What We Seek

We are currently seeking two Senior Youth Development Managers to join our teamone focusing on the Greater Boston region and one dedicated to the North Shore who provide expert leadership for the Seed and Dirt Crews while taking on broader organizational responsibilities. This role is designed for an experienced practitioner who can transition from day-to-day program implementation into a Specialist Lead , overseeing high-level strategic projects.

Responsibilities

Youth Engagement & Specialist Leadership

• Summer Season (May-Aug):Continue providing primary leadership and supervision for the SeedCrew, mentoring peer leaders and staff.
• Academic Year (Sept-May):Lead weekly Saturday sessions for the Dirt Crew and dedicate one day perweek to curriculum and session preparation.
• Specialist Lead Role: Serveas the organizational subject matter expert in a specific area (e.g., DEIB facilitation, curriculum design, or sustainable agriculture) to support other managers across regions.

Organizational Projects

• Alumni Program Management:support and maintain a formal alumni engagement strategy to keep former crew members connected to The Food Projects mission.
• Strategic Plan Support:Work with Directors to implement specific goals of the organizational strategic plan, ensuring youth development perspectives are integrated into long-term growth.
• Special Projects:Lead cross-departmental initiatives, such as refining the Youth Development Model or enhancing evaluation processes with Grants Manager, deepening Learning Exchanges, etc.

Lead Progressive Leadership Pathways:Bridging the gap between being a participant and becoming a leader.

• Facilitate leadership opportunities that empower youth to serve as mentors for newer members.
• In collaboration with Associate Directors, integrate workforce readiness into the daily programcoaching youth on essential transferable skills such as professional communication, conflict resolution, and collaborative teamwork.

Independent Project-Based Learning for Youth

• Support youth in spearheading independent projects and specialized initiatives.
• Guide the transition from supervised tasks to autonomous, real-world work experiences, including managing flexible project schedules on weekdays or weekends.

Program Strategy & Community Engagement

• Curricular Innovation: Move beyond implementation to support and contribute innovative ideas around the flow of curricular structures based on multi-year data and organizational goals.
• Community of Practice Lead:Partner with Associate Directors lead to implement the “Community of Practice” the regional “Community of Practice” to align staff across departments (farm, food distribution, and development).

Management & Mentorship

• Advanced Supervision:Supervise Summer Crew Leaders and the Operations Coordinator, while also providing mentorship to newer Youth Development Managers.
• Budget & Operations:Maintain oversight of the department budget and vehicle upkeep (vans).

Organizational Health & Culture

• Relationship & Trust Building:Cultivate a strong staff culture through active participation in retreats, “Real Talk” sessions, Peacemaking Circles, and collaborative activities like community cooking and dialogue spaces.
• Intersectional Collaboration: Support cross-departmental success by contributing to recruitment, onboarding, and organizational initiatives like the “Culture of Philanthropy” and “Serve & Grow.”
• Continuous Learning:Commit to ongoing professional growth through personalized development plans and internal or external mentorship.
• Manage and maintain Narrative Guides and Role Time Allocation documentation.

Qualifications (Senior Level)

• Experience:A minimum of three years in youth development, with at least two years of demonstrated expertise in The Food Projects model or similar pedagogical frameworks.
• Leadership:Proven ability to manage complex organizational projects and contribute to high-level strategic planning.
• Skills:Expertise in DEIB facilitation, curriculum design, and the ability to motivate both youth and professional staff.
• Requirements:Valid drivers license and willingness to drive large vehicles.

Locations & Schedule

This role involves a split presence across our administrative offices and various program sites:

• North Shore Region: Based at the Lynn Office and Lynn Farms , with additional programming at the Wenham Farm .
• Greater Boston Region: Based at the Boston Office , Greenhouse , and Urban Farms , as well as the Lincoln Office and Farm
• Academic Year Schedule: Tuesday through Saturday, with Saturdays dedicated to youth programming and one weekday dedicated to preparation. Remaining days are focused on organizational projects and strategic initiatives.