Senior Manager, School Programs

Position: Senior Manager, School Programs Reports to: Director of School Programs Department: Education Compensation: 65k-70k FLSA Status: Exempt Hybrid: On-site Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday

About The Apollo

In December 2024, The Apollo Theater became the first organization honored by the Kennedy Center Awards, emphasizing The Apollo’s impact on the past, present, and future of American culture and the performing arts. From the longest-running talent show in America with Amateur Night at The Apollo, which launched the careers of icons like Ella Fitzgerald and Lauryn Hill, to performances from beloved legends like Smokey Robinson and Lil’ Kim and today’s biggest stars like Drake, The Apollo has always been a home for artists to create and a home for audiences to see incredible music and art from legendary artists.

The Apollo is an American cultural treasure. It is a vibrant non-profit organization rooted in the Harlem community that engages people from around New York, the nation, and the world. Since 1934, The Apollo has celebrated, created, and presented work that centers Black artists and voices from across the African Diaspora. It has also been a catalyst for social and civic advocacy. Today, The Apollo is the largest performing arts institution committed to Black culture and creativity.

Apollo Education believes in the power of young people to move culture forward. Our education programs empower students and educators and develop lifelong learners through innovative educational practices rooted in the performing arts. Students from elementary school to adulthood receive programming anchored in creativity, social emotional learning, civic engagement, and career readiness. Apollo Education’s pedagogical framework holds project-based learning and Black arts and culture at its core. Our learning pathway generates the next wave of curators, technicians, performers, and supporters of the arts.

Description

WHO ARE YOU?

Are you passionate about arts education and driven to make a measurable difference in the lives of young people? Are you a systems thinker who can translate vision into action, and a people leader who brings out the best in the teams around you? Do you believe in the power of culturally responsive education and the role the arts play in shaping the next generation? At Apollo Theater Foundation, the Senior Manager of School Programs embraces these qualities!

The Senior Manager Role:

The Apollo seeks a strategic and hands-on Senior Manager of School Programs to lead the operational execution and continuous improvement of The Apollo’s K–12 education portfolio. Reporting to the Director of School Programs, the Senior Manager is a key member of the Programming team and a critical driver of program quality, staff development, and school partnership success.

The Senior Manager supervises program staff — including Coordinators — and provides oversight of Teaching Artist systems, curriculum fidelity, and evaluation practices across all program sites. This role serves as the operational and programmatic backbone of the school programs department, ensuring that every residency, workshop, performance, and school tour reflects The Apollo’s commitment to excellence and equity. The Senior Manager also plays an important cross-departmental role, collaborating with Development, Growth & Engagement, and Production to align program delivery and storytelling.

What you’ll do:

Program Implementation & Operational Oversight

The Senior Manager will oversee the day-to-day execution of all K–12 school programs, ensuring consistency, quality, and mission alignment across delivery models and sites.

• Oversee implementation of residencies, workshops, performances, and tours across all program sites

• Monitor program timelines, deliverables, and outcomes to ensure successful and on-budget execution

• Identify operational challenges and implement solutions that improve efficiency and effectiveness

• Ensure alignment of all programs with The Apollo's pedagogical framework, learning goals, and institutional priorities

School Partnerships & External Engagement

• Cultivate, strengthen, and manage strategic partnerships with schools and community organizations to support program growth, alignment, and sustained impact

• Oversee communication protocols and relationship management systems for school partners

• Ensure high-quality engagement experiences for teachers, administrators, and students

• Represent the department in partner meetings, convenings, and public-facing opportunities as needed

Teaching Artist & Staff Supervision

• Supervise Coordinators and Program Staff

• Oversee Teaching Artist recruitment, onboarding, scheduling, training and retention systems

• Ensure alignment of Teaching Artist practice with Apollo's pedagogical framework and program goals

• Provide ongoing coaching, feedback, and performance support to staff and Teaching Artists

Curriculum, Instruction & Quality Assurance

• Oversee curriculum development processes to ensure alignment with learning goals and academic standards

• Ensure instructional materials are culturally responsive, accessible, and outcome-aligned

• Partner on quality assurance systems, including classroom observation, feedback cycles, and continuous improvement processes

• Monitor fidelity of program implementation across all sites

Evaluation, Data & Impact Reporting

• Oversee implementation of evaluation tools and systems to track program outcomes

• Support data collection, analysis, and reporting for internal leadership and funders

• Identify trends and insights that inform program improvements and strategic decision-making

Leadership, Administration & Strategic Alignment

• Partner with the Director to operationalize departmental strategy and priorities

• Support budget tracking, forecasting, and resource allocation across programs

• Ensure compliance with DOE/vendor requirements and institutional policies

• Collaborate cross-departmentally with Development, Growth & Engagement, and Production to align program delivery and impact storytelling

• Contribute to grant proposals, reports, and institutional initiatives

Who you are:

The Senior Manager position calls for an educator at heart, an operator by practice, and a leader who thrives at the intersection of mission and management. Specifically, the successful candidate will have:

• 6–8 years of experience in arts education program management or a related field, with demonstrated success supervising staff and managing multi-site programming

• Strong knowledge of K–12 education systems; NYC DOE experience strongly preferred

• A strategic and systems-oriented approach to program implementation and team leadership

• Ability to translate vision into actionable plans while maintaining attention to detail and operational excellence

• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills across diverse audiences from students and Teaching Artists to school administrators and funders

• A data-informed approach to decision-making and a commitment to continuous improvement

• Deep commitment to culturally responsive, equity-centered practice

• Exceptional writing skills, with the ability to craft clear, compelling content for diverse audiences including grant proposals, program reports, and stakeholder communications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred