The Vice President of Youth Development serves as the association leader responsible for shaping and advancing the Greater Kingsport Family YMCA's strategy for youth development, childcare, and family engagement across a multi-location association. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer and serving as a member of the senior leadership team, this executive provides association-wide leadership to strengthen program quality, expand community impact, and create a consistent experience for children and families across all YMCA locations.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree required (Early Childhood Education or K-12 Education Degree Strongly Preferred); advanced degree preferred
- Five (5) or more years of leadership experience overseeing multiple youth or childcare programs including, but not limited to, full day care, after school care, summer camp and school day out.
- Demonstrated success in developing and executing strategic initiatives across multiple locations or departments
- Experience with licensed childcare and regulatory compliance preferred
- Proven ability to lead, influence, and align leaders and cross-functional teams
- Strong communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills
- Ability to analyze complex information and implement effective solutions
- Passionate commitment to the YMCA mission and values
- Knowledge of DHS requirements for childcare programs preferred.
- Current CPR/First Aid Instructor certification (or willingness to obtain).
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to lead and coach staff.
- Commitment to YMCA values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility.
Essential Functions
- Serve as project manager for the development and construction of the Greater Kingsport YMCAs Early Learning Center, scheduled to open Fall, 2027.
- Launch The Sullivan County Schools Early Learning Centers in partnership with Sullivan County Schools, the Kingsport Leadership team, and other community stakeholders.
- Ensure licensed programs maintain regulatory compliance and uphold the highest standards of care and safety.
- Identify areas of underperformance and implement strategies to improve effectiveness and outcomes.
- Utilize data and performance metrics to guide decision making and continuous improvement.
- Define and implement association wide standards for youth programming, curriculum alignment, child safety practices, and program quality.
- Lead the development and execution of the association wide youth development strategy, including childcare, youth programs, and family engagement initiatives.
- Establish performance indicators and accountability systems to measure youth impact, participation, quality, growth, and outcomes.
- Align resources, initiatives, and investments with strategic priorities.
- Develop and expand partnerships with schools, community organizations, municipalities, and public agencies.
- Supervise and support association youth development leaders by providing coaching, accountability, and leadership development.
- Foster collaboration across locations to create a unified youth and family experience
- Oversee the development and implementation of all childcare curriculum.
- Serve as a key member of the senior leadership team contributing to organizational strategy and decision making.
- Oversee the completion of all DHS training requirements and certifications (TNPAL, TrainTN, CPR, internal compliance, SDC, etc.). Ensure that employee and participant files maintain the required documentation for DHS inspection.
- Oversee daily staffing needs including floaters, callouts, time-off requests, and site coverage.
- Lead through influence and collaboration to ensure alignment, consistency, and execution of youth priorities throughout the association.
- Visit all childcare sites to train, coach, and support site directors.
- Coordinate staffing support for multiple childcare sites to ensure smooth operations.
- Serve as a certified CPR instructor for all staff.
- Demonstrate listen first skills in all communications with direct reports, parents, front line staff and
- Recruits, hires, trains, develop, supervises and evaluate childcare leadership team personnel.
- Ensures all early learning centers, afterschool and camp locations meet program, curriculum and licensure requirements.
- Develops and monitors the budget
- Manage and maintain the DHS portal for staff compliance tracking.
- Assist in training delivery at ASCC Back-to-School and SDC training sessions.
- Provide coverage as a Site Director as needed.
- Promote YMCA policies, safety procedures, and values in daily operations.
- Complete incident and accident reports as required.
- Support ongoing recruitment strategies to build a strong childcare team.
- Perform additional responsibilities as assigned to advance childcare quality and compliance.
- Service as Lead staff on Saturday shift, once per quarter.
- Adhere to policies related to boundaries with youth.
- Attend required abuse risk management training.
- Adhere to procedures related to managing high-risk activities and supervising youth.
- Report suspicious or inappropriate behaviors and policy violations.
- Follow mandated abuse reporting requirements.
- Follow employee and volunteer screening requirements and use screening instruments to screen for abuse risk.
- Provide employees and volunteers with on-going supervision and training related to abuse risk management.
- Ensure there is a positive culture for responding and reporting for employees and volunteers.
- Provide employees and volunteers with regular feedback regarding their boundaries with youth.
- Require employees and volunteers to adhere to policies and procedures related to abuse risk and prevention.
- Respond quickly to policy and procedure violations using the YMCA's progressive discipline policy.
- Respond seriously and confidentially to reports of suspicious and inappropriate behavior.
- Follow mandated reporting requirements.
- Communicate to all employees and volunteers the YMCA's commitment to zero tolerance of abuse to youth. Report essential abuse risk management information to the Board of Directors.
- Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time, with or without notice.
Cause-Driven Leadership Competencies
- Critical Thinking and Decision Making
- Change Leadership
- Collaboration
- Communication & Influence
