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Content Specialist  

The Police Athletic League (PAL) of New York City is an independent youth development nonprofit organization and has been a vibrant and vital institution, serving as an effective, critical bridge between police and communities across all five boroughs of the City since 1914. PAL operates diverse programs for children as young as 2 years old to young adults. Programs include Head Start, after-school programs and summer day camps for elementary, middle and high school youth, and summer Playstreets. PAL also runs evening teen centers and college readiness programs, youth employment, and juvenile justice programs. Staying true to PAL’s roots, a cornerstone of our youth development strategy includes offering competitive and recreational sports for children of all ages.  At PAL, we’re devoted to empowering communities and building the best places to work, and that goes for our own teams too. 

In its 110th year, PAL continues to reimagine the agency’s leadership structure to ensure the next 110 years are nimble, strategic, responsive, and efficient.  We are looking for Content Specialists to elevate our out-of-school programming.  Locations may serve Elementary to High School youth through SEL, STEM, Literacy, Sports, Arts, Mental Health, and College and Career Access Programming.   

This position will be a key member of the leadership team and directly report to the Program Director.  

Content Specialists are key to establishing and maintaining program quality by supporting frontline staff in the effective implementation of program activities.  Familiarity with SACC regulations and DYCD funding requirements is a plus. We are looking for individuals who can listen, solve problems, and expand opportunities for NYC’s youth.   As such: 

• Candidates must be dedicated to learning and implementing Best Practices in the field of youth development.  

• Candidates must support the ideas and opportunities of the youth, staff, and community.  

• Candidates must possess excellent communication and listening skills. 

• Candidates must work together as a team to support PAL’s programming throughout the entire City.   

Major Duties & Responsibilities  

1. Foster social and emotional competencies and mental and physical well-being in a safe, welcoming, inclusive, and nurturing environment. 

1. Learn PAL supplied curricula and turnkey training experiences to Part Time staff ensuring lesson plans meet funder requirements.  

1. Provide professional development to frontline staff in classroom management, behavior management, activity implementation, and facilitation during orientations, weekly staff meetings, and midseason trainings.    

1. Observe and evaluate program implementation and provide staff with feedback and coaching. 

1. Ensure strong reciprocal partnerships with site’s NYCPS partners ensuring seamless partnerships between the day school and PAL especially with regards to students with IEPs and mental health referrals.  

1. Aware of students with IEPs and support Group Leaders and Activity Specialists in their implementation of support plans and the writing of logs.  

1. Ensure the program is aligned to strategic objectives of PAL, PAL policies and procedures, agency programming calendar, SACC regulations, and the contractual obligations of government and private funding sources.  

1. Develops a strong youth development culture within the Center ensuring voice, growth, and advancement for all youth and staff.  

1. Coordinates with the Principal, Director, Regional Director, SYEP Director, and Head Quarters staff to grow creative programming opportunities unique to the Center.  

1. Collects program data, analyzes and drives PAL forward with data driven recommendations. 

1. Provides mediation and trouble shooting.  

What You Bring: 

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college in Child Development, Education, Youth Development or a related field is required.  Master's degree preferred.  

• A minimum of 2 years of demonstrated successful experience in curriculum development and/or implementation, observation, training, and coaching, classroom teaching, and supervision.   

• Open to learning and growing.  All staff will be learning mental health, SEL, and special needs inclusion skills and expected to integrate them into programming. 

• Available for training opportunities outside of program hours.  

• Microsoft office skills are required.  

• Strong verbal and written communication skills and ability to work collaboratively. Bi-lingual in Spanish, French, or Chinese preferred.   

• Demonstrated skills in program planning, implementation, evaluation, and project-based learning.  

• Able to travel to any PAL location in the 5 Boroughs (for Professional Development days). 

• This position is for 9 hours a week (3 days a week, 3 hours each day) between the hours of 3:00-6:00. 

Compensation: The salary for this role is $52.00 an hour. 

Benefits: PAL offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes health insurance, flexible spending account options, an employee assistance program, tuition reimbursement, pet insurance, life insurance, retirement savings options, a generous paid time off policy, training and more!  

Location:  Harlem Center - New York, NY

Start Date: September 7th, 2026 

At the Police Athletic League, we seek people who are talented, creative and passionate to help create a more inclusive city and better futures for our youth. We’re devoted to empowering communities and building the best places to work, and that goes for our own teams too. 

The Police Athletic League is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected characteristic including, but not limited to, an individual’s sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy 

Employment with PAL is contingent upon successful completion of all the Agency’s lawful pre-employment checks, which may include a background check.