Senior Director of Youth Development Programs

Location: New York

Senior Director of Youth Development Programs

Location:

Brooklyn, New York

Reports to:

Executive Director Status:
Full-Time, Exempt Leadership Level: Executive Leadership Team About El Puente El Puente is a human rights institution founded in 1982 with a mission to inspire and nurture leadership for peace and justice. Based in New York City and Puerto Rico, El Puente creates community-led movements for self-determination through a holistic leadership and membership model, high-impact youth and community development programs, arts and cultural organizing, education, and civic engagement.

El Puente is a youth-centered organization rooted in the belief that young people are leaders, artists, organizers, and agents of change. Its work integrates leadership development, education, the arts, wellness, civic engagement, and community building to support young people and families in creating more just and equitable communities.

Position Overview El Puente seeks an experienced, visionary, and collaborative Senior Director of Youth Development Programs to provide strategic and operational leadership for a diverse portfolio of youth development programs across its Brooklyn-based Leadership Centers.

The Director will oversee the organization’s Youth Leadership Programs, including a Beacon program, Cornerstone programs, community school programming, and related special community events and initiatives. This position will ensure that programs are high-quality, mission-aligned, youth-centered, culturally responsive, financially sustainable, and responsive to the evolving needs and aspirations of the communities El Puente serves.

As a member of El Puente’s Executive Team, the Director will contribute to organization-wide strategy, planning, fundraising, partnerships, organizational development, and decision-making. The Director will work closely with the Executive Director and other senior leaders to strengthen the integration of youth development with El Puente’s broader work in arts, education, environmental justice, wellness, civic engagement, and community organizing.

This is a highly collaborative leadership position requiring both strategic vision and strong operational execution. The Director will lead and develop a multidisciplinary team, manage significant program budgets and resources, cultivate external partnerships and funding opportunities, and help ensure that El Puente’s youth programs remain innovative, impactful, and sustainable.

Core Responsibilities
1. Leadership of Youth Development Programs Provide overall vision, leadership, and direction for El Puente’s portfolio of youth development and Leadership Center programs.

Develop and implement a comprehensive youth development strategy grounded in El Puente’s mission, values, leadership model, and commitment to peace, justice, self-determination, and community transformation.

Ensure strong alignment and integration across Beacon, Cornerstone, community school, arts, and other youth-serving programs.

Establish clear goals, performance expectations, program standards, and measures of success across the portfolio.

Strengthen pathways for young people to move from participation and membership into leadership, civic engagement, organizing, education, and employment opportunities.

Ensure that young people and families have meaningful opportunities to shape program priorities, activities, and community initiatives.

Identify emerging opportunities to expand or strengthen youth programming in response to community needs and organizational priorities.
2. Leadership Center Support Ensure that programs meet contractual, regulatory, educational, safety, and quality requirements while maintaining El Puente’s distinctive leadership-development approach.

Support…