Organization Description

Youth Justice Network (formerly known as Friends of Island Academy) was founded in 1990 on the school floors of Rikers Island to anchor, support and develop capacity among young people newly released from jail in New York City. Our mission is to break cycles of incarceration and build an equitable justice system by providing young people with individualized advocacy, mentorship, and opportunities to grow, thrive, and lead. Youth Justice Network builds on connections developed with young people whose lives have intersected with the justice system, and leverages those relationships to provide post-release, neighborhood-based supportive services. Young people become members of Youth Justice Network for the long-term and develop personal milestones and goals in health and well-being, education, employment, youth leadership and community participation.

New Initiative

Youth Justice Network is honored and excited to have been selected by the NYC Administration for Children’s Services/Division of Youth and Family Services to offer Workforce Development Services for young people held in secure detention at Crossroads, and limited secure and Close to Home placement settings in Brooklyn and Queens. The award represents an investment in the promise of so many of the City’s most resilient young people and reflects YJN’s experience in supporting justice-involved young people in and out of custody.

This initiative will launch September 1, 2026. Youth Justice Network is building a team to provide young people in ACS custody with high quality career exploration, work readiness, vocational training, tutoring, and related supports. The vision and goal of this initiative is to leverage young peoples’ time in detention and placement by offering relevant, necessary skills and tools to build self-efficacy and agency. In collaboration with ACS, DOE, and key community partnerships, this initiative will provide justice-impacted young people with individualized advocacy, mentorship, coaching, and opportunities to grow, thrive, and lead.

Position Description

The Senior Director of Youth Learning and Career Pathways will be responsible for the successful launch, implementation, and oversight of Youth Justice Network’s (YJN) ACS-funded workforce development and tutoring initiative. Dedicated in full to this juvenile justice-based program initiative, this senior leadership role ensures that education and workforce readiness services are delivered consistently, with fidelity and passion across secure detention, non-secure detention, and limited secure placement facilities, as well as to ensure coordination and continuity of care when young people are discharged from ACS custody and care. The Senior Director will play a pivotal role in building an inclusive, trauma-informed, and equity-driven program that provides young people with pathways to education, employment, and long-term success.

Key Responsibilities

Program Startup, Leadership and Implementation

• Lead the start-up of the Career and Education Pathways initiative upon award, ensuring services launch on time and meet ACS contract requirements.

• In collaboration with agency executive team, recruit and hire qualified staff and set the tone to provide vision, inspiration, and supervisory support and oversight by creating a strong foundation and culture of program standards, professionalism, and delivery of outcomes, while centering youth in program approach.

• Ensure all necessary screenings, clearances, and background checks required by ACS policies and the law and required health examinations required by ACS policies and the law are built into the recruitment and selection process.

• Oversee service delivery across Crossroads, NSD, and LSP facilities, coordinating closely with DOE/Passages Academy and ACS facility leadership.

• Ensure all program components—beginning with work readiness planning catalyzed by young peoples’ admission to custody and care - including tutoring, workforce readiness programs and credentialing, coaching, and transition planning—are integrated and aligned with CareerReady NYC recommendations and best practices.

• Establish systems for service-hour compliance, youth roster assignment, workshop facilitation, tutoring and 1x1 sessions, and youth Portfolio tracking to guarantee continuity of care for all youth.

Staff Supervision and Development

• Directly supervise Head Coach, Academic Advancement Coordinator, the Outreach and Engagement Coordinator, the Director of Tutoring and Education Advocacy, Career Advocate/Job Developer, Program Assistant; oversee and guide the work of the identified Curriculum and Tutor Training Consultant.

• Provide coaching, supervision, and performance reviews for program staff, modeling reflective supervision and trauma-informed leadership.

• Oversee onboarding, professional development, and quarterly training for all staff, ensuring alignment with YJN values and ACS’s LGBTQAI+ best practices.

• Foster a culture of inclusion, accountability, and continuous learning across program teams.

Quality Assurance and Data Oversight

• With program start-up and throughout operations, collaborate closely with agency’s Data Team to develop ETO architecture to support outcome tracking and achievement, and monitor program effectiveness and impact aligned with ACS Key Performance Indicators.

• Set and monitor performance goals tied to agency goals and ACS contract expectations, including tutoring for gains in literacy, targeted academic support, HSE completion, college readiness, credential attainment, job placements, and post-release engagement.

• Lead regular data reviews with staff, translating findings into program adjustments.

• Participate and support routines involving key stakeholders at ACS – administrative and facility-level staff – and structured check-ins/meetings with ACS; facilitate on-going dialogue and collaboration in the development and rollout of this initiative with designated staff at Crossroads, Passages, and stakeholders at the Non-secure detention and placement sites including community providers and DOE staff.

Partnership and External Relations

• Working in collaboration with the agency’s Executive Team, serve as the primary liaison with ACS leadership, DOE/Passages Academy, and facility administrators as well as key external community partnerships.

• Build upon and cultivate partnerships with employers, unions, higher education institutions, and community-based organizations to expand youth opportunities.

• Represent YJN at interagency meetings, coalitions, and public forums, ensuring visibility and alignment with citywide youth development strategies.

Equity and Inclusion Leadership

• Embed equity, inclusion, and cultural humility into all program practices.

• Advance YJN’s commitment to recruiting and retaining staff who reflect the communities served, including credible messengers with lived justice experience.

• Ensure youth partnership and youth voice is central to program design, implementation, and evaluation, including the integration of Youth Leaders into hiring, civic engagement, and advisory roles.

Qualifications

• Masters in Education, Social Work, Public Administration, or a related field preferred; Bachelor’s degree with equivalent experience and/or lived experience considered.

• Minimum of 5 to 8 years of progressive leadership experience in youth development, workforce development, education, or juvenile justice/justice-impacted youth.

• Demonstrated success managing large multi-site, government-funded programs and supervising cross-functional teams.

• Strong understanding of trauma-informed care, racial equity frameworks, and culturally responsive pedagogy.

• Proven capacity in program evaluation, data management, and continuous quality improvement.

• Excellent relationship-building and communication skills; ability to collaborate effectively with government agencies, schools, and community partners.

• Unconditional belief in our youth members’ capacity to grow, thrive and lead.

Youth Justice Network is privileged to have a profoundly committed and caring staff – one which believes unconditionally in our members’ ability to do right and do well. We take our work very seriously, but we strive to make time for self-care and joy. We look for staff from all walks of life who have integrity, humor, a strong work ethic, are passionate about our mission and work, and who are committed to address the harm caused by mass incarceration.

Depending on full or part-time status, benefits include a competitive vacation/sick leave policy including three days off between Christmas and New Year's Day, four-day summer weeks through July and August, generous health insurance, 403b match.

Salary Range: $85,000-90,000

Target start date: August 3, 2026

For purposes of internal equity, we are unable to go outside of the salary posted.