Director, Youth Licensing & Compliance

YMCA of East Tennessee; Knoxville (TN); On-site; USD 53,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

The YMCA of East Tennessee is seeking a Youth Development Director of Licensing and Compliance to lead all licensed childcare programs and ensure compliance with DHS, QRIS, and NAA standards. You will oversee licensing processes, staff training, and risk management while expanding sites and maintaining high quality across programs.

Responsibilities include audits, policy implementation, site visits every two months, and partnership building with districts and families.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in human services, social services, business administration, education, nonprofit management, or related field.
• Two or more years of management and leadership experience, preferably in YMCA, childcare, nonprofit, youth development, or licensed program administration settings.
• Experience with childcare licensing regulations, compliance administration, or regulatory oversight preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in program administration, operational leadership, and risk management.
• Strong organizational, problem-solving, communication, and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and operational oversight for all licensed childcare programs throughout the YMCA of East Tennessee area.
• Ensure all programs maintain compliance with applicable childcare licensing standards, QRIS and accreditation standards, health and safety regulations, YMCA policies, and federal nutrition program requirements.
• Coordinate and manage licensing applications, renewals, inspections, corrective action plans, audits, and monitoring visits for all new and existing program sites.
• Develop, implement, and monitor policies, procedures, and operational systems to ensure program quality, consistency, and risk reduction.
• Support the expansion and onboarding of new childcare program locations, including licensing readiness and operational setup.
• Conduct site visits, compliance reviews, and operational assessments to ensure quality standards are maintained. Each site must be visited a minimum of every 2 months.
• Assist with emergency preparedness planning, incident response, documentation, and risk management procedures across all program sites.
• Ensure accurate recordkeeping, documentation, reporting, and timely submission of all required compliance materials.
• Provide direct leadership, coaching, and support to program leaders and administrative staff related to licensing and compliance expectations.
• Promote a culture of accountability, professionalism, inclusion, and continuous improvement among all staff teams.
• Build and maintain positive relationships with community organizations, school districts, families, and local partners.
• Provide leadership support for association initiatives, events, and community engagement opportunities.
• Assures compliance with state and local regulations in areas of; staffing according to DHS and Y adult to child ratio; financial, staff records and all documents needed for inspection.

Skills

Leadership

Organization

Problem solving

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in human services, social services, business administration, education, nonprofit management, or related field

YMCA Team Leader certification

Job description

The YMCA of East Tennessee is seeking a Youth Development Director of Licensing and Compliance to lead all licensed childcare programs and ensure compliance with DHS, QRIS, and NAA standards. You will oversee licensing processes, staff training, and risk management while expanding sites and maintaining high quality across programs.

Responsibilities include audits, policy implementation, site visits every two months, and partnership building with districts and families.