Movement City Director

Lawrence CommunityWorks (LCW) is a community development corporation that weaves together community planning, organizing, and asset-building efforts with high-quality affordable housing and commercial development to create vibrant neighborhoods and empowered residents. By facilitating conversations and action on community priorities, LCW engages partners and a network of youth and adult residents in opportunities to move themselves and the city of Lawrence forward.  LCW’s Movement City Youth Network (MC) supports youth between the ages of 10 and 18 in exploring their own potential and influencing the future of Lawrence, through a dynamic array of creative arts, academic support, and leadership development programs during after-school hours.

Position description: The primary responsibility of the Director of Movement City Youth Network is to shape, coordinate and oversee all the activities, staff, instructors, and volunteers of MC to ensure alignment with the mission and values of LCW and its MC Youth Network

Specific duties and responsibilities include:

• Work proactively and collaboratively with senior leadership, staff, and MC members to design comprehensive youth development programs for youth ages 10 to 18 that respond to community needs and build on the strengths of Lawrence young people
• Plan, implement and supervise a variety of programs and activities that support LCW Movement City core components: leadership development and community engagement, entrepreneurship and maker space, creative arts and, academic achievement and STEAM
• Lead the launch and implementation of Movement City’s Computer Clubhouse ensuring seamless integration with other core MC programs  
• Create an environment that promotes teamwork and synergy among staff, where mutual support, coaching, mentoring, honesty, and skills sharing are valued and welcomed
• Cultivate skills of Movement City staff to position for future growth and advancement
• Create an environment that fosters strong networks of supportive relationships among young people, and between young people and adult staff/volunteers
• Foster a program atmosphere that promotes creativity and innovation, leadership and empowerment, and self-efficacy among youth participants
• Ensure the health and safety of all participating youth in the program
• Actively participate in community outreach programs to increase community awareness among youth participants
• Work collaboratively with MC staff, instructors, and other senior managers to create and execute MC’s annual work plan.
• Lead regular check-in meetings with MC’s staff, instructors, and volunteers to monitor the department’s progress towards achieving annual goals, and to collectively identify challenges, opportunities, and potential actions steps 
• Submit timely required reports containing good qualitative and quantitative information on the various activities of MC.
• Develop (in collaboration with senior managers) and monitor the budget for the MC department
• Assist with resource development to identify and pursue funding sources that support MC programs and activities
• Seek, develop, and maintain strategic partnerships with other youth development organizations and other community organizations to advance LCW’s and MC’s missions
• Develop and implement opportunities to integrate the work of MC with other LCW Departments
• The MC Director may be expected to take on other responsibilities as deemed necessary.

Qualifications:

• Post secondary education AND/ at least three to five years of experience in youth development or a related field
• Leadership and management experience in youth development
• Knowledge and experience with STEAM strategies and initiatives
• Highly positive and enthusiastic leadership style capable of motivating others
• Strong planning and supervisory skills
• Able to work collaboratively with people of diverse backgrounds
• Strong speaking and writing skills
• Ability to work nights and weekends when needed
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office
• Fluent in Spanish and English
• Commitment to Lawrence CommunityWorks and Network Organizing values