Organizational Background

Rocking the Boat began as a boatbuilding afterschool project for the high-need community of the South Bronx, and incorporated as a 501(c)3 non-profit in 2001. Today, the organization, with an annual budget of just over $3,000,000, is a hub of youth development programming that serves nearly 2,500 community members annually. The mediums of boatbuilding, environmental science, and sailing are paired with social-emotional, academic, and career counselling by a team of licensed social workers to have profound and lasting impact on participants.

Position Summary

The Senior Director of Programs is a key member of the organization’s four-person management team. The position manages the organization’s innovative experiential youth development and public programs as well as the infrastructure that supports them. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Senior Director is responsible for supervising up to seven Program Directors and a dedicated Assistant Director, managing programmatic equipment and facilities, and representing Rocking the Boat in the local community. This position requires regular evening and intermittent weekend work.

Responsibilities

Program Development and Execution: Manage the development and implementation of a comprehensive and integrated suite of boatbuilding, sailing, and environmental education programs

• Works collaboratively with the Executive Director to design and develop programs that fulfill Rocking the Boat’s mission and partners with Program Directors to implement them

• Supports Program Directors in accomplishing annual program goals and outcomes

• Serves as a bridge between Development and Program staff, helping to provide content for proposals, reports, and marketing materials

• Works with Program Directors to draft program budgets and manages spending on restricted grants

• Sets daily, weekly, and seasonal programmatic priorities and related activities

Staff Supervision and Development: Ensure that a highly qualified staff successfully fulfills the organization’s mission

• Supervises up to seven Program Directors, and the Assistant Director, offering regular guidance and evaluation at both a team and individual level

• Works with other members of the management team to a build a collaborative environment across the staff

• Develops and facilitates in-house trainings for staff in areas such as youth development, youth staff management, and safety

• Hires, orients, and trains new program staff

Equipment and Safety Management: Certify that the necessary tools are in place to facilitate safe and successful programming

• Ensures that Program Directors effectively maintain all program-related equipment including all rowing, sailing, and power boats, environmental science equipment, camping gear, and woodworking tools

• Updates and enforces Rocking the Boat Safety Protocols

• Supports Program Directors in securing any necessary city or state permits

Community Relations: Represent Rocking the Boat consistently and actively among relevant communities and affinity groups

• Represents Rocking the Boat at community meetings, events, and conferences

• Develops strategic partnerships with local schools and organizations

• Manages individual and group volunteer interest and placement in programs

This job description does not represent a complete, comprehensive list of all duties and responsibilities of this position; other duties and unplanned activities may be required.

Qualifications

Strong candidates will have at least five years’ experience in non-profit management and program development and demonstrated experience in all of the following:

• Managing programs with strong but flexible and creative leadership

• Empowering direct reports to fulfill programmatic objectives while holding them accountable

• Administering programs in non-traditional or experiential education environments

Rocking the Boat began as a boatbuilding afterschool project for the high-need community of the South Bronx and incorporated as a 501(c)3 non-profit in 2001. Today, the organization, with an annual budget of $3,000,000, is a hub of youth development programming that serves nearly 4,000 community members annually. The mediums of boatbuilding, environmental science, and sailing are paired with social-emotional, academic, and career counselling by a team of licensed social workers to have profound and lasting impact on participants.

Position Summary
Rocking the Boat is seeking to hire an Alumni Social Worker to support the academic, social/emotional, and professional needs of the Rocking the Boat’s alumni community. This involves broad outreach and data collection to the hundreds strong Rocking the Boat alumni population, individual support for 50 to 75 alumni who are within six years out of high school, and the management of an Alumni Mentoring Program that supports graduates in their first two years out of high school. The Alumni Social Worker works among a team of four licensed social workers, supports various organizational events and programs with the Social Work team and reports to the Director of Social Work. This position requires some evening and weekend work.

Responsibilities
Counseling: Provide individual social/emotional, academic, and professional support to all alumni within six years of high school graduation

• Provide short-term clinical services such as individual counseling and assisting in the development of short- and long-term personal goals
• Manage personal crises and make referrals to other supports when necessary
• Offer academic and professional support addressing college and technical school success and job readiness

Mentor Program: Administer a post-secondary support oriented mentoring program for graduates within their first two years post-high school

• In collaboration with the Job Skills Social Worker, annually recruit and introduce the new cohorts of between 5 and 15 mentors and mentees
• Organize and facilitate kick off, mid-year, and end-of-year mentor events for all mentor/mentee cohorts
• Conduct monthly check-ins with mentors, bimonthly check-ins with mentees and provide additional support as needed
• Meet with every second year mentor/mentee pair for check-ins

Events: Organize and host events for the alumni community and for joint events with current Youth Development Program participants

• In collaboration with the Job Skills Social Worker, coordinate an extended trip for juniors over February break to visit New York State schools and visit Rocking the Boat alumni
• Coordinate a summer Alumni Reunion
• Collaborate with the Job Skills Social Worker to coordinate an annual scholarship dinner
• Develop Professional Development workshops
• Collaborate with the Job Skills Social Worker on a Friendsgiving Talk-Back event for recent alumni and high school seniors
• Build and sustain connections with a network of colleges and post-secondary training organizations
• Recruit and organize alumni volunteers to assist with events planning

Alumni Community Outreach: Communicate with alumni en masse and individually

• Conduct surveys and host groups to assess alumni needs
• Manage the Rocking the Boat Alumni Facebook group
• Regularly notify alumni about resources and opportunities
• Assist individual alumni with FAFSA and TAP renewals
• Manage applications to the New York Community Trust and Hadley Greene Memorial scholarships; oversee Beyond the Boroughs, Rocking the Boat’s consultant managing scholarship distributions
• Coordinate the alumni elements of two annual fundraising events: the Pete and Toshi Seeger Alumni Award (spring) and Rocking Manhattan coxswains (fall)

Evaluation and Assessment: Help to document and contextualize the services Rocking the Boat provides

• Manage alumni records in Salesforce database
• Record all interactions in Salesforce database
• Provide Development staff with data and stories for reports and proposals
• Analyze data to assess programmatic impact and identify areas of need

Qualifications
Required

• Registration as a Licensed Master or Clinical Social Worker (LMSW/LCSW)
• Minimum three years post-graduate work experience
• A strong commitment to youth development, social justice, and anti-racist practice
• Highly developed organizational skills and an ability to work independently
• Willingness to work in a non-traditional clinical setting
• SIFI certified or desire to become SIFI certified
• Excellent communications and database skills
• All Rocking the Boat employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or be willing to receive full set of vaccinations prior to employment.

Preferred

• Spanish language skills
• Experience counseling youth on the college application and financial aid processes; knowledge of local New York City, regional, and national higher education systems
• Valid NYS driver’s license with a clean driving record

Workspace

• Holds their own desk within a private office in an accessible building. While the main building is fully accessible, some entrances and spaces within the facility necessitate using stairs or ladders
• Opportunity to work remotely on a limited basis

Rocking the Boat offers

• Full-time salaried position: $55,000-$60,000 commensurate with experience
• 38 days paid time off including official holidays (43 after 3 years) Benefits package including Health, Dental, Vision and 401k with 6% matching
• Weekly supervision with opportunity to accrue hours toward LCSW licensure
• Opportunity to work with a creative, well-funded organization committed to youth development

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility at Rocking the Boat
Rocking the Boat is committed to creating an environment that promotes the diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility of all applicants and employees. The organization strives not only to accept but to affirm and celebrate all identities. Race, religion, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, and veteran status are not barriers to employment at Rocking the Boat. Candidates should please feel welcome to communicate any special needs or requirements to be accommodated throughout the hiring process.

To apply:
To apply please send a detailed cover letter highlighting your relevant experience and qualifications along with a current resume to Xiomara Ayala, Senior Director of Social Work at xiomara@rockingtheboat.org with Alumni Social Worker as the subject.