Director of Child & Youth Programs

COA Youth & Family Centers Job Description

Director of Child & Youth Programs

Department: Programs

FLSA Status: Full time Exempt

Reports to: Chief Programs Officer

Direct reports: Senior Early Education Center Manager, Youth Development Manager, Enrollment & Billing Specialist, Head Start Teachers, Get Kids Ready Teachers

Driver Status: Personal driver

Primary Location: COA Riverwest Center, 909 E Garfield Ave., Milwaukee 53212

Pay: $80,000 annually

Mission: COA Youth & Family Centers nurtures children, supports families, and builds strong and resilient communities - one child, one family, one community at a time.

Summary

The Director of Child & Youth Programs provides leadership, supervision, and operational oversight for designated early childhood education and youth development programs serving children from birth through age 12 at COA Riverwest.

Reporting directly to the Chief Programs Officer, this position is responsible for ensuring that assigned programs deliver high-quality, developmentally appropriate, safe, inclusive, and impactful services that advance COA's mission and meet the evolving needs of children and families.

The Director provides direct supervision, coaching, and accountability to assigned program managers, supporting their professional development while ensuring excellence in program delivery, regulatory compliance, financial stewardship, staff performance, and family engagement.

This is a full time, on-site year-round position eligible for benefits.

Benefits include generous paid time off, health plans (medical, dental, vision), life insurance, Employee Assistance Program, 403(b) retirement plan, 11 paid holidays and a great working environment.

Main Job Responsibilities

Program Leadership and Oversight

· Provide leadership and oversight for assigned early childhood education and youth development programs serving children from birth through age 12.

· Ensure programs operate in alignment with COA's mission, strategic priorities, organizational values, and established policies and procedures.

· Support program managers in implementing high-quality, developmentally appropriate, evidence-informed programming.

· Promote continuity and collaboration between early childhood education and school-age youth development services.

· Monitor program outcomes, enrollment, attendance, participation, and overall effectiveness.

· Identify opportunities to strengthen program quality, efficiency, accessibility, and family satisfaction.

· Work collaboratively with the Chief Programs Officer to establish annual program goals, performance measures, and improvement priorities.

Supervision and Staff Development

· Directly supervise assigned program directors, providing consistent leadership, guidance, coaching, and accountability.

· Conduct regular supervisory meetings, performance evaluations, and professional development planning.

· Support program managers in effectively supervising their respective teams and maintaining a positive, productive workplace culture.

· Assist with recruitment, selection, onboarding, retention, and succession planning for assigned program leadership positions.

· Address performance concerns promptly, fairly, and consistently in collaboration with Human Resources.

· Foster a culture of professionalism, collaboration, inclusion, accountability, and continuous learning.

· Promote staff engagement, professional growth, and leadership development.

Program Quality, Licensing, and Compliance

· Serve as primary liaison and contact for Head Start/Early Head Start programming.

· Ensure assigned programs operate in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations, licensing requirements, contractual obligations, and COA policies.

· Support program managers in preparing for licensing visits, monitoring reviews, audits, and other compliance activities.

· Monitor corrective action plans and ensure identified deficiencies are addressed promptly and effectively.

· Ensure appropriate documentation, recordkeeping, and reporting systems are maintained.

· Collaborate with program directors and organizational leadership to ensure that health, safety, supervision, and child protection requirements are consistently implemented.

· Promote continuous quality improvement through regular program observations, assessments, and performance reviews.

· Immediately elevate significant compliance, child safety, or operational concerns through appropriate organizational channels.

Financial and Operational Accountability

· Provide oversight of assigned program budgets in collaboration with program directors, the Chief Programs Officer, and Finance.

· Monitor expenditures, staffing allocations, enrollment, and program resources to promote financial sustainability.

· Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency without compromising program quality.

· Ensure timely and accurate completion of required program reports and documentation.

Family Engagement and Community Relationships

· Promote welcoming, respectful, inclusive, and family-centered environments throughout assigned programs.

· Support program directors in developing strong relationships with parents, caregivers, and families.

· Assist with the resolution of escalated family concerns in a timely, professional, and solution-oriented manner.

· Promote effective communication with families regarding program expectations, services, and opportunities.

· Support appropriate collaboration with schools, community organizations, and other partners that enhance services to children and families.

· Identify emerging family and community needs and communicate opportunities for program improvement or expansion.

Collaboration and Organizational Leadership

· Serve as a collaborative member of COA's program leadership team.

· Maintain regular communication with the Chief Programs Officer regarding program performance, staffing, compliance, challenges, and opportunities.

· Collaborate with the Chief Operating Officer, Human Resources, Finance, and other organizational departments as appropriate.

Other

· Role model appropriate behavior at all times. This includes developing and maintaining appropriate professional relationships with youth, colleagues, parents, facilitators, community members, etc.

· Represent the program and the agency appropriately to stakeholders and the general public.

· Attend professional development, staff meetings, and conferences, trainings (including weekends and Saturdays) to remain current in industry knowledge.

· Responsible for opening or closing of center and perform opening and closing duties as assigned.