Compass Jobs in New York (NOW HIRING)

Position Title

Activity Specialist – School Year 2026 - 2027 – Seasonal (Afterschool Program)

Specialty Areas: Sports (Basketball Coach) and Physical Activity, Performing Arts, and/or Fashion Design

Department

COMPASS Program – Elementary

Site/Location

Mitchel Community Center

210 Alexander Ave

Bronx, NY 10454

Job Classification (HR Use Only)

Non-Exempt

Part-Time 

Salary

$22.00 Per Hour

Reports To

Program Director

MISSION STATEMENT

East Side House cares for the individuals, families, and communities we serve by expanding opportunities to live more fulfilling lives through education, career, and supportive services.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Summary/Objective

East Side House (ESH) is a community resource serving the Bronx and Northern Manhattan. We believe education is the key that enables individuals to create economic and civic opportunities for themselves, their families, and their communities. ESH’s COMPASS Elementary School-Year Program aligns with this mission by providing high-quality educational, recreational, and youth-development programming through community-center and school-based partnerships.

Funded by the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD), the COMPASS Elementary Program provides a safe, structured, and engaging after-school environment that supports the academic, social, emotional, creative, and physical development of students in grades K–5.

We are seeking dynamic, creative, and dependable Activity Specialists with demonstrated experience in at least one of the following specialty areas:

• Sports and Physical Activity: Basketball, soccer, flag football, volleyball, fitness, movement, recreational games, or related sports.
• Performing Arts: Theater, acting, musical theater, vocal performance, singing, dance, choreography, or live performance production.
• Fashion Design: Fashion illustration, clothing and accessory design, sewing basics, fabric selection, styling, or fashion-show production.

Activity Specialists will develop and facilitate structured, age-appropriate enrichment activities within their assigned specialty area. They will teach foundational and progressive skills while preparing students to participate in culminating projects such as games, tournaments, performances, theatrical productions, concerts, dance showcases, exhibitions, or fashion shows.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

1. Ensure participant safety, active supervision, and engagement during all program activities.
2. Develop and implement structured, age-appropriate lesson plans and progressive, skill-based curriculum within the assigned specialty area.
3. Establish clear learning objectives and adapt instruction to meet different ages, abilities, learning styles, and support needs.
4. Prepare students for culminating projects, performances, exhibitions, showcases, games, or tournaments.
5. Maintain effective group management and create a safe, inclusive, welcoming, and structured learning environment.
6. Collaborate with Youth Educators and program leadership to support student engagement, behavior management, and participation.
7. Support program operations, including arrival, meals, transitions, dismissal, field trips, family events, and special activities.
8. Maintain organized activity spaces, equipment, costumes, supplies, and materials, and immediately report incidents, injuries, safety concerns, or damaged equipment.
9. Build positive and professional relationships with students and staff while demonstrating punctuality, reliability, teamwork, flexibility, and appropriate role-model behavior.
10. Participate in required meetings, trainings, and professional-development activities and follow all East Side House, DYCD, DOE, and program policies and safety requirements.

Qualifications

1. Demonstrated experience, training, education, or skill in at least one of the following areas: sports and physical activity, performing arts, or fashion design.
2. At least one year of experience working with elementary-aged youth in a school, after-school, summer camp, recreational, or community-based setting is preferred.
3. Ability to develop and lead engaging, age-appropriate activities and lesson plans.
4. Strong youth-engagement, communication, and group-management skills.
5. Ability to work collaboratively with program staff and respond appropriately to student needs and behavioral concerns.
6. Must be reliable, organized, professional, and able to maintain a safe and inclusive environment.
7. Ability to prepare students for a culminating project, performance, showcase, exhibition, game, or tournament.
8. CPR and First Aid certification are required. Candidates who are not certified at the time of hire must complete agency-provided CPR and First Aid training during the required onboarding period.
9. Must complete all required background clearances and agency trainings.

Physical Demands

The physical demands of this position may include:

• Standing, walking, bending, and moving throughout the program space for extended periods.
• Actively participating in or demonstrating specialty-area activities.
• Setting up, moving, and storing equipment, supplies, costumes, and program materials.
• Lifting and carrying supplies or equipment weighing approximately 10–25 pounds.
• Supervising activities in classrooms, gymnasiums, performance spaces, and outdoor areas.
• Working in indoor and outdoor environments and accompanying students on field trips or community outings.

Reasonable accommodations may be provided to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Expected Work Schedule

This is a seasonal, part-time position operating during the 2026–2027 school year. The regular work schedule is Monday through Friday during after-school hours, with occasional evening or weekend hours for trainings, family events, performances, showcases, tournaments, or other program activities. Weekly hours and the specific schedule will be determined according to the assigned specialty and program needs. The schedule may be adjusted based on East Side House’s operational needs, with notice provided whenever possible.