Sports Director

POSITION SUMMARY:

This position supports the work of the Y, a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Under the guidance from the Healthy Living Director, the Sports Director is responsible for promotion, supervision, and evaluation of the Adult and Youth Sports programming and areas. This position develops, plans, and implements procedures and methods regarding all aspects of sports & wellness programming.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Directs, supervises, expands, and maintains all aspects of the Youth and Adult Sports and related program activities within the community in accordance with strategic and operating plans to meet YMCA objectives.
2. Recruits, hires, trains, develops, schedules, evaluates, and directs Sports staff and volunteers as needed. Ensuring coverage in all areas and filling in where necessary. Develops strategies to motivate staff and achieve goals.
3. Ensures proper implementation of sport and area procedures. Reviews and updates desk procedures and communicates changes to staff. Coordinates with the business office as necessary on financial transactions.
4. Greet and assist all members, potential members, volunteers, and staff in a courteous, professional, and friendly manner. Be enthusiastic towards members by learning their names and expressing an interest in their YMCA activities. Strive to enrich their YMCA experience by introducing them to new programs, staff, members, and volunteer activities.
5. Maintain, purchase, and coordinate maintenance and repairs for Sport equipment and supplies as required.
6. Maintain working knowledge of wellness and sport trends to provide effective information and support to members.
7. Develop and keep up to date all internal communication that is related to sports programs and operations.
8. Work closely with the Communications Director on marketing/promotions to ensure consistent messaging around the Y as a cause-driven charitable organization.
9. Maintain a working knowledge of the YMCA rules, policies, and emergency procedures and act as the control center for the gymnasiums and sport areas during emergency situations.
10. Secures and schedules athletic fields and facilities. Transports and sets up equipment for games and practices; monitors and purchases necessary sporting equipment as budget permits.
11. Creates teams; develops and distributes team practice and game schedules; trains and schedules sports officials and coaches; develops and distributes rules, guidelines, and handbooks; purchases and distributes team uniforms and awards; coordinates team photographs; organizes and hosts season parties and events; organizes and conducts sports clinics.
12. Assists in the marketing and distribution of youth sports program information, may organize and schedule program registrations. May review and process program scholarship applications.  Solicit corporate sponsors for youth, adult, special events/services and senior programming per annual fiscal budget.
13. Designs, creates, schedules, implements, conducts, assists, and maintains health and wellness programing including but not limited to: Training Center and Youth Exercise Orientations, Fitness Challenges, Special Events, Fundraising Events, etc.
14. Greet and assist all members, potential members, volunteers, and staff in a courteous, professional, and friendly manner. Be enthusiastic towards members by learning their names and expressing an interest in their YMCA activities. Strive to enrich their YMCA experience by introducing them to new programs, staff, members, and volunteer activities.
15. Respond to members' needs. Contact appropriate personnel when necessary. Handle complaints in a courteous manner. Effectively negotiate and resolve customer service problems.
16. Ensures programs and services meet community needs to include supervising existing program activities, establishing new program activities, and expanding the program within the community as needed. Assists in the marketing and distribution of program information.
17. Compiles program statistics. Monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of and participation in program, making changes as necessary.
18. Works in conjunction with the Director of Program Services and Membership Director in implementing membership onboarding initiatives.
19. Works in conjunction with the Physical Director in the implementation of sports programming and events.
20. Assist other staff as needed and perform other duties as assigned.

YMCA COMPETENCIES:

Mission Advancement: Models and teaches the Ys values. Ensures a high level of service with a commitment to changing lives. Provides volunteers with orientation, training, development, and recognition. Cultivates relationships to support fund-raising.

Collaboration: Champions inclusion activities, strategies, and initiatives. Builds relationships to create small communities. Empathetically listens and communicates for understanding when negotiating and dealing with conflict. Effectively tailors communications to the appropriate audience. Provides staff with feedback, coaching, guidance and support.

Operational Effectiveness: Provides others with frameworks for making decisions. Conducts prototypes to support the launching of programs and activities. Develops plans and manages best practices through engagement of team. Effectively creates and manages budgets.

Holds staff accountable for high-quality results using a formal process to measure progress.

Personal Growth: Shares new insights. Facilitates change; models adaptability and an awareness of the impact of change. Utilizes non-threatening methods to address sensitive issues and inappropriate behavior or performance. Has the functional and technical knowledge and skills required to perform well; uses best practices and demonstrates up-to-date knowledge and skills in technology.

QUALIFICATIONS:

1. At least 21 years of age required.
2. Bachelor's degree in related field preferred or equivalent combination of education and experience.
3. Minimum of 1 year customer service and supervisory experience preferred or equivalent combination of related education and experience.
4. Certifications required within 30 days of hire: CPR/AED and First Aid.
5. Excellent interpersonal, coaching, and problem-solving skills.
6. Excellent personal computer skills and experience with standard business software.
7. Ability to be available weeknights and weekends to accommodate, supervise, and ensure coverage for programming.
8. Ability to relate effectively to diverse groups of people from all social and economic segments of the community.
9. Must become familiar with YMCA rules and policies within 30 days of employment. Strong verbal communication skills are required due to regular interaction with members, participants, volunteers, and staff.

WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use a computer for extended periods of time and be able to communicate using a computer and phone/smart device.
• The employee frequently is required to sit and reach and must be able to move around the work environment.
• The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, and talk and hear.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move at least 50 pounds. 
• Sufficient strength, agility, and mobility to perform essential functions and to supervise program activities in a wide variety of indoor and outdoor locations. In this position, this person will not frequently be required to work in outside weather conditions.
• May frequently be exposed to high levels of exertion due to exercise, moderate noise levels from music, and wet and/or humid environments.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.
• Acute hearing skills are required. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Success in this role includes focusing on the following key outcomes:

• Growth and retention in youth and adult sports participation
• Participant and family satisfaction and engagement
• Program quality, consistency, and safety
• Staff and volunteer engagement, retention, and performance
• Effective scheduling and program execution
• Budget adherence and responsible use of resources
• Strong community partnerships and program visibility
• Timely and professional resolution of participant concerns
• Contribution to organizational goals, initiatives, and mission impact