Youth Program Director

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

An exciting opportunity to join the team of a progressive YMCA located in New Jersey. The YMCA is one of the nation’s leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. With a 150-year-old history, Greater Somerset County YMCA (GSCY) is a pillar of the community and has seven locations across three counties, which collectively serve upwards of 30,000 individuals. GSCY has 100 full-time and 950 part-time employees along with operating revenues to $22+ million.

The Y empowers everyone—no matter who they are or where they are from. To fulfill our purpose of strengthening community for all, GSCY is committed to being an inclusive organization and leveraging our collective impact to address social inequities. To learn more about GSCY, visit our website:

POSITION SUMMARY:

Under the direction of the Associate Branch Executive Director, the Youth Program Director is responsible for promoting, developing and managing all activities associated with our School Age Child Care, Summer Camp Programs and Universal Pre-K program on behalf of GSCYMCA within the Somerville community. Primary responsibilities include ensuring the delivery of high quality, safe, YMCA youth programming in a nurturing environment. Developing and maintaining yearly budgets and establishing and sustaining positive relationships with program participants, families and prospective members. Hiring, training, and providing continuous support and feedback to program staff. Additional responsibilities include supporting fundraising activities and special events as necessary and responding to member and community inquiries in a timely manner.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Provides strategic leadership and full operational oversight of all youth development programming, including direct supervision of the UPK program and school facility, ensuring a safe, high-quality, and developmentally appropriate learning environment aligned with organizational standards.
• Recruit, hire, train, supervise and support program staff, providing ongoing feedback and professional development.
• Foster positive relationships with participants, families, and the community; respond to inquiries and concerns in a timely and professional manner.
• Oversee all School Age Child Care (SACC) and summer camp operations, ensuring compliance with YMCA policies and licensing requirements.
• Plan, organize and implement engaging programs, including daily activities, lesson plans, and special events.
• Supervise and support camp staff in daily operations, promoting strong leadership and team development.
• Manage program growth by introducing new ideas and enhancing existing offerings.
• Develop and manage annual program budgets, ensuring fiscal responsibility.
• Ensure proper use, maintenance and organization of equipment and supplies.
• Maintain accurate attendance records and enforce safety procedures, including headcounts and supervision standards.
• Ensure all incidents and accidents are documented and reported accurately, including timely communication with families and leadership.
• Assures compliance with federal, state and local regulations as they relate to program areas. Ensures that YMCA program standards are met and safety procedures followed. .
• Responsible for complying with all Greater Somerset County YMCA Policies and Procedures.
• Assist with collaborating and building relationships within Branch and community organizations in accordance with strategic and operating plans.
• Actively participate in trainings, seminars, special events, and meetings as required.
• Represents and promotes the YMCA in the local community and develops and maintains collaborative relationships with schools and community organizations in service delivery area.
• Provides staff leadership and management for annual support campaign.
• Serves as a member of YMCA management and supports the overall objectives of the YMCA.
• Adheres and incorporates the YMCA values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility and educates members about the YMCA mission and goals.

1. Bachelor’s degree in education, Recreation, or related field
2. 3 plus years’ experience in coordinating and structuring youth programs for school age children in an after-school setting and summer camp.
3. Experience in hiring and supervising staff, possess superior leadership and interpersonal skills, have the ability to interact with membership as well as good administrative skills.
4. Flexibility in work schedule and expectations to work some early mornings and evenings.
5. Current CPR/AED and First Aid certification or obtain within 30 days of hire.
6. YMCA Team Leader or Multi-Team/Branch Leader certification preferred.
7. Excellent organizational, member engagement, staff development and communication skills
8. Proficient with Microsoft Suite

YMCA COMPETENCIES (Team Leader):

Mission Advancement: Models and teaches the Ys values. Ensures a high level of service with a commitment to changing lives. Provides volunteers with orientation, training, development, and recognition. Cultivates relationships to support fund-raising.

Collaboration: Champions inclusion activities, strategies, and initiatives. Builds relationships to create small communities. Empathetically listens and communicates for understanding when negotiating and dealing with conflict. Effectively tailors' communications to the appropriate audience. Provides staff with feedback, coaching, guidance and support.

Operational Effectiveness: Provides others with frameworks for making decisions. Conducts prototypes to support the launching of programs and activities. Develops plans and manages best practices through engagement of team. Effectively creates and manages budgets. Holds staff accountable for high-quality results using a formal process to measure progress.

Personal Growth: Shares new insights. Facilitates change, models adaptability and an awareness of the impact of change. Utilizes non-threatening methods to address sensitive issues and inappropriate behavior or performance. Has the functional and technical knowledge and skills required to perform well; uses best practices and demonstrates up-to-date knowledge and skills in technology.

WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Sufficient strength, agility and mobility to perform essential functions of position and to supervise program activities.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use a computer for extended periods of time and be able to communicate using a computer and phone/smart device.
• The employee frequently is required to sit and reach and must be able to move around the work environment.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate, with occasional noise levels associated with working with school-aged children.
• This position is fully in office with no opportunities for remote work.

Benefits of working full-time at GSC YMCA include:

• FREE family membership to Greater Somerset County YMCA, including full access to all of our branch facilities including Bridgewater YMCA, Hillsborough YMCA, Princeton YMCA, Somerset Hills YMCA, and Somerville YMCA.
• FREE nationwide membership with access to over 2,500 YMCA locations across the country
• Discounted program fees
• Paid sick leave and short-term disability insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Generous 12% retirement contribution to the YMCA Retirement Fund after eligibility period (no employee contribution required)
• Medical and dental insurance with prescription coverage
• Vision insurance
• Flexible Spending Account for medical and/or dependent care
• 100% contribution towards life insurance and long-term disability
• Optional additional life insurance and dependent life insurance available at low rates
• 403(b) Smart Savings Plan
• Generous paid time off policy
• 7 paid holidays

Greater Somerset County YMCA is a drug free work environment. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information who share our values of Caring, Honesty, Respect and Responsibility.