Associate Director of Youth Development

Just A Start•Cambridge, MA

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Associate Director of Youth Development is a new program leadership role on the Youth Programs team. This leader owns the trainee and alumni experience from orientation through program completion and beyond, and plays an essential role in shaping the culture, systems, and experiences that define YouthBuild and all Youth Programs at Just A Start. They are part program director, part youth success dean, part community builder, and part strategist. Reporting to the Director of Youth Program Pathways, the Associate Director leads three core program components -- Academics, Leadership Development, and Vocational Training -- while serving as a key architect of our evolving on-ramp and off-ramp programming. This includes championing pathways that prepare youth for YouthBuild enrollment as well as graduate opportunities that connect young adults to emerging careers and post-secondary education.

Requirements

7-10 years in youth development, education, or human services, with at least 2-3 years in a leadership role; experience as a supervisor is required.
Lived or professional experience with opportunity youth -- court-involved, out-of-school, or housing-unstable -- and the ability to show up for them with both compassion and clear structure.
Grounded in trauma-informed care, positive youth development, and DEIB; able to authentically connect across difference and navigate structural inequities with young people.
Proven ability to hold a firm, fair, restorative trainee culture -- high expectations and high support in equal measure.
Familiarity with academics (HiSET/GED), workforce development, and leadership development -- you don't need to be the expert, but you need to champion all three.
Strong facilitator and program designer; comfortable leading a Life Skills session, a Youth Policy Council meeting, or a State House prep workshop with equal confidence.
A background in youth development, workforce programs, community based organizations, public education, state family services (Dept. of Children and Families, Dept. of Youth Services), or juvenile justice -- what matters is that you've led in complex, youth-serving environments.
Organized, clear communicator, and skilled at building trust with trainees, staff, families, and partners.
Familiarity with Salesforce or similar CRM and Google Workspace; willingness to learn required.
Ability to occasionally work evenings or weekends.
Acceptable CORI/SORI.

Responsibilities

Set the tone for trainee success and program culture across YouthBuild's 10-month cycle -- from pre-enrollment through graduation.
Be the person everyone turns to when a situation needs de-escalating, expectations need reinforcing, or a young person needs to be redirected with firmness and care.
Keep the Trainee Handbook current and meaningful, in partnership with the Youth Policy Council.
Own the vision for Life Skills and socioemotional learning (SEL) -- partnering with the Senior Case Manager on instruction to ensure SEL is directly tied to retention and trainee success.
Lead planning for YouthBuild Orientation week, synthesize staff observations, and advise on enrollment decisions in coordination with the Youth Program Operations Manager and Senior Case Manager.
Steer expenditures to deliver high quality programming that meets trainee needs and stays on budget with guidance from the Director of Youth Program Pathways.
Serve as a program liaison to the Massachusetts YouthBuild Coalition in conjunction with the Director of Youth Program Pathways attending monthly meetings with other YouthBuild program leaders across the state.
Directly supervise the instructional team: Construction Instructors, Youth Entrepreneurship Program Manager, and Academic Program Manager, who in turn supervises the Science, Technology, and Math Instructor.
Champion a strong High School Equivalency Test (HiSET) program by supporting the Academic Program Manager in delivering quality instruction and achieving rigorous academic outcomes.
Manage the vocational instruction teams (Construction and Retail Entrepreneurship) with the administration of workforce training ensuring that trainees’ needs are met while also complying with funder contractual outcomes.
Collaborate with the Senior Case Manager and the Career and Post-Secondary Education Specialist to deliver trauma-informed, strengths-based supportive services to trainees and alumni -- including the critical 12-month post-program follow-up period.
Administer trainee progress review meetings, trainee success plans and supportive action plans in collaboration with all program staff.
Lead program change initiatives that drive positive outcomes for trainees.
Ensure timely Salesforce data entry across the team and contribute to quarterly contractual reporting.
Design and facilitate the Youth Policy Council (YPC) meeting 2-4 times per month to build trainee leadership, drive the Life Skills series, and amplify trainee voices in program culture and policy.
Oversee the Alumni Advisory Board (AAB) -- deepening alumni leadership through training, advocacy, and community projects. Recent projects include an AAB-produced podcast on youth addiction and substance use.
Coordinate quarterly community service activities to meet YouthBuild Global affiliated status requirements.
Lead YouthBuild's annual State House Day -- connecting trainees and alumni with their elected officials to advocate for state funding for youth programs.
Own alumni engagement from the ground up — designing events and programming that connect graduates to workforce opportunities and advance our strategic plan.

Benefits

medical
dental
life
short-term and long-term disability insurance
20 Paid Time Off days in the first year
13 paid holidays
1 day of Volunteer Time Off
Employee Assistance Program
401(k) savings plan with a 3% employer contribution after 3 months of employment
professional/leadership development funds annually
Find Your Joy Fridays