Hybrid NAZA Youth in Action Coordinator at Metropolitan Government of Nashville & Davidson County, TN

About the Department

NAZA Nashville After Zone Alliance (NAZA) is an out-of-school time coordinating entity within the city government/Library that funds youth development programs (afterschool, summer and mentorship) for youth at no cost in safe and convenient locations across Davidson County. NAZA’s Youth In Action (YIA) is a dynamic network of young people committed to addressing the issues they care about most. The initiative’s mission is to amplify youth voices across Nashville by fostering a collaborative environment where young people work alongside peers and adults to develop and implement citywide projects. 

This is a part-time non-Civil Service position working 25 hours a week with benefits. The position supports the Nashville After Zone Alliance (NAZA), housed at the Nashville Public Library, by coordinating both internal and external components of the Youth In Action initiative. Key responsibilities include designing and delivering training for youth leaders and adult allies, organizing and facilitating youth-led events, providing coaching and support to program sites implementing youth-led initiatives, collecting data and producing reports on program outcomes, representing the program through presentations at conferences on youth leadership, and actively attending and supporting youth-led events. This role is integral to advancing youth leadership and civic engagement throughout the Nashville community. The position holder must be available during afterschool hours (between 3-6 PM) at least two days a week for site visits or training sessions (in-person and virtual) as well as available for NAZA biweekly staff meetings, partner meetings and other systemwide events.  Weekends may rarely be required for youth events.

A city with a great library is a great city, and that’s very true for Nashville. With nearly three million visits per year — and a collection of almost two million items — Nashville Public Library (NPL) is Music City’s gateway to lifelong learning, growth, and community connection. Our one-of-a-kind Civil Rights Room and Votes for Women Room bring visitors together to explore the history of civil rights and plot a course for our shared future. Our lauded Wishing Chair Productions puppet shows, and story times delight audiences of all ages with stories that make them laugh, love, and grow. Meanwhile, initiatives like Studio NPL, NAZA, Bringing Books to Life, Seed Exchange, Be Well at NPL, and Digital Inclusion connect Nashvillians with resources from across our 21-location system to learn new skills, enrich their quality of life, and forge long-lasting friendships. If you have a passion for helping people, love books and learning, and desire to be part of a team that does transformative work every day, then NPL just might be the place for you.

Position Duties

1. Youth Engagement and Leadership Development

• Work with partners to identify 1-2 site leaders among their middle school youth, onboard, and support site youth leaders to lead initiatives at their program sites.
• Provide leadership training and facilitation skill-building for middle school site youth leaders.
• Support the implementation of Nashville’s Vision for Holistic Youth Development with youth, ensuring youth voice is centered in program design.
• Create and sustain structured training spaces for youth to build skills in areas such as project planning, implementation, budgeting, and communication.

2. Partner Coaching and Program Support

• Coach and train Funded and Affiliated partners to build and sustain youth leadership programming.
• Provide resources and guidance for embedding youth-led projects in organizational practice.
• Visit program sites regularly to support on-the-ground implementation.
• Develop toolkits and digital resources that promote transparency and support consistent program delivery.

3. Cohort and Project Development

• Develop and coordinate age-specific youth leadership cohorts:
  • A cohort of middle school site youth leaders from Funded and Affiliated Partner programs actively working on YIA projects.
  • A cohort of high school leaders trained to conduct research, engage in public speaking, and represent youth perspectives at events.
• Guide youth in designing and implementing community-based action plans and research projects.
• Support high school youth in identifying community needs, collecting data, presenting findings, and applying insights to inform NAZA-funded programs.

4. Events, Convenings, and Public Engagement

• Plan and co-lead special YIA events such as the YIA Gala, Youth Leadership Symposium, and others to showcase youth contributions.
• Organize and facilitate YIA meetings, ensuring logistical needs and youth-friendly agendas are in place.
• Lead conference presentations and speaking engagements to promote the importance and methodology of youth leadership programming.

5. Budgeting, Evaluation, and Reporting

• Manage YIA-related budgets, track expenditures, and process partner and youth leader payments in partnership with NAZA Grants and Capacity Building Manager.
• Develop internal strategies for evaluating the empowerment outcomes of youth-led efforts in partnership with NAZA Data and Evaluation Manager.
• Produce detailed reports on youth engagement, program outcomes, and strategic recommendations for the NAZA Youth Leadership Council and stakeholders.
• Maintain and analyze data on YIA participation to inform leadership decisions and continuous program improvement.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in administration, community development, education, child development, social work or related area and 2 years of experience in training or coordinating complex projects.  

*Additional experience will be considered in lieu of education.

Other Qualifications

• Experience working with youth in education or out of school time spaces, including managing youth leadership programs
• Experience with national youth platforms and participation in national youth events
• Experience working with afterschool program providers
• Ability to work independently and multitask effectively, sometimes under pressure
• Strong teamwork, internal and external communication (both oral and written)
• Knowledge of and experience with Microsoft work suite
• Strong time management skills
• Strong project management skills, experience with Asana (or similar tools)