Director of Youth Development

Job Description

Job Description

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Youth Development provides strategic and operational leadership for youth and family programming at the YMCA branch. 

This position is responsible for developing, implementing, evaluating, and growing high-quality programs that support children, teens, and families and advance the YMCA's commitment to Youth Development, Healthy Living, and Social Responsibility. 

The Director oversees a portfolio that may include school-age childcare, out-of-school-time programming, youth enrichment, teen programming, summer and vacation camps, youth leadership initiatives, STEM literacy, digital literacy, career exploration, family engagement, and other youth-focused programs and partnerships. 

The Director is responsible for program quality, staff leadership, enrollment and participation growth, financial performance, regulatory compliance, safety, community partnerships, and the development of new opportunities responsive to community needs. 

This position serves as a member of the branch leadership team and works collaboratively across departments to ensure youth and families experience the YMCA as a welcoming, safe, connected, and high-quality community resource. 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Youth Development Strategy & Program Leadership

• Provide leadership, vision, and direction for the branch's youth development portfolio. 
• Develop, implement, evaluate, and continuously improve youth programs based on community need, participation trends, family feedback, and measurable outcomes. 
• Oversee school-age and out-of-school-time programming, teen initiatives, camps, youth enrichment, STEM literacy, leadership development, and other assigned youth programs. 
• Identify opportunities to expand programming for children and teens who are not currently engaged with the YMCA. 
• Create intentional pathways that keep youth connected to the YMCA as they progress from elementary school through adolescence and young adulthood. 

STEM, Digital Literacy & Future-Ready Learning

• Develop and expand age-appropriate STEM programming across school-age, teen, camp, and enrichment programs, and develop pathways that connect STEM literacy with real-world career exploration in all regional career sectors. 
• Establish relationships with schools, colleges, universities, employers, workforce organizations, libraries, museums, makerspaces, and STEM-focused community partners. Recruit professionals, college students, educators, and industry partners to serve as mentors, speakers, instructors, and career-exposure partners. 
• Incorporate digital citizenship, online safety, responsible technology use, and emerging technology awareness into youth programming, completed projects, demonstrations, and continued engagement.

School-Age Child Care & Regulatory Compliance

• Provide leadership and oversight for licensed school-age childcare and other regulated programs assigned to the position. 

·       Maintain all required background checks, certifications, professional-development requirements, and training applicable to licensed youth programs. 
·        Hold a current CPR, AED, and First Aid certification is required or must be obtained within the timeframe established by YMCA Southcoast.

• Maintain compliance with Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care requirements, YMCA standards, child protection policies, health and safety requirements, and all applicable regulations. 
• Ensure appropriate staff-to-participant ratios, documentation, attendance, licensing records, emergency procedures, and program files are maintained. 
• Coordinate preparation for licensing visits, inspections, audits, and corrective actions as necessary. 
• Maintain appropriate communication with parents and guardians regarding program expectations, policies, participant progress, safety, and concerns. 

Teen Development & Leadership

• Develop opportunities in leadership, civic engagement, mentoring, STEM, workforce and career exploration, wellness, recreation, academic support, volunteering, entrepreneurship, and community service. 
• Establish youth voice and leadership opportunities that allow teens to help shape YMCA programming through mentoring and career-exposure experiences connecting young people with professionals and community leaders. 
• Create exposure to postsecondary education, certifications, apprenticeships, skilled trades, emerging industries, and other career pathways. 

Program Growth, Enrollment & Impact

• Identify participation, enrollment, retention, and program-development goals.
• Develop staff schedules that appropriately balance program quality, participant demand, safety, and financial responsibility. Monitor registration, enrollment, attendance, waitlists, utilization, and retention. 
• Develop new programs and revenue opportunities consistent with the YMCA mission and community needs. 
• Track participation and outcomes within STEM, teen, and enrichment initiatives to inform future investments and partnerships. 

Staff Leadership & Development

• Create clear expectations around program quality, customer service, child protection, professionalism, and YMCA values. 
• Establish an ongoing staff-development system including coaching, certifications, and leadership pathways while building a positive team culture grounded in accountability, communication, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement. 
• Recruit, train and develop staff capacity to facilitate STEM, enrichment, project-based learning, and youth leadership experiences. Develop staff schedules that appropriately balance program quality, participant demand, safety, and financial responsibility. 

Financial Management

• Develop and manage annual departmental operating budgets in collaboration with branch leadership and review financial results regularly and develop corrective action plans when programs are not meeting budget or participation expectations. 
• Monitor revenue, payroll, expenses, enrollment, and program performance throughout the year. 
• Ensure staffing levels and schedules are aligned with actual enrollment and program activity. 

Community Engagement & Partnerships

• Serve as a visible representative of the YMCA with schools, families, community organizations, government agencies, youth-serving organizations, funders, employers, colleges, and other stakeholders. 
• Develop partnerships that expand access to programming, facilities, resources, transportation, education, mentoring, STEM opportunities, recreation, and career exposure. 
• Position the YMCA as a community connector between youth, education, technology, employers, and respond to emerging needs within the Fall River community. 

Family Engagement & Member Experience

• Establish strong communication systems with Membership, other departments, parents, guardians, youth, and families. Collaborate while creating opportunities to connect youth-program participants and their families to the full YMCA experience. 
• Provide families with information about educational, recreational, enrichment, and career-connected resources while creating opportunities for families to participate in YMCA programs.

Safety, Risk Management & Child Protection

• Partner with branch leadership to ensure compliance with YMCA child-protection policies, mandated reporting requirements, background-record-check requirements, emergency procedures, and staff training expectations. 
• Review incidents, accidents, behavioral concerns, and safety issues and ensure appropriate documentation and follow-up. 

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Youth Development, Education, Human Services, Recreation, Social Work, Child Development, STEM Education, Nonprofit Management, or a related field preferred. Equivalent combinations of relevant education and significant professional experience may be considered. 
• Minimum three to five years of experience in youth and program development, school-age care, education, camp, recreation, STEM education, nonprofit programming, or a related field. 
• Demonstrated ability to establish relationships with schools, colleges, employers, families, community partners, and external organizations. 
• Strong written, verbal, interpersonal, organizational, and problem-solving skills. 
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends to meet the -program and community needs. 
• Ability to maintain appropriate and professional communication with parents, guardians and staff regarding program expectations, policies, progress, and safety concerns. 

The YMCA Southcoast is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religious creed, protected genetic information, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, or veteran's status.