Family Enrichment Center (FEC) Director

Little Flower Children and Family Services of New York•New York, NY

About The Position

The Family Enrichment Center (FEC) Director is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the Family Enrichment Center, funded by the New York City Administration for Children Services (ACS). FECs represent one of ACS’ approaches to supporting child and family well-being and strong communities. The Director embodies and creates a culture of openness, creativity and flexibility, is a true partner and servant leader in the community and committed to social justice. Responsibilities include recruiting, hiring, and supporting a diverse staff in a collaborative work environment, building partnerships with stakeholders from multiple sectors to support the FEC, and building an FEC Advisory Council/Board to guide the vision, decision-making and programming of the FEC. The Director will also ensure the FEC is run with fidelity to the model, serve as a liaison to ACS , implement co-design and co-implementation strategies. The Director will be expected to participate in learning collaboratives with other FEC Directors and stakeholders across the city and to collaborate with ACS and external partners to develop and implement quality assurance and quality improvement mechanisms.

Requirements

Knowledge and commitment to the community
Outstanding community organizing, collaboration, and advocacy skills
Management skills in collaborative team environments that includes supporting paid and volunteer team members, managing budgets, and monitoring milestones and outcomes
Commitment to and ability to implement strategies related to cultural competency, equity, and diversity and inclusion
Strong interpersonal skills, facilitation skills, and the ability to connect with people with diverse and intersecting identities
Strong verbal and written communication skills
Ability to perform multiple tasks effectively in a fast-paced, challenging, and constantly changing environment
Knowledge of one or more of the FEC frameworks (equity, co-design, Appreciative Inquiry, Family Protective Factors) or other frameworks/approaches with similar components
Fluency in a language other than English commonly used in the community
Minimum qualifications include a master’s degree and five (5) years of relevant experience
A bachelor’s degree and seven (7) years of relevant experience
Or a high school diploma and at least eleven (11) years of relevant experience.
Relevant experience includes managerial and/or leadership roles in community organizing, community-led programs, coalitions, or other community-driven service delivery.
Experience can be a combination of professional, paid experience or verifiable volunteer experience.

Nice To Haves

Ideal candidates will be from or have deep connection with the Bed-Stuy community they will be serving.

Responsibilities

Manage budget of FEC in partnership with FEC Advisory Council/Board and manage hiring, training, and coaching of FEC staff/team members
Identify community members via a series of virtual and in-person meetings who are interested in being part of the FEC and engage them in discussions about community needs, assets, and strengths to inform FEC vision and offerings
Help to identify and secure a physical space for the FEC and ensuring that the space is co-designed with the community to be a welcoming, encouraging, and positive environment.
Bring the model of co-design to life by ensuring that members have substantial roles in creating a vision for the FEC and designing offerings that promote one or more of the seven family protective factors (Resilience, Relationships, Knowledge, Support, Communication, Economic Mobility, & Community)
Develop and support an Advisory Council/Board of FEC members to guide the strategic vision for the FEC, and participate in management decisions, reviewing financial reports and budgets, and other activities
Create a culture of teamwork and collaboration among staff, FEC members, and Advisory Council /Board members that is built on equity, inclusiveness, and non-hierarchical decision making
Supervise a team of Community Liaisons and Family Advocates to 1) build partnerships with community organizations and public institutions to raise awareness of the FEC, bring expertise to complement FEC offerings, and help members connect to local resources, and 2) conduct outreach to community members, engage them in co-designing offerings, promote and participate in offerings, and engage participants in QA/QI of offerings
Create a culture of equity by ensuring that FEC team members interface with community members as partners, not clients, and a culture of respect built on the belief that families and communities possess the inherent strengths and knowledge needed to succeed given the right access to opportunities and support
Maintain consistent communication with the New York City Administration for Children Services (ACS) Division of Child and Family Well-Being team to discuss progress and ensure that all contractual responsibilities are being adhered to
Ensure that the FEC is known as an entity separate from the contractor, not marketed as a “program” of the contractor, and that the contractor allows the community to create its own FEC identity
Leverage additional resources through in-kind donations, pro-bono services, and additional funding opportunities
Participate and engage FEC team in learning collaboratives facilitated by ACS with other FEC teams from across the city
Support ongoing quality assurance and quality improvement to assess FEC impact and ensure fidelity to frameworks of equity, co-design, Appreciative Inquiry (AI), and protective factors by working with FEC members, ACS representatives, contracted agency staff, and/or consultants
Complete other duties as assigned and required