Deputy Director of School-Year Programs

The Fresh Air Fund•York, NY

3d•$70,000 - $80,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Deputy Director of School-Year Programs partners with the Director of School-Year Programs to plan, implement, supervise, and continuously improve The Fresh Air Fund’s school-year program portfolio. As a member of the School-Year Programs leadership team, the Deputy Director shares responsibility for program quality, youth safety, staff development, participant engagement, and the delivery of youth-centered experiences connecting young people with nature and the outdoors. Reporting to the Director of School-Year Programs, the Deputy Director provides hands-on leadership in daily operations, including staffing, schedules, curriculum and lesson planning, training, on-site facilitation, logistics, and troubleshooting. The role works collaboratively with the Director on priorities and decisions, independently manages delegated operational responsibilities, and keeps the Director informed about progress, risks, and emerging needs. This is a full-time, at-will position based in The Fresh Air Fund’s New York City office. The position currently requires three days per week in the office, with work at scheduled programs including evenings and Saturdays as needed. The role involves significant time outdoors in all seasons. Salary is $70,000–$80,000, commensurate with experience. Employees must meet applicable vaccination requirements, subject to applicable laws and approved exemptions.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
At least 5–7 years of experience in youth programming, education, nonprofit management, or community engagement.
Demonstrated success supervising staff and/or volunteers and fostering a 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.
Strong communication skills and ability to facilitate trainings, represent program goals, and engage external partners.
Experience working with diverse youth, families, and community partners.
Experience with data-informed program improvement.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
Passion for youth development, equity, and The Fresh Air Fund’s mission of providing transformative outdoor experiences.
Willingness to work evenings and weekends as required by program activities.
Ability to spend significant amounts of time outdoors in all seasons.
Must meet applicable vaccination requirements in accordance with federal, state, and local laws; proof of vaccination or an approved exemption is required as a condition of employment if applicable.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree.
Salesforce or similar CRM experience.
Bilingual in Spanish or Mandarin.
Valid driver’s license.

Responsibilities

Partner with the Director to turn department goals and youth development outcomes into actionable program plans, schedules, milestones, and team expectations.
Participate in program design, implementation, evaluation, and improvement, bringing operational insights and staff, youth, and family perspectives into planning and decisions.
Coordinate across school-year programs and Camping teams to strengthen consistency, outdoor learning, and connections between summer and school-year experiences.
Update the Director on program readiness, staffing, risks, results, and decisions requiring escalation.
Lead daily coordination of calendars, staffing coverage, session preparation, transportation, supplies, vendors, facilities, and activity logistics.
Ensure program coordinators and frontline staff have work plans, session agendas, materials, participant information, and contingency plans before programs.
Provide on-site leadership during scheduled programs, including evenings and Saturdays; facilitate activities, support staff, and address operational needs in real time.
Monitor attendance, enrollment, participant retention, and family communications; identify gaps and coordinate follow-up.
Implement safety procedures, incident response and escalation protocols, and program policies; promptly communicate significant concerns to the Director.
Coordinate program support for camp departures and returns and other cross-program activities as assigned.
Develop, adapt, and review age-appropriate curricula, session plans, and hands-on activities grounded in youth development, social-emotional learning, leadership, and outdoor exploration.
Facilitate youth sessions, group discussions, staff workshops, orientations, and other learning experiences, modeling engaging and inclusive facilitation.
Coach program coordinators and facilitators on lesson design, group management, experiential learning, and adapting activities for diverse participant needs.
Conduct program observations and staff debriefs, 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.
Directly supervise assigned program coordinators and part-time staff through clear expectations, check-ins, coaching, performance feedback, and accountability.
Partner with the Director on staffing plans, recruitment, interviews, hiring recommendations, onboarding, training, scheduling, and retention.
Coordinate and facilitate staff and volunteer orientations and professional development focused on youth safety, inclusive practices, and effective facilitation.
Support volunteer mentor recruitment, screening coordination, preparation, and ongoing engagement with relevant teams.
Escalate significant personnel matters to the Director and work together on next steps.
Support responsive, culturally respectful communication with youth and families about 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.
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.
Ensure timely, accurate participant and program records in Salesforce/FreshForce and other approved systems; monitor data quality and staff compliance with processes.
Partner with the Director and Research & Evaluation to track milestones, attendance, outcomes, and key performance indicators and help implement improvements based on findings.
Oversee routine purchasing, supplies, and operational spending within approved budgets and procedures; provide information to support the Director’s budget management.
Implement and reinforce program manuals, safety protocols, background-check procedures, and other organizational requirements with responsible departments.
Perform other responsibilities as assigned.