YRM Seeks Program Director

[Janis Astor del Valle]

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

 

January 2012

 

Youth Rights Media, a New Haven, Connecticut-based nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering youth, seeks a full time Program Director responsible for overall management and administration of programs.

 

The Organization:

 

Youth Rights Media (YRM) is a New Haven-based nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth to know, protect and advance their rights.  YRM builds youth power and leadership by engaging young people in video media production and community organizing, equipping them with tools, skills and strategies for affecting change in themselves and their communities.

 

For eight years, YRM’s youth media has produced award-winning films that have been distributed nationally. Members of YRM’s organizing initiatives have then used these films locally to launch awareness and action campaigns that have resulted in tangible changes in Connecticut’s justice and education systems. A small, lean organization where all staff play a direct, hands-on role, YRM currently has three full-time staff members who work with a core group of approximately 50 youth annually. The work of YRM’s youth, in turn, has reached thousands of community members across the state of Connecticut.

 

The Position:

 

The Program Director must be a creative, organized and engaging leader, an experienced manager, and deeply committed to young people’s growth and development. The Program Director must excel at balancing multiple tasks, including internal management of the programs and staff, external relationships with key stakeholders, collaborators, and allies, and the demands of working in a fluid, fast-paced youth-centered environment. The Program Director will be responsible for ensuring that the programs are strong, educationally sound, managed according to budget, and aligned with YRM’s purpose and goals.

 

The Program Director position is a full-time, salaried position with benefits.

 

Qualifications:

 

Bachelor of Arts degree in Film, Media, Media Arts, Media Studies, Journalism, Communications or related field.  At least three-to-five years proven experience developing curriculum, designing and implementing media programs for high school youth and with a diverse population. Ability to manage and administer a variety of offerings, as well as manage budgets and staff.  Demonstrated oral and written communication skills. Must have experience with video media production.

 

The ideal candidate will posses youth development, criminal justice and education policy expertise, as well as experience in education and a demonstrated commitment to social justice efforts. In addition, the ideal candidate will be:

 

•     Familiar with youth media production, specifically as it relates to issues impacting young people in urban settings;

•     Experienced in managing, developing, and leading youth programs that integrate youth development theory, and principles of youth organizing; and,

•     Knowledgeable of the New Haven community, including specific policies and trends impacting youth in the educational and juvenile justice systems.

 

Responsibilities:

 

•     Program Management and Development: Working closely with the Executive Director to strengthen YRM’s programming by developing and implementing programming that advances vision and mission;

•     Program Leadership and Implementation: Recruiting and retaining youth participants for YRM programs; training YRM peer educators; recruiting and supervising the organization’s program staff; maintaining a positive and strong organizational culture that prioritizes young people and helps attract and retain creative, competent, and committed program staff; and, working with Media Instructors to implement media production programming; 

•     Curriculum Development & Implementation: Developing media literacy training and workshops for peer educators & youth and political education curriculum as well as training materials for media makers, peer educators and youth. This includes developing educational materials and workshop presentations to accompany YRM video productions.

•     Program Assessment and Reporting: Developing an evaluation system to gauge process and impact outcomes for YRM’s youth participants and the audiences reached by their work, and regularly reporting program activities and outcomes to the Executive Director.

•     Community Outreach and Networking: Building and maintaining partnerships and alliances with local schools, institutions, and community organizations.

•     Assisting with fundraising, including cultivating individual donors, obtaining support from foundations, and grant writing.

 

 

To Apply:

 

Submit a cover letter, writing sample, work samples and resume, including employment history, professional qualifications, professional memberships, salary requirements, and references to Janis Astor del Valle at [e-mail] with Program Director of Youth Rights Media in the subject heading or by mail to:

 

Youth Rights Media

P.O. Box 206950

New Haven, CT  06520

 

Applications must be submitted by February 20, 2012.

 

Youth Rights Media makes all employment decisions, including those related to hiring, firing, training, promotion, pay and benefits, without regard to gender, race, color, age, political opinion/affiliation, marital status, pregnancy, national origin/ancestry, religion/faith, citizenship, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical/mental disability, military/veteran status or any other basis prohibited by law.