Regional Director of Youth Development
Description
The Regional Director of Youth Development provides leadership and direct operational oversight for licensed and non-licensed Out-of-School Time (OST) programs and youth development initiatives across Providence and Cranston, while also providing leadership oversight for the Manton Heights Early Learning Center.
For Providence and Cranston OST programs, the Regional Director serves as the primary operational leader and directly supervises site-level staff. The position is responsible for the day-to-day and long-range management of programs, including staffing, scheduling, program quality, enrollment, family communication, licensing compliance, budgeting, school partnerships, grant implementation, and problem-solving across multiple locations.
At the Manton Heights Early Learning Center, the Regional Director supervises and supports the Childcare Director, who is responsible for the center's day-to-day administration and early childhood operations. The Regional Director maintains accountability for overall program performance, enrollment, financial sustainability, quality, partnership commitments, and alignment with YMCA and organizational expectations.
The Regional Director works closely with YMCA leadership, school districts, state agencies, community partners, funders, staff, and families to expand access, strengthen program quality, and ensure sustainable youth development and early learning programs.
OUR CULTURE:
Our mission and core values are brought to life by our culture. In the Y, we strive to live our cause of strengthening communities with purpose and intentionality every day. We are welcoming: we are open to all. We are a place where you can belong and become. We are genuine: we value you and embrace your individuality. We are hopeful: we believe in you and your potential to become a catalyst in the world. We are nurturing: we support you in your journey to develop your full potential. We are determined: above all else, we are on a relentless quest to make our community stronger, beginning with you.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
OST Program Leadership & Operations
- Provide direct operational leadership for licensed and non-licensed OST programs across Providence and Cranston.
- Directly supervise site-level program staff and maintain a visible, hands-on presence across program locations.
- Recruit, hire, onboard, train, schedule, supervise, coach, and evaluate OST staff.
- Develop and manage staffing plans that ensure appropriate coverage, licensing compliance, program continuity, and responsible management of personnel costs.
- Provide direct support and problem-solving for staffing shortages, family concerns, behavioral issues, school partner concerns, transportation challenges, and other day-to-day operational needs.
- Ensure programs are appropriately staffed and prepared for school days, full-day programs, vacation weeks, summer programming, and special events.
- Develop and implement high-quality programming that supports youth development outcomes and aligns with YMCA standards, school partnerships, grant requirements, and community needs.
- Monitor program quality through regular site visits, staff observation, participation data, outcome tracking, and continuous improvement practices.
- Ensure consistent systems and expectations across sites while responding to the unique operational needs of individual schools and communities.
Enrollment & Family Engagement
- Drive enrollment, retention, and program growth across Providence and Cranston OST programs.
- Monitor site-level enrollment and capacity and adjust staffing and program strategies accordingly.
- Work collaboratively with enrollment and account support staff to ensure timely registration, family communication, financial assistance, and CCAP processes.
- Maintain strong communication with families and provide leadership in resolving escalated concerns.
- Support family and community engagement activities that strengthen relationships, increase participation, and connect families to YMCA programs and resources.
Manton Heights Early Learning Oversight
- Provide leadership and organizational oversight for the Manton Heights Early Learning Center.
- Directly supervise, coach, and evaluate the Childcare Director, who is responsible for the center's day-to-day administration and early childhood operations.
- Establish performance expectations and monitor progress related to enrollment, staffing, program quality, licensing, family engagement, financial performance, and partnership commitments.
- Support the Childcare Director in addressing significant staffing, compliance, family, or operational challenges and serve as an escalation point when needed.
- Ensure the center maintains alignment with RI DHS licensing requirements, BrightStars quality standards, Rhode Island Early Learning and Development Standards (RIELDS), YMCA standards, quality improvement expectations, and organizational policies.
- Maintain a strong working relationship with the Providence Housing Authority and other partners supporting the Manton Heights Early Learning Center.
- Support the long-term growth, quality improvement, and financial sustainability of the center.
Compliance & Quality Assurance
- Ensure Providence and Cranston OST programs comply with RI DHS licensing requirements, YMCA policies, child protection standards, grant requirements, and applicable school district expectations.
- Maintain systems to monitor staff qualifications, background checks, certifications, required training, program documentation, and site schedules.
- Maintain direct responsibility for addressing licensing and compliance concerns within OST programs and implementing corrective actions when needed.
- Provide oversight and accountability for licensing and quality compliance at Manton Heights in partnership with the Childcare Director.
- Promote a culture of safety, accountability, inclusion, and continuous quality improvement across all programs.
Fiscal & Administrative Management
- Develop and manage program budgets and monitor revenue, expenses, payroll, enrollment, and financial performance across the region.
- Adjust staffing and operating practices as needed to maintain program quality and financial sustainability.
- Ensure accurate attendance, registration, billing, documentation, purchasing, and reporting practices.
- Oversee implementation and reporting for grants and publicly funded initiatives.
- Identify opportunities to share staff, resources, supplies, and services across programs.
- Work closely with Finance, Human Resources, Facilities, Marketing, Development and other association departments to support effective program operations.
School & Community Partnerships
- Serve as the primary YMCA relationship manager for key Providence and Cranston school and community partnerships.
- Maintain regular communication with principals, district leadership, school personnel, and community partners.
- Represent the YMCA in school, community, funder, and government meetings.
- Develop partnerships and enrichment opportunities that expand services and strengthen outcomes for youth and families.
- Identify opportunities for new programs, funding, and strategic growth within the region.
Regional & Organizational Leadership
- Balance direct operational responsibility for OST programs with broader regional planning and leadership.
- Establish systems and expectations that create consistency across multiple program sites while maintaining responsiveness to individual communities.
- Analyze enrollment, staffing, financial, quality, and outcome data to inform decisions and resource allocation.
- Participate in association-wide planning, fundraising, community events, and organizational initiatives.
- Serve as a collaborative member of the YMCA's leadership team and contribute to the development of youth-serving strategies across the association.
- Maintain flexibility to provide direct program support, including occasional evening and weekend responsibilities.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES:
Engaging Community: Builds bridges with others in the community to ensure the Y's work is community-focused and welcoming of all, providing community benefit.
Inclusion: Values all people for their unique talents and takes an active role in promoting practices that support diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as cultural competence.
Communication: Listens and expresses self effectively and in a manner that reflects a true understanding of the needs of the audience. Understands and expertly utilizes current methods of communication.
Critical Thinking & Decision Making: Integrates logic, intuition, and sound judgment to analyze information to identify greatest opportunities, make sound decisions, and solve problems.
Project Management: Supports goal attainment by prioritizing activities, assigning responsibilities in accordance with capabilities, monitoring progress, and evaluating progress.
Emotional Maturity: Demonstrates ability to understand and manage emotions effectively in all situations.
Developing Self & Others: Recognizes and acts on the need to continually develop others' capabilities to attain the highest level of performance possible.
Change Capacity: Leads self and others through change by navigating ambiguity appropriately and adapting well to new situations, obstacles, and opportunities.
Quality Results: Demonstrates and fosters a strong commitment to achieving goals in a manner that provides evidence-based quality experiences.
Innovation: Participates in the generation, experimentation, and implementation of new approaches and activities that improve and expand the Y's mission and work.
Functional Expertise: Demonstrates advanced knowledge of youth development operations, licensing, staff leadership, financial management, program quality, and community partnerships and effectively applies that knowledge across multiple programs and locations.
POSITION QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor's degree in education, child development, human services, recreation, nonprofit management, or a related field from an accredited institution required.
- Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in youth development, early childhood education, Out-of-School Time, education, or a related field.
- Demonstrated experience supervising staff and providing leadership across multiple programs or locations strongly preferred.
- Experience managing program budgets, staffing models, enrollment, and financial performance.
- Demonstrated knowledge of licensed childcare or OST operations and applicable regulatory requirements.
- Experience developing and maintaining partnerships with schools, community organizations, government agencies, funders, and families.
- Strong organizational, communication, conflict resolution, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
- Ability to balance strategic leadership with hands-on operational support.
- Ability to analyze program and financial data and translate information into operational decisions.
- Must possess oral, auditory, and written communication skills appropriate for interacting with children, families, staff, community partners, and organizational leadership.
- Required YMCA, child protection, licensing, health and safety, and lifesaving certifications must be obtained and maintained within established organizational and regulatory timelines.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
- Work is performed across YMCA facilities, childcare centers, schools, community-based program locations, and administrative settings. Regular travel between program sites throughout Providence and Cranston is required.
- Position requires regular attendance at meetings and events at multiple off-site locations and occasional evening and weekend responsibilities.
- Sufficient strength, agility and mobility to perform essential functions of the position and to safely support youth programming when needed.
- Visual acuity is required for reading computer screens and/or documents and making changes as necessary/required.
- This job requires high levels of alertness and concentration. This position requires analytical abilities and multitasking in order to identify problems and recommend solutions.
- This job requires accuracy and attention to detail, organizational and time management skills, while maintaining high levels of initiative in order to work within deadlines.
- Occasional stooping and bending with regular lifting of up to 20 pounds is required.
- The incumbent must be able to sit and stand for long periods of time, and the ability to manipulate keyboards, telephone keypads, and writing utensils is essential.