Unit Director of South Portland

Job Description

Job Description

Unit Director of South Portland Job Profile

About BGCSM 

The mission of Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine (BGCSM) is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. The out-of–school hours have become critical for youth – a time when many children in our communities need meaningful social recreation and new experiences. We provide a safe place filled with hope and imagination, ongoing relationships with caring adult mentors, and enriching programs.  BGCSM is growing, innovating, expanding, and exploring new opportunities to maximize and amplify impact. 

Overview of the role   

The Unit Director is responsible for the overall operation and management of the Boys & Girls Club unit, ensuring a safe, positive, and engaging environment for young people. This role involves program planning and development, staff supervision, community engagement, and collaboration with stakeholders to fulfill the mission of the Boys & Girls Club. A successful candidate will thrive in a fast-paced and dynamic work environment. 

Who you are:  

• On your resume. You have a degree and/or 3-5+ years of experience in youth development, operations, and/or social-recreation. 

• Patient and kind. You really enjoy working with everyone. You have great people skills.  

• Self-Directed. You are well-organized, can multi-task and you work well with limited supervision, bringing focus, follow-through, and attention to detail to everything you do.

• A team member and collaborator. You believe in thoughtful collaboration and partnerships and thrive on improving culture by building strong relationships with your team, community, and people around you.

• You communicate and work effectively, both in writing and conversation.

• You want to make a difference in the lives of our amazing youth. You come to the Club with a purpose and drive that you share with those around you. You become energized being around kids and like-minded people. You set a positive example that our youth and team can look up to.  

• Teachable/Curious. You are devoted to ongoing professional development and learning through constructive conversation and meeting of the minds.  

• You bring positive energy to the organization and understand that there is a balance between work tasks and having a good time.  

• You are able to work M-F during out of school hours, some nights, and some weekends.  

• You are 21 years or older and possess a valid driver’s license with an excellent driving record.

What You’ll Do (Core Responsibilities):

Program Implementation 

• Design and deliver age-appropriate programming in our key impact areas of Art, Leadership, Academics and Health & Wellness in collaboration with Senior Director of Program Management. 

• Monitor and evaluate program effectiveness through program evaluations & quality metric analysis; adjusting as needed. 

• Ensure diverse youth development programming is delivered effectively and safely to all areas of the club (Gym, Games Room, Learning Center, Pool, etc.). 

• Communicate with full-time and part-time program staff and volunteers to ensure they understand their roles and responsibilities when delivering high quality programming.   

Member Engagement 

• Collaborate with school district and youth-serving organizations to grow membership, daily attendance, and member retention metrics. 

• Build positive relationships with members, encourage participation, and foster a sense of belonging within the club community. 

• Monitor member behavior and interactions, implementing appropriate trauma-informed behavior strategies to promote positive conduct and conflict resolution. 

• Organize and manage group dynamics, adapting activities and programming to accommodate diverse interests and abilities of our members. 

Supervision & Safety 

• Ensure a healthy and safe environment through BGCS safety standards and  facility management.  

• Communicate transportation, safety, and maintenance requests as needed. 

• Provide supervision and support to our team and members during program activities.

• Ensure a safe environment for all members by enforcing club safety policies and procedures.  

• Adhere to safety standards around member safety in areas of first aid, field trips, and transportation.   

• Oversee operations for the South Portland clubhouse; coordinating with or as the POC for inspections, repairs, and other city services.   

Collaboration & Teamwork 

• Act as a member of the Senior Leadership Team to support the organization’s mission and functional needs.   

• Work closely with your Program team and Senior Director of Program Management to enhance program offerings and ensure a comprehensive approach to youth development. 

• Schedule, conduct, and attend weekly and/or monthly staff meetings, trainings, schedules, organizational changes, upcoming events, behavior management tools, etc.   

• Develop professional relationships with parents, community leaders and other outside organizations and promote clubhouse programs and special events. 

• May be required to move to different areas of the club to cover call outs, special programs or other clubhouse events.   

• Flexible and willing to contribute, when necessary, on projects outside of own department  

Admin/Operations Duties  

• Organize daily, weekly, and annual transportation logistics, including the maintenance of all vehicles. 

• Work with HR to recruit, hire, and orient new staff, and provide ongoing training and supervision to all direct reports.

• Assist in tracking program metrics for grant related reports, including attendance and participation; review accuracy of reporting metrics based on grant requirements. 

• Create and maintain daily, weekly and/or monthly staff schedules.  Include program schedules using club areas (gym, games room, art/stem) and rotation positions.   

• Oversee regular maintenance of property grounds including snow removal, mowing, and upkeep of outside play areas. 

• Utilize Microsoft Office, communication platforms, project management tools, and database systems. 

Physical Requirements/Work Environment:  

The physical demands of this position are limited as, as such, reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with physical disabilities to perform essential functions of this position.  

• Must be able to lift, carry, reach, bend, push or pull up to 20 pounds at times

• Must be able to traverse facility and lead members to safety in an emergency

• May be required to stand for at least 4 hours per day

• Must be able to sit and engage in prolonged computer use of at least 4 hours per day 

• Ability to drive 12–15-person passenger van 

Compensation and benefits:   

• Full Time, (40hrs) Exempt 

• Monday – Friday 11a-7p Some evening and weekend availability may be required. 

• 12 Paid Holidays & earned PTO

• Health Insurance benefits upon completion of eligibility requirements 

• 401k with company match upon completion of eligibility requirements 

• Employers paid ancillary benefits including life insurance, short term and long-term disability insurance