Degree in public policy/administration, social work, business administration, human services or a related to area from an accredited 2-year university program highly preferred
Five years of work experience in the social service field. Two years of this experience must be supervisory
Experience in administration and program development is preferred
Experience with multiple sources of data to make informed decisions

Skills/Abilities
Possesses excellent analytical and organizational skills – is a masterful critical thinker
Strong service and support orientation towards students, parents/families, schools, communities
Effective negotiator, ability to negotiate
Proven ability to communicate effectively and with integrity across diverse audiences in both verbal and written styles
Willingness to learn and adapt in the midst of new and shifting priorities
Possesses a “can-do,” solutions-oriented approach to problem solving
Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders
Has a proven track record leading large-scale programs and projects
Demonstrates a sense of urgency in accomplishing goals and objectives to ensure success
Ability to articulate a vision, set high standards, and facilitate sound execution
Possesses an unyielding commitment to continuous improvement and understands how to use multiple sources of data to inform decisions to improve programming
Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office, specifically Excel, Power Point, Word
Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to frequently talk and hear.
The employee frequently is required to sit and stand for sustained periods of time; walk; use hands and fingers to handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms.
The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds.
Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines. Occasional local travel.

Youth Guidance is an equal opportunity employer and proudly values diversity. Youth Guidance does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law and is committed to creating a dynamic work environment that values diversity along all of these lines. People of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

HOW TO APPLY
recruiting@youth-guidance.org