Senior Director of Programs

Strategic Program Leadership & Growth

• Provide strategic direction and coordinated leadership for an assigned portfolio of two or more program departments or service areas.
• Translate association strategy, branch priorities, and community needs into annual program goals, work plans, and measurable outcomes.
• Establish and monitor performance indicators for participation, retention, revenue, quality, access, impact, and participant satisfaction.
• Use program, financial, market, and community data to evaluate performance, identify opportunities, and recommend changes to services or delivery models.
• Guide the development, expansion, improvement, or responsible discontinuation of programs based on mission impact, demand, capacity, quality, and financial performance.

Program Quality, Safety & Risk Management

• Ensure programs meet YMCA standards, association policies, legal and regulatory requirements, licensing requirements, and applicable certification or accreditation standards.
• Establish consistent expectations for program quality, curriculum, participant supervision, documentation, and evaluation across the assigned portfolio.
• Conduct or oversee regular program and safety audits, address findings promptly, and maintain appropriate records and corrective-action plans.
• Partner with branch and association risk, safety, aquatics, human resources, and facilities leaders to manage high-risk activities and strengthen a culture of prevention and accountability.
• Ensure compliance with abuse-prevention practices, employee and volunteer screening, mandated reporting, appropriate boundaries, supervision standards, and incident-response procedures.
• Promote inclusive, accessible, and culturally responsive programs that serve participants from diverse backgrounds and abilities.

Staff Leadership & Development

• Recruit, hire, onboard, supervise, coach, evaluate, and retain program directors and other assigned staff in accordance with YMCA policies and approved staffing plans.
• Clarify decision rights, performance expectations, and accountability for leaders across the assigned program portfolio.
• Develop directors and emerging leaders through regular coaching, feedback, cross-training, stretch assignments, succession planning, and professional development.
• Build a collaborative, inclusive, and results-oriented team culture that supports employee engagement, innovation, and shared problem-solving across departments.
• Ensure staff and volunteers complete required training and maintain credentials appropriate to their roles and program responsibilities.

Financial Management & Performance Accountability

• Lead the development and management of operating budgets and business plans for all departments within the assigned portfolio.
• Review monthly financial results, forecasts, enrollment, staffing ratios, and other operating measures; partner with program leaders to address variances and meet approved targets.
• Optimize revenue, expenses, staffing, schedules, space, and other resources while protecting program quality, safety, access, and mission impact.
• Evaluate program pricing and financial-assistance practices in partnership with branch and association leadership.
• Identify program-related grant or sponsorship opportunities and coordinate with the appropriate development and association leaders as assigned.

Participant, Member & Community Experience

• Champion a consistent, welcoming, and relationship-centered experience for program participants, members, families, guests, staff, and volunteers.
• Partner with membership, wellness, and other program leaders to create effective referrals, handoffs, onboarding practices, and pathways that connect people to the full YMCA experience.
• Use participant feedback, satisfaction measures, retention data, and service-recovery trends to strengthen program delivery and relationships.
• Cultivate program-specific relationships with schools, agencies, leagues, vendors, and community organizations that expand access, improve quality, or advance shared community outcomes.
• Represent assigned programs in community meetings and partnerships as requested by the Executive Director.

Collaboration, Communication & Operational Effectiveness

• Serve as a member of the branch leadership team and collaborate with the Executive Director and peer leaders on branch strategy, culture, communication, and operational priorities.
• Partner with association leaders and peers across branches to implement consistent standards, share best practices, coordinate resources, and strengthen program innovation.
• Collaborate with Marketing & Communications to promote programs accurately, communicate YMCA impact, and support participant recruitment and engagement.
• Ensure effective use of approved systems for registration, scheduling, rosters, attendance, billing, reporting, and data integrity.
• Coordinate with facilities and property teams to support safe, clean, functional, and appropriately scheduled program spaces and equipment.
• Prepare and present clear reports, recommendations, and updates regarding program performance, risks, opportunities, and outcomes.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of branch and association priorities.

Other Expectations

• Adhere to policies related to boundaries with consumers.
• Attend/complete required abuse risk management training
• Adhere to procedures related to managing high-risk activities and supervising consumers.
• Follow mandated reporting requirements.
• Adhere to job specific abuse risk management responsibilities.
  • Maintenance Employees-ensure unused rooms and closets remain locked; routinely monitor high-risk locations (locker-rooms and bathrooms), etc.
  • Front Desk Personnel- ensure consumers are properly signed in and out, ensure only authorized adults are allowed in the facility, etc.
• Follow employees and volunteers screening requirements and use screening instruments to screen for abuse risk.
• Provide employees and volunteers with ongoing supervision and training related to abuse risk.
• Provide employees and volunteers with regular feedback regarding their boundaries with consumers.
• Require employees and volunteers to adhere to policies and procedures related to abuse risk.
• Respond quickly to policy and procedure violations using the organization’s progressive disciplinary procedures.
• Respond seriously and confidentially to reports of suspicious and inappropriate behaviors.
• Follow mandated reporting requirements.
• Communicate to all employees and volunteers the organization’s commitment to protect their consumer from abuse.
• Report essential abuse risk management information to the board of directors.