We are looking for a creative, kind and energetic Program Manager to help provide a high-quality arts enrichment program for our K-5 students. The position includes ensuring the active engagement and safety of the children, while creating a dynamic environment where learning, play and discovery meet!
Who We Are
Serious Fun After School is a non-profit organization that provides affordable arts enrichment and after school programming to NYC public schools in Queens, NY.
We Create Fun – We Are Kind – We Foster Excellence – We Believe In Balance
Salary and Benefits
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $65,000 - $72,000 annually, commensurate with education and experience
Typical workdays and times are Monday through Friday between 9:00am-6:00pm. Summer hours may vary.
In addition to our salary range, we are excited to offer these valuable benefits*:
- Medical and dental insurance with Serious Fun covering the employee monthly premium, available after 60 days
- 401K Retirement
- After School Childcare: Free enrollment for dependent children grades K-5 attending Serious Fun site schools.
- Dependent Care FSA – DCFSA
- AFLAC Supplemental Insurance
- Pre-tax Commuter Benefits
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Team Member Referral Program
- Plum Benefits
- Generous time off, icluding Paid Safe and Sick leave and paid holidays on the NYC DOE calendar.
*Some restrictions apply. Additional details will be available upon hiring.
Hiring Requirement: Complete background checks, fingerprints, medical, etc., as required by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (NYS OCFS).
COVID-19 considerations:
Serious Fun follows all CDC, New York State, and New York City health guidelines. All after school on-site team members must be vaccinated for COVID-19, per NYS, NYC and DOE mandates.
Serious Fun is an equal opportunity employer, whose team represents a wide range of racial, socioeconomic, gender, religious, and national identities–cultivating an environment and culture where diverse perspectives are valued and integrated into our way of working.
Who You Are
- You believe in our Vision, Mission, and Values, and feel “called” to work with children.
- Experience supervising leaders and managing multiple program sites is strongly preferred.
- Working knowledge of DYCD, OCFS, DOE, and after-school program requirements, and a commitment to staying current on child care regulations and health policies.
- A collaborative, growth-minded leader who listens, is open to new ideas, and solves problems creatively.
- Empathetic and service-oriented, with the ability to hear out families' concerns and find the “win-win” in every challenge.
- Strong coaching, leadership, conflict-resolution, and crisis-management skills.
- Strong organizational and project-management skills, with the ability to multitask and manage competing priorities.
- Comfortable using data to drive decision-making and accountability.
- Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
- Proficient to expert in Office 365 and registration/scheduling systems.
- Able to work independently, prioritize competing demands, and solve problems proactively.
You have either:
- A Bachelor's degree in Education, Youth Development, Human Services, Nonprofit Management, or a related field (preferred), with 2 years of childcare experience and 3 years of supervisory experience in youth development, after-school, camp, education, or nonprofit programming, OR
- A School Age Child Care Credential or other Office recognized credential specific to the school-age developmental period with 2 years childcare and 3 years supervisory experience
You Are:
- Fun, creative, kind and energetic!
- Someone that feels “called” to work with children and wants to make a difference.
- Someone who uses your whole self to engage with children and your team.
- A team player that is open to learning new things and solving problems in new ways.
- Someone who is open to opportunities and growth.
What You’ll Do
- As the Program Manager, you will oversee the daily operations, quality, compliance, and performance of Serious Fun's school-based and summer programs in Queens. Reporting to the Senior Director, this role directly supervises three part-time Site Supervisors and one part-time Enrichment Coordinator, and is accountable for ensuring site leadership effectively manages enrollment, attendance, staffing, family engagement, program quality, compliance, and school partnerships. This position spends significant time in the field, coaching staff, observing programs, and driving continuous improvement across all sites.
You will:
Staff Leadership & Supervision
- Directly supervise and support three Site Supervisors and one Enrichment Coordinator.
- Conduct regular one-on-one meetings, observations, coaching conversations, and performance evaluations.
- Hold Site Supervisors accountable for staff management, attendance tracking, program quality, and compliance; hold the Activities Coordinator accountable for enrichment quality, skill growth, and showcase preparation.
- Support recruitment, interviewing, onboarding, and retention efforts.
- Partner with Human Resources and senior leadership on employee relations, corrective action, and performance management.
- Foster a positive, inclusive, and accountability-driven team culture.
Program Operations
- Oversee the successful operation of three after-school programs and summer camp programming.
- Ensure programs are adequately staffed and maintain required child-to-staff ratios.
- Monitor enrollment, registration, attendance, and retention trends.
- Support site leadership in developing schedules, staffing plans, and contingency plans.
- Review and approve timesheets, payroll submissions, and staffing requests as assigned.
- Assist with supply management, program resources, and operational logistics.
Program Quality & Compliance
- Conduct regular site visits and quality assessments.
- Ensure compliance with DYCD, OCFS, DOE, DOH, and Serious Fun requirements.
- Monitor documentation, attendance records, incident reporting, lesson plans, and licensing requirements.
- Support preparation for audits, monitoring visits, and regulatory reviews.
- Ensure all required staff training and professional development are completed.
Family & School Partnerships
- Build and maintain positive relationships with principals, school staff, families, and community partners.
- Support Site Supervisors in addressing family concerns and school-based challenges.
- Represent Serious Fun professionally at meetings, site visits, and community events.
- Collaborate with school partners to strengthen program participation and the overall student experience.
Strategic & Administrative Responsibilities
- Analyze enrollment, attendance, staffing, enrichment, and program quality data to identify trends and improvement opportunities.
- Support annual planning, program launches, staff training, and summer camp preparation.
- Contribute to the development of systems, procedures, and operational improvements.
- Assist with special projects and organizational initiatives as assigned.
- Complete 15 hours mandatory training per year and must participate in job training and staff meetings to improve skills as identified.
- Complete background checks, fingerprints, medical, etc. as required by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (NYS OCFS).
Physical & Schedule Requirements
- Ability to travel regularly between program sites throughout Queens.
- Availability during after-school program hours and occasional evenings, weekends, or special events.
- Ability to participate in field-based program observations and site visits.
- Create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for employees, participants, and families.
If you share our values and want to bring your unique talents to our growing team and help Serious Fun After School continue to be a welcoming and dynamic workplace, apply today!
Pay: $65,000.00 - $72,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Employee assistance program
- Employee discount
- Flexible spending account
- Health savings account
- Parental leave
- Professional development assistance
- Referral program
- Retirement plan
- Tuition reimbursement
Ability to Commute:
- Astoria, NY 11105 (Required)
Ability to Relocate:
- Astoria, NY 11105: Relocate before starting work (Required)
Work Location: In person
