Assistant Program Director

YMCA of the Cedar Rapids Metro Area; Alpine (AL); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Housing provided

Job summary

YMCA Camp Cosby is seeking an Assistant Program Director to lead and support staff, manage safety and quality of programs, and uphold camp standards. The role emphasizes camper experience, parental communication, and strong teamwork within a mission-driven environment.

The position involves budgeting, scheduling, recruitment, and collaborating on year-round activities, retreats, and community outreach. Housing is provided on-site for this role, reflecting the camp’s commitment to hands-on

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in recreation or related field.
• 2+ years of programming and supervisory experience in camping or related field.

Responsibilities

• Assist Sr. Program Director in revenue and expense management for year-round programs and campaigns.
• Oversee camper/parent feedback, surveys, and program improvements.
• Support staff recruitment, onboarding, training, and supervision.
• Coordinate marketing efforts and communications for camp programming.
• Lead volunteers, transport needs, and community partnerships.
• Ensure compliance with SOPs and ACA/industry standards.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Time management

Public relations

Conflict resolution

Teamwork

Project management

Self-motivation

Education

Bachelor's degree in recreation or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

CRM database software

Web applications

Job description

POSITION SUMMARY:This position is a key focal point to the overall operations at YMCA Camp Cosby. The person in this position is a key leader that will drive positive culture amongst their peers for YMCA Camp Cosby. The summer responsibilities include providing a safe and caring environment for staff and campers (Camper 1st Focus), being a positive culture creator, and excellent programming. The Assistant Program Director will directly support summer staff and work with them to assure Camp Cosby is operating at the highest level in appearance, compliance and service. The Assistant Program Director is the primary staff member responsible for supporting staff, upholding and enforcing all policies and procedures, scheduling, staff hiring, volunteer management, social media/marketing, building a positive staff culture and being present as a mentor and leader for all staff. The Assistant Program Director will also assist in all summer preparations as well as assist and support all year-round programming when needed.ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:The Assistant Program Director will assist the Sr. Program Director in the following:Revenue Responsibility – Camper retention efforts, managing sales for year-round store products and Cosby gift packs, program supply inventory and ordering, additional purchases and annual campaign.Expense Responsibility – Assist and help develop budget, tracking expenses, holding staff accountable for equipment management to avoid unnecessary expenses and assure all expenses directly impact the people we serve.Participant Experience – Manage camper and parent surveys/evaluations and make recommendations for change as necessary. Talk with campers and parents about their experience and assure the participant experience is excellent.Camper/Camper Parent Relationships – Connect with campers and families during the summer and stay connected throughout the year through social media, events in their neighborhoods and phone calls.Service – Provide first rate customer service to all through phone, email, social media and face to face interactions.Year-Round Programming - Assist with Retreats, Outdoor Education and YMCA of Greater Birmingham events as needed. Willingness to be Ropes and LG trainedPhilanthropy - Assist with Annual Campaign fundraising and be a lead staff campaigner in helping identify and securing donations.Compliance – Assist in developing and reviewing Standard Operating Procedures. Uphold Cosby SOPs and YMCA of Greater Birmingham Standards at all times. Assure staff uphold these standards at all times. Working with Sr. Program Director to ensure all active staff are current on all certifications.ACA Standards – Know and communicate ACA standards to all at Cosby. Annually review standards and update Cosby SOPs as needed.Appearance – Assure Cosby’s physical, electronic and public appearance clearly represent our mission. Notify Cosby leadership of any discrepancies.Program Responsibilities – Be familiar with all Cosby programs, research new programs and make recommendations based on industry standards. Review current programs in terms of safety, compliance, participant enjoyment and appearance. Assure programs are of excellent quality and staff are well trained. Focus on all aspects of Counselor/Leader-In-Training programs. Also responsible for preparation and communication with teens and families leading up to these programs.Marketing - Responsible for creating Annual Marketing Calendar for all programming needs of YMCA Camp Cosby along with Sr. Program Director. Work in conjunction with Main office staff to strategize and create consistent communication with campers, parents, guests and staff through email campaigns, social media posts (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok), text message campaigns, semi-annual newsletters (Cosby Timbers) and other promotional posts and messaging.Seasonal Staff Hiring/Responsibilities – Assist with staff recruitment and screening through in-person recruiting events and social media campaigns, onboarding paperwork, certifications, online training, in-person training, supervision, coaching and retention. Supervision of summer teen program leadership, teen program staff, and summer media team.Supervision/Leadership - Will cover Manager On Duty roles during year-round programming events and supervise seasonal staff in absence of Sr. Program Director. Cover weekend and evening Manager on Duty responsibilities as needed during summer.Volunteers – Assist with volunteer recruitment and screening, paperwork, certifications, online training, training, supervision, coaching and retention.Community Connections – Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with community organizations as well as planning and implementation of service projects for teen programming.Transportation – Assist with staff and camper transportation needs.All other duties as assigned.Be a positive culture creator focusing on inclusion and diversity.Employees and volunteers who directly supervise children and teens will:Adhere to policies related to boundaries with children and teensAttend required abuse risk management training annuallyAdhere to procedures for managing high-risk activities and supervising children and teens.Report suspicious or inappropriate behaviors and policy violations.Follow mandated abuse reporting requirements.QUALIFICATIONS:Cause-Driven Leadership Competencies:Mission Advancement:Incorporates the Y's mission and values into the organization's vision and strategiesEnsure community engagementPromotes the global nature of the YLeads a culture of volunteerism ensuring engagement, inclusion, and ownershipLeads a culture of philanthropyCollaboration:Advocates for and institutionalizes inclusion and diversity throughout the organizationInitiates the development of relationships with influential leaders to impact and strengthen the communityIs recognized as an inspirational community leader who navigates complex political and social circles with easeCommunicates to engage and inspire people within and outside the YMCAOperational Effectiveness:Possesses penetrating insight and strong strategic and critical thinking skillsInvests resources in well-designed innovation initiativesDevelops and implements stewardship strategiesDetermines benchmarks and ensures appropriate leadership to meet objectivesPersonal Growth:Creates a learning organizationEffectively drives change by leverage resources and creating alignment to expand organizational opportunitiesHas the functional and technical knowledge and skills required to perform wellUses best practices and demonstrates up-to-date knowledge and skills in technologyMINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:Possess a bachelor’s degree in recreation or related field with at least 2 years of programming and supervisory experience in camping or related field is required.Customer-service oriented and consistently applied excellence as a standard internally and externally.Ability to communicate effectively with a variety of customers as we/I and the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines with minimal supervision.Skills in working with families, conflict resolution, and public relations needed. Knowledge of group process – must agree to work in harmony with other staff members and other families/customers.The incumbent must have excellent interpersonal skills and experience in community relations.Computer proficiency in Microsoft Office systems, CRM database software, and web applications.Excellent verbal and written communication skills.High degree of accuracy and attention to detail.Self-directed approach to work with the ability to take initiative and meet deadlines in a time-sensitive environment.Strong project management and time management skills.Ability to work collaboratively with a team.Must be certified or complete certification in CPR/AED and First Aid.Required to live onsite – Housing ProvidedPHYSICAL 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.Office environment. Intermittent sitting, standing, walking is required.Office and outdoor camp environment. Frequent standing and walking on uneven terrain in varying weather.Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds and complete lifeguard and ropes training.