Position Overview

The Town Hall, a legendary historic theater in Times Square and a cornerstone of New

York City’s cultural landscape since 1921, seeks a Director of Education and Engagement to join the organization during an exciting new phase.

The Town Hall seeks an experienced and outward-facing Director of Education to lead and expand its education and community engagement initiatives. Reporting to the Executive Director, this role is responsible for the strategic vision, growth, and execution of all education programs, including partnerships with New York City public schools and community organizations.

The Director of Education serves as the primary ambassador of The Town Hall’s education work, maintaining strong relationships with NYC Department of Education (DOE) leadership, school principals, teaching artists, and public and private funding partners. This position plays a key role in aligning educational programming with The Town Hall’s broader mission, including its Civic Discourse initiatives, while ensuring all programs meet high standards of quality, impact, and relevance.

Key Responsibilities:

Program Leadership & Strategy

• Oversee all Education Department initiatives, including CASA and SU-CASA programs and related outreach activities.

• Develop and implement strategies to expand The Town Hall’s education programs across New York City and the surrounding region.
• Design and launch new educational programs that align with organizational priorities and community needs.
• Ensure all education programming aligns with current NYC DOE curriculum standards through ongoing research and evaluation.

Partnerships & External Relations

• Serve as the primary external representative of The Town Hall’s education programs within the NYC community.
• Build and sustain relationships with school principals, DOE officials, local government agencies, and community partners.
• Identify, solicit, and cultivate new program partners to broaden the organization’s reach and impact.
• Represent The Town Hall in public forums, meetings, and site visits related to education initiatives.

Program Oversight & Evaluation

• Supervise and support all education department personnel.
• Oversee hiring, training, and evaluation of teaching artists working within NYC DOE schools.
• Conduct regular site visits and direct observation of teaching artists to ensure program quality and consistency.
• Establish and manage systems for program assessment, impact measurement, and continuous improvement.

Civic Discourse Integration

• Lead the development and ongoing expansion of The Town Hall’s Civic Discourse programming.
• Ensure strong alignment between Civic Discourse events and the organization’s educational offerings.
• Collaborate with internal teams to integrate education components into public programming where appropriate.

Fundraising & Resource Development

• Research, identify, and pursue new funding opportunities from foundations, corporations, and government sources.
• Prepare grant proposals, applications, and reports.
• Support the creation of sustainable funding strategies for existing and new education programs.

Administration & Reporting

• Oversee all reporting requirements related to education programming, including DOE and grant-funded initiatives.
• Manage departmental budgets in coordination with senior leadership.
• Ensure compliance with all programmatic and contractual obligations.

Hours: Full-Time, Exempt | Monday–Friday, 9:30 AM–5:30 PM

Hybrid; 3 days/week in office, 1 day/week in the schools, 1 day/week WFH

Qualifications:

• Minimum 7–10 years of experience in arts education, community engagement, or related field, with demonstrated leadership experience.

• Strong knowledge of NYC DOE systems, curriculum standards, and school partnership models.
• Experience managing teaching artists and education staff in a distributed or school-based environment.
• Proven success in program development, partnership cultivation, and external relationship management.
• Experience with grant writing, funding development, and program reporting.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and leadership skills.
• Ability to represent the organization with professionalism and authority in a wide range of public settings.
• Passion for the performing arts, arts education, and civic engagement.