Director of Family Engagement

YMCA of Greenville • Greenville, SC

10h

About The Position

The Director of Family Engagement is an association-wide strategic leader at the YMCA of Greenville, reporting directly to the Vice President of Youth & Family Services. The position strengthens family programming and childcare quality across the association and helps ensure programs reflect the YMCA mission, meet applicable standards, and provide a consistent experience for children, families, members, and community partners. The role is divided approximately equally between family engagement and childcare leadership. It leads the Youth and Family Services Advancing our Cause (AOC) group and works closely with branch and association leaders.

Approximately half of the role focuses on developing family engagement opportunities, new programs, community partnerships, and Adventure Guides. The other half focuses on safe, high-quality childcare operations through training, observation, audits, policy development, and support for branches. The director also contributes to strategic planning, budgeting, annual goal setting, cross-functional projects, and leadership reporting.

The position requires regular travel among YMCA locations and community partner sites, with schedule flexibility for some evenings and weekends during events and the Adventure Guides season. The work involves frequent movement through branches, childcare settings, camp environments, and community sites; regular in-person, phone, and electronic communication; use of standard office and program equipment; occasional lifting or moving of materials up to 25 pounds; and possible outdoor work or work in variable program environments.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in education, human services, early childhood education, recreation, business, or a related field; an equivalent combination of relevant education, training, and progressively responsible experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• At least five years of progressive leadership experience in childcare, youth development, family programming, camp, or a related field.
• At least three years of supervisory or multi-site leadership experience.
• Demonstrated ability to build community relationships and collaborate effectively with diverse internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong strategic thinking, project management, coaching, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to travel regularly among YMCA locations and community partner sites.
• Schedule flexibility, including some evenings and weekends during events and the Adventure Guides season.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and willingness to learn YMCA systems for program, participant, and reporting needs.
• Must complete New Staff Orientation, BBP/Child Abuse Prevention, and CPR/First Aid/AED training within 30 days of employment.
• Must follow job-specific abuse risk management and child protection requirements, including mandated reporting.

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated knowledge of childcare licensing requirements, child protection practices, YMCA standards, and applicable camp or afterschool standards.
• Experience developing programs, leading training, conducting quality reviews, and using data to guide operational or strategic decisions.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement an association-wide family programming strategy that expands family engagement, strengthens member value, and supports sustainable revenue growth.
• Lead the design, launch, evaluation, and continuous improvement of family programs, events, and services in collaboration with branches and association partners.
• Partner with membership and branch leaders to improve family membership experiences, communications, participation, connection, perceived value, and retention.
• Lead Adventure Guides during the program season, including strategic planning, volunteer and family engagement, program quality, risk management, community visibility, and coordination with its advisory structure.
• Build relationships with schools, community organizations, civic partners, and other stakeholders to identify family needs, increase access, and develop collaborative programming.
• Monitor participation, retention, satisfaction, revenue, and other data and use findings to recommend program improvements, promotion, expansion, or redesign.
• Identify relevant YMCA of the USA, local, and national trends in family engagement, youth development, camp, and healthy living, and translate applicable practices into association initiatives.
• Support connections between branch family programming and Camp Greenville, including program development, seasonal planning, staff training, and family referrals or engagement opportunities.
• Provide association-wide leadership for childcare and Youth and Family Services quality, including After School Child Care, Summer Day Camp, Preschool, Child Watch, and other applicable youth programs.
• Lead the Youth & Family Services AOC and facilitate collaboration among branch leaders to set common priorities, share practices, resolve operational barriers, and advance a consistent YMCA experience.
• Create and deliver training for childcare and youth-program staff and leaders on onboarding, program standards, child protection, customer and family service, behavior guidance, supervision, curriculum, and role-specific competencies.
• Conduct branch visits, observations, file and program audits, and follow-up reviews to assess quality, safety, staffing practices, compliance, and family experience; provide coaching and corrective support as needed.
• Work with branch leadership to ensure childcare programs meet or exceed YMCA standards, licensing requirements, school-partner expectations, and other relevant regulatory or contractual requirements.
• Lead or support camp programming and camp-related training, using branch operations and family feedback to improve quality, readiness, and consistency.
• Partner with branch leaders on staffing, development, and retention for youth and childcare teams, including selection, onboarding, performance expectations, and leadership development.
• Collaborate with the Vice President of Youth & Family Services on senior-leadership reporting about outcomes, risks, quality trends, strategic opportunities, and resource needs.
• Advance the YMCA mission, values, and commitment to belonging, inclusion, safety, and child protection in all programs and relationships.
• Develop productive working relationships with branch executives, operations directors, Youth & Family Services leaders, staff, volunteers, parents, members, schools, and community partners.
• Participate in strategic planning, budgeting, annual goal setting, and cross-functional projects supporting youth development, family engagement, membership, and community impact.
• Communicate program expectations, progress, and decisions clearly to frontline staff, leaders, volunteers, families, and external partners.
• Follow abuse risk management and child protection policies, including required training, boundaries, supervision, screening, mandated reporting, response to policy violations and suspicious behavior, and communication of the organization's commitment to protection.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support the YMCA's mission and operational needs.

Benefits

• Instant access to earned wages before payday.
• 12% retirement contribution once fully vested.
• 403(b) retirement savings plan.
• Separate paid sick and vacation leave.
• Medical benefits.
• Company-paid dental, vision, and life insurance.
• 11 company-paid holidays.
• Household membership to the YMCA of Greenville.
• 50% discount on programs, including childcare, sports, aquatics, and personal training.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director