Program Manager ESOL F/T

Program Manager – ELL Programs at Rikers Island
The Petey Greene Program, New York

About Us:
The Petey Greene Program supports the academic goals of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people through high-quality volunteer tutoring programs, while educating volunteers on the injustice manifest in our carceral system.

We envision a world in which all incarcerated people have access to high-quality academic programs and we strive to inspire our alumni - both students and tutors - to become advocates, and to take on leadership roles that reimagine the criminal legal system. 

The PGP operates the largest multi-state volunteer tutoring program for currently and formerly incarcerated people. Since our founding in 2008, we’ve served over 21,000 students across more than 140 programming sites—including correctional and reentry programs—placed over 9,000 volunteers, and partnered with 40+ universities in seven states and Washington, D.C.

The PGP is headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, but the majority of our 40 employees are based across the Northeast in regions where the PGP holds programming. 

The Role: 
The Program Manager - English Language Learning Programs at Rikers Island will be responsible for ensuring the provision of high-quality English Language Learning (ELL) programming for incarcerated students at Rikers Island, as part of the launch of PGP educational programming at Rikers Island. 

The Program Manager will collaborate with PGP colleagues and NYCDOC administrators to design and implement an ELL program that meets both the needs of interested students and complies with requirements related to operating programming across the Rikers Island complex. Ultimately, the role will lead and manage a team of instructors who will be delivering small-group ELL instruction to students on the unit. In addition, the Program Manager will monitor student engagement, incorporate PGP tutor support into PGP-led programming, ensure continuous program improvement, and utilize data to improve and report on student outcomes. 

The Program Manager will regularly collaborate and coordinate with other PGP program managers focused on GED, college-readiness, and tutoring support, in addition to NYCDOC programs and education staff, and external education providers. The Program Manager reports to the PGP’s Associate Director of Rikers Island Programs.

Candidates will reside in the greater New York City area. The role is primarily on-site at Rikers Island, with the expectation that the Program Manager will be in-person at Rikers Island four days per week, along with one work-from-home day.

This position is grant-funded through December 2028, with the possibility of renewal dependent on renewal of funding. 

Major Duties and Responsibilities
Regional Programming Responsibilities

• Collaborates with New York and PGP national program staff to develop and implement new PGP-led ELL programming at Rikers Island
• Oversees the week-to-week operations of PGP’s ELL programming at Rikers Island, monitoring high-level trends, and troubleshooting challenges
• Adjust and adapt the program model as needed to ensure ongoing alignment with partner and student needs
• Lead and support a team of ELL instructors, offering small-group on-unit ELL instruction to students
• Incorporate PGP’s traditional model of volunteer tutors into PGP’s ELL programming to offer supplementary and 1-on-1 support to incarcerated students
• Conduct regular teaching observations and monitor ELL program data to ensure consistent implementation of processes and accurate data across programs, as well as timely collection, reporting, and sharing of data between the PGP and NYCDOC
• Support in hiring, onboarding, and scheduling instructors to lead PGP ELL programming at Rikers Island
• Supports professional development of instructional staff, including development of their own teaching practice as well as navigating daily work inside a carceral space
• Works with the Associate Director of Rikers Island Programs and PGP’s New York Program staff to track and collect programmatic data and provide reports to partners and funders
• Builds and maintains relationships with NYCDOC stakeholders, including programs and education teams
• Identify and maintain a list of ELL educational resources in the community to be shared with soon-to-be-released students to support in the continuation of their educational journey
• On in-person days, participate in daily on-site meetings with PGP’s Rikers team members to align services, ensure coordinated student support, and collectively navigate daily work inside a carceral space

National Organizational Responsibilities

• Participates in and prepares for weekly meetings with the regional team and all PGP staff

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in education or a related field
• Certification in TEFL, TESOL, or CELTA
• At least 2 years of experience providing direct student instruction in ELL
• At least 3 years of related experience in ELL program management, as a teaching team lead, or in a similar leadership role
• Previous managerial experience, preferably managing teachers, instructors, and/or educational staff
• Familiarity with adult learning theory, culturally responsive pedagogy, and trauma-informed teaching practices
• Exceptional facility, and proven track record, with interpreting programmatic data and implementing metrics-driven approaches to program management  
• Ability to adjust communication style for various stakeholders (incarcerated students, correctional facility administrators, university or other educational partners, volunteer tutors, etc.)
• Ability to develop, implement and adapt processes to meet program needs while remaining aligned with current organizational systems
• Extremely organized and detail-oriented
• Ability to problem solve
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Proficiency in Gmail, Google Drive, Google Docs, and Google Calendar  
• Awareness of issues related to mass incarceration and broader social justice concerns.
• Must be able to be cleared to enter NYCDOC facilities (if you have concerns about this requirement, we encourage you to still submit an application or reach out to us so we can discuss further)

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Adult Education, Education Leadership, TESOL/ESL/ELL, Special Education or a related field
• Previous or current state teaching certification or comparable credential
• Experience in instructional coaching or facilitating professional development for educators
• Experience with blended learning programs or otherwise integrating online learning platforms with in-person instruction
• Ability to develop and adapt processes for low-tech/no-tech environments
• Experience working with or knowledge of the New York City Department of Corrections as an employee, partner, or a formerly incarcerated person.
• Experience leading educational programming in carceral environments 
• Experience working with New York City community-based organizations focused on supporting formerly incarcerated people
• Bilingual in English/Spanish
• Experience with and knowledge of tutor-centric educational programs and/or volunteer programs
• Experience collaborating with higher education institutions
• An understanding of the US criminal legal system and local policies. 

The Petey Greene Program is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its personnel decisions based on race, ancestry, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital/domestic partner status, religion, age, disability status, veteran status, or former incarceration status.

We are committed to ongoing learning and reflection and we are continuously working to ensure that the Petey Greene Program is welcoming and supportive of staff members of all identities, including system-impacted people, people of color, and LGBTQIA+ people. We also believe that this work should be led by system-impacted people, whose perspectives and direct knowledge of the problems are necessary to achieving freedom and educational justice.

Compensation:
Job Type: Full-time
Salary: $70,000-$72,000 

Benefits:

• The Petey Greene Program’s staff make our work possible and we are committed to providing a comprehensive benefits package to support employee’s well-being and professional growth. These benefits include:
• Medical, dental, and vision benefits with the PGP covering 60% (dental and vision) to 82% (medical) of premiums
• 100% employer-paid life insurance and short- and long-term disability benefits
• 401k retirement plan with 1% employer contribution
• Voluntary benefits offered including Pet Insurance and FSA Commuter and Transit Benefits
• 16 weeks of paid parental leave
• Paid winter break between Christmas and New Year’s day, in addition to 10 paid holidays throughout the year
• Full-time employees accrue 20 days of vacation time, 1 floating holiday, and 12 days of sick time per year 
• PGP closes at 1 PM on Fridays from June through August
• Dedicated funds for employees to use towards professional development each year
• Monthly technology reimbursement
• Access to a local coworking space 

Application Deadlines:
Preferred: May 10, 2026 (We encourage applicants to apply by this date for priority review)
Final:  May 22, 2026

Anticipated Start: June 2026

How to apply:
Please email [email protected] with the subject “Program Manager - ELL Programs at Rikers Island” and the following documents: 

• Resume
• Cover letter (applications without a cover letter will not be considered)