Senior Director of Youth Development

About Asphalt Green 

Asphalt Green is a nonprofit organization that transforms lives and builds community through sports, fitness, and play for all. Across our sports, aquatics, fitness, camps, and community programs, our staff help New Yorkers of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities access high-quality movement, wellness, and communitdey-centered programming. 

 

About the Role 

The Senior Director, Youth Development helps lead and strengthen Asphalt Green’s youth development programs across camp, adaptive, school-based, community, and entry-level sports programs. 

In this role, you will manage and coach program leaders, build shared standards, improve program quality, and help create a consistent, welcoming, and developmentally supportive experience for young people and families across Asphalt Green programs. 

This position is a good fit for a people-centered leader who has deep youth development experience, understands how to manage teams across multiple programs or sites, and can turn big ideas into clear systems that staff can actually use.   
 
This is a great role for someone with proven youth development leadership experience on a large scale, as opposed to theoretical experience.  

 

Why This Role Matters 

Youth programs are a major part of Asphalt Green’s mission and community impact. This role helps make sure those programs are well-run, inclusive, safe, engaging, and connected to the needs of young people, families, schools, and community partners. 

The Senior Director, Youth Development, will help build a stronger youth development ecosystem by supporting Program Directors, improving consistency across programs, strengthening participant pathways, and using feedback and data to improve the experience over time. 

 

What You’ll Do 

Youth Development Strategy and Program Quality 

• Provide strategic leadership for youth development programs, including camp, adaptive, school-based, community, and entry-level sports programs. 

• Create and uphold a shared youth development framework that supports access, inclusion, quality, and age-appropriate growth across programs. 

• Help program leaders align their work with Asphalt Green’s mission, values, instructional standards, and community needs. 

• Strengthen participant pathways so young people can enter programs, stay engaged, build skills, and move into more advanced opportunities when appropriate. 

• Identify ways to improve program quality, consistency, and participant experience across a high-volume, multi-site portfolio. 

Team Management, Coaching, and Leadership Development 

• Lead, coach, and support Program Directors and staff across the youth development portfolio. 

• Set clear expectations for program leaders and help them understand what strong program delivery looks like. 

• Build leadership capacity by providing regular feedback, practical tools, coaching, and follow-through. 

• Help teams work through challenges related to staffing, communication, participant needs, program quality, and daily operations. 

• Foster a culture of inclusion, excellence, accountability, and care that reflects Asphalt Green’s values in daily practice. 

Access, Inclusion, and Participant Impact 

• Champion program design that is welcoming and accessible to young people of different backgrounds, cultures, abilities, and experience levels. 

• Support adaptive and access-based initiatives that help reduce barriers to participation. 

• Work with program leaders to define clear outcomes for participation, retention, program quality, and youth development impact. 

• Partner with the Data team to support tracking, evaluation, and learning cycles that guide continuous improvement. 

• Use participant, family, staff, and community feedback to make thoughtful decisions and strengthen program effectiveness. 

Cross-Team Alignment and Operations 

• Build alignment across youth development, competitive athletics, operations, finance, data, marketing, and development teams. 

• Help teams use shared systems, standards, and expectations while still allowing programs to respond to their specific communities. 

• Serve as a key advisor to the Chief Program Officer on youth development strategy, program performance, and long-term planning. 

• Support planning and coordination across multiple locations and program areas. 

• Balance mission impact, participant experience, staffing realities, and sustainable program models. 

Partnerships, Storytelling, and Sustainability 

• Build and strengthen partnerships with schools, community organizations, nonprofits, public agencies, and other youth-serving partners. 

• Provide program insight to the Development team to support funding, sustainability, and grant-related storytelling. 

• Partner with Marketing to communicate Asphalt Green’s youth development philosophy, program value, and community impact. 

• Represent Asphalt Green with partners, funders, and sector peers when appropriate. 

 

What Success Looks Like 

• Program Directors feel supported, clear on expectations, and accountable for results. 

• Youth programs have more consistent standards, stronger communication, and clearer participant pathways. 

• Young people and families experience programs as welcoming, organized, inclusive, and developmentally appropriate. 

• Leaders across departments are better aligned around youth development goals, staffing needs, program quality, and operational realities. 

• Data, feedback, and staff insight are used to make thoughtful decisions instead of relying only on assumptions. 

• Partnerships, funder conversations, and public-facing stories clearly reflect Asphalt Green’s youth development impact. 

 

Who You’ll Work With 

• Chief Program Officer 

• Programs leadership team 

• Program Directors and youth development staff 

• Seasonal, part-time, and full-time program teams 

• Camp, adaptive, school-based, community, and sports program leaders 

• Young people, families, schools, and community partners 

• Data, Marketing, Development, Finance, Operations, and Competitive Athletics teams 

• Funders, public agencies, and external partners, when appropriate 

 

Required Qualifications 

You’ll need: 

• 8 to 10 years of progressive leadership experience in youth development or a related field such as education, recreation, sports, camp, community programming, or health and wellness. 

• Experience leading large-scale or high-volume youth programs, such as camps, after-school programs, school-based programs, community access initiatives, or multi-site programs. 

• Experience managing, coaching, and developing program leaders, including full-time, part-time, or seasonal staff. 

• Strong understanding of youth development principles, inclusive program design, and age-appropriate programming. 

• Experience supporting programs that serve young people with different backgrounds, abilities, needs, and experience levels. 

• Ability to build partnerships with schools, nonprofits, municipalities, public agencies, or community organizations. 

• Strong communication, planning, and problem-solving skills. 

• Financial and operational awareness, including the ability to balance mission impact with sustainable program models. 

• Commitment to Asphalt Green’s mission of advancing health, fitness, and personal growth through sport, fitness, and play for all. 

 

Preferred Qualifications 

It would be helpful if you also have: 

• Experience with adaptive programming, access-based initiatives, or inclusive sports programming. 

• Experience working in a nonprofit, community-based, school-based, sports, recreation, or youth-serving organization. 

• Experience using data, feedback, or program evaluation to improve youth programs. 

• Experience supporting grant-funded programs, funder reporting, or partnership-based programming. 

• Experience building program standards, staff training tools, leadership frameworks, or participant pathways. 

• Familiarity with CRM, registration, payroll, scheduling, or data systems used in program operations. 

• Bilingual or multilingual skills. 

 

Schedule and Work Environment 

This role is based at Asphalt Green’s Upper East Side / HQ location and includes travel to various program locations as needed. 

The position is in person 3 to 4 days per week, with opportunities for remote work 1 to 2 days per week based on organizational and program needs. 

The work environment may include office settings, program sites, school or community partner locations, athletic spaces, camp environments, meetings, events, and occasional external partner engagements. 

This schedule is important because the role supports leaders, programs, participants, and partners across a high-volume, multi-site youth development portfolio. 

 

Physical Requirements 

This role may require the ability to: 

• Work in office, program, athletic, school, community, and event environments. 

• Travel between Asphalt Green locations and partner sites as needed. 

• Stand, walk, sit, bend, or move through program spaces for meetings, observations, and events. 

• Use a computer and other office technology for extended periods. 

• Participate in program visits, staff meetings, community events, and other activities connected to the role. 

• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the role. 

 

Benefits and Perks 

Asphalt Green offers benefits and perks that support our employees inside and outside of work. 

For Full-Time Eligible Employees 

• Complimentary Asphalt Green membership. 

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits. 

• Paid holidays, vacation, and sick time. 

• Hybrid work eligibility for eligible roles. 

• Voluntary insurance options, including short and long-term disability, critical accident, and life insurance. 

• Plum Benefits discount program. 

• Commuter benefits and parking discounts at UES and BPC. 

• 401(k). 

• Medical FSA and Dependent Care FSA options. 

Benefits may vary based on employment status, schedule, and eligibility. 

 

Growth at Asphalt Green 

At Asphalt Green, employees have the opportunity to build skills, gain hands-on experience, and grow within a mission-driven organization. 

• Lead youth development work across a broad and high-impact program portfolio. 

• Develop and coach leaders across camp, adaptive, school-based, community, and sports programs. 

• Build organization-wide frameworks, standards, and tools that can shape how Asphalt Green serves young people over time. 

• Collaborate with senior leaders across Programs, Operations, Data, Development, Marketing, Finance, and Athletics. 

• Contribute to programs that support New Yorkers across different ages, backgrounds, and abilities. 

 

Hiring Process 

After applying, qualified candidates may be invited to participate in a phone screen, one or more interviews with the hiring team, and a final conversation with senior leadership. The process may include a discussion of leadership approach, youth development experience, team management experience, and program strategy. 

The hiring process may vary by department and position. 

 

Equal Opportunity Statement 

Asphalt Green is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building an inclusive workplace and welcoming people of different backgrounds, experiences, cultures, identities, and abilities. 

We encourage qualified candidates to apply, even if they do not meet every preferred qualification listed.

Qualifications:

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES

• Youth Development Strategist: Applies research and best practices to build inclusive, developmentally appropriate program models.
• Systems Builder: Designs frameworks and standards that support consistency, quality, and scalability.
• Equity-Centered Leader: Champions access, inclusion, and community relevance across all programs.
• Data-Informed Decision Maker: Uses evidence, insights, and feedback to guide strategy and improvement.
• Collaborative Leader: Builds trust, alignment, and shared purpose across teams and stakeholders.
• Effective Communicator: Clearly articulates vision, expectations, and impact at all levels of the organization.

 

Required Qualifications 

You’ll need: 

• 8 to 10 years of progressive leadership experience in youth development or a related field such as education, recreation, sports, camp, community programming, or health and wellness. 

• Experience leading large-scale or high-volume youth programs, such as camps, after-school programs, school-based programs, community access initiatives, or multi-site programs. 

• Experience managing, coaching, and developing program leaders, including full-time, part-time, or seasonal staff. 

• Strong understanding of youth development principles, inclusive program design, and age-appropriate programming. 

• Experience supporting programs that serve young people with different backgrounds, abilities, needs, and experience levels. 

• Ability to build partnerships with schools, nonprofits, municipalities, public agencies, or community organizations. 

• Strong communication, planning, and problem-solving skills. 

• Financial and operational awareness, including the ability to balance mission impact with sustainable program models. 

• Commitment to Asphalt Green’s mission of advancing health, fitness, and personal growth through sport, fitness, and play for all. 

 

Preferred Qualifications 

It would be helpful if you also have: 

• Experience with adaptive programming, access-based initiatives, or inclusive sports programming. 

• Experience working in a nonprofit, community-based, school-based, sports, recreation, or youth-serving organization. 

• Experience using data, feedback, or program evaluation to improve youth programs. 

• Experience supporting grant-funded programs, funder reporting, or partnership-based programming. 

• Experience building program standards, staff training tools, leadership frameworks, or participant pathways. 

• Familiarity with CRM, registration, payroll, scheduling, or data systems used in program operations. 

• Bilingual or multilingual skills. 

 

Schedule and Work Environment 

This role is based at Asphalt Green’s Upper East Side / HQ location and includes travel to various program locations as needed. 

The position is in person 3 to 4 days per week, with opportunities for remote work 1 to 2 days per week based on organizational and program needs. 

The work environment may include office settings, program sites, school or community partner locations, athletic spaces, camp environments, meetings, events, and occasional external partner engagements. 

This schedule is important because the role supports leaders, programs, participants, and partners across a high-volume, multi-site youth development portfolio. 

 

Physical Requirements 

This role may require the ability to: 

• Work in office, program, athletic, school, community, and event environments. 

• Travel between Asphalt Green locations and partner sites as needed. 

• Stand, walk, sit, bend, or move through program spaces for meetings, observations, and events. 

• Use a computer and other office technology for extended periods. 

• Participate in program visits, staff meetings, community events, and other activities connected to the role. 

• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the role

Salary : $135,000 - $150,000