Youth Development Director

Greater Austin YMCA; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The Greater Austin YMCA is seeking a Youth Development Director to shape safe, high-quality afterschool and camp experiences that support youth growth and well-being. You will oversee staffing, training, curriculum delivery, and participant experience while building strong partnerships with schools and families in the Austin community.

As a key leader, you will work with senior leaders to align efforts across the organization, expand access, and elevate program quality to deliver meaningful

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree is required; related fields preferred.
• Minimum 3 years of professional childcare experience, including supervising others.
• Previous YMCA experience strongly preferred.
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) strongly preferred.
• HHSC Program Director certification required or ability to obtain.
• CPR and First Aid certification required or to be obtained upon hire.
• Complete online training upon hire: Before & After School Program, Child Abuse Prevention, Appropriate Touch, Bloodborne Pathogens, Foundations of Listen First, Intro to Cause and Culture.

Responsibilities

• Hold the team accountable for achieving high levels to meet strategic goals.
• Model inclusive leadership and embrace diversity.
• Hire, coach, and manage direct reports and align with people practices.
• Conduct check-ins with direct reports to review progress and development.
• Implement a goal-based leadership approach to support organizational objectives.
• Oversee daily program operations and ensure compliance with regulations.
• Coordinate field trips, summer on-site experiences, and fundraising efforts.
• Lead recruitment and retention of program participants.
• Provide staff training and development, including regular sessions and pre-service trainings.
• Monitor weekly schedules and payroll within budgets.

Skills

Staff leadership

Training delivery

Relationship management

Program compliance

Budgeting & payroll

Staff development

Education

Bachelor’s degree in recreation management / education / child development

HHSC Program Director certification

Job description

Why Your Role Matters

The Youth Development Director plays a key role in shaping safe, high-quality afterschool and camp experiences that support the growth, confidence, and well-being of youth in our community. This role ensures programs are delivered with excellence while continuously improving outcomes for participants and families. By building strong relationships with school partners, parents, staff, and community stakeholders, this leader creates a foundation of trust and collaboration that drives program success. Operating with a high level of independence, the Youth Development Director oversees daily operations, including staffing, training, curriculum delivery, and participant experience. In partnership with senior leaders, this role helps align efforts across the organization to expand access, strengthen program quality, and deliver meaningful impact in the lives of youth and the broader community.

The Youth Development Director plays a key role in shaping safe, high-quality afterschool and camp experiences that support the growth, confidence, and well-being of youth in our community. This role ensures programs are delivered with excellence while continuously improving outcomes for participants and families. By building strong relationships with school partners, parents, staff, and community stakeholders, this leader creates a foundation of trust and collaboration that drives program success. Operating with a high level of independence, the Youth Development Director oversees daily operations, including staffing, training, curriculum delivery, and participant experience. In partnership with senior leaders, this role helps align efforts across the organization to expand access, strengthen program quality, and deliver meaningful impact in the lives of youth and the broader community.

How You Will Make An Impact

Performance Achievement & Results

• Hold the team accountable for achieving at high levels to meet strategic goals and objectives.
• Model inclusive leadership behaviors and embrace all dimensions of diversity by building strong teams that apply their diverse skills and perspectives to our mission.
• Responsible for hiring, coaching, and managing all direct reports and ensuring alignment with the association's people practices for all positions within their organizational structure.
• Conduct Check-ins with direct reports to ensure progress with strategic goals, provide ongoing coaching and feedback, and discuss development opportunities.
• Implement a goal-based leadership approach and ensure the department is actively working towards supporting organizational objectives, deliverables, and outcomes.

Program Operations & Compliance

• Oversees daily program operations in at least 9 childcare sites, ensuring that staff adhere to and exceed all state, local, and Y health and safety regulations through daily monitoring of programs.
• Continuously evaluates the quality of assigned programs, ensuring consistent curriculum delivery while identifying opportunities to improve programming and support staff development.
• Ensures program operations are in compliance with childcare regulation standards and Texas Rising Star certification.
• Responsible for ensuring that all program-related paperwork is current, accurate, and submitted in a timely fashion.
• Adhere to policies and procedures in a proactive manner, making the safety and care of children your primary focus.

Program Growth & Participant Engagement

• Oversees summer on-site experiences and coordinates field trip logistics, along with campaign and fundraising efforts.
• Leads recruitment and retention of children enrolled in programs.

Staff Leadership & Development

• Ensure new staff have the necessary support, guidance, and mentoring to fulfill their job responsibilities.
• Proactively identify opportunities to enhance employee development and staff retention.
• Participates in the development and delivery of staff training, including classroom and virtual presentations.
• Monitor and approve weekly schedules and payroll in adherence with program budgets.
• Actively participate in all aspects of staff development, including team meetings, pre-service trainings, and at least an additional 15 hours of training during the school year.

Relationship Management & Collaboration

• Serve as a professional and engaging representative of Y by establishing, developing, and maintaining positive relationships with principals, parents, staff, program participants, and licensing representatives.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues to accomplish collective goals by addressing and resolving concerns, providing follow-up, documentation, and training as needed.
• Complete other duties as assigned.

What You Bring To The Y

• A bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university is required. A focus on recreation management, education, child development, or a related field is preferred.
• 3 years minimum of Professional childcare experience, including experience supervising others.
• Previous YMCA experience strongly preferred.
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) is strongly preferred.
• The position requires Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) (formerly overseen by TDFPS) Program Director certification.
• Must be or have the ability to become certified according to HHSC standards.
• Current CPR and First Aid certificationor become certified upon hire.
• Required to complete the following online training upon hire: Before & After School Program, Child Abuse Prevention, Appropriate Touch, Bloodborne Pathogens, Foundations of Listen First, and Intro to Cause and Culture.

Physical Requirements

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, bend, talk and occasionally lift and/or move items including equipment, furniture and/or children. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.