What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Director of Day Camp & Youth Sports position at YMCA of the USA?
Lead unforgettable camp & youth sports programs. Inspire staff. Impact families. Shape a community where kids thrive and belong.
Job Description
At the YMCA, we believe in nurturing the potential of every child, fostering healthy living, and building a sense of community. Our Day Camp and Youth Sports programs are at the heart of that mission, offering safe, enriching, and fun experiences that help children grow and thrive. We’re looking for a dynamic, mission-driven leader to join our team as the Senior Director of Day Camp & Youth Sports — a role critical to shaping the future of our young participants and strengthening our community.
The Senior Director of Day Camp & Youth Sports plays a vital leadership role in overseeing all aspects of our vibrant Day Camp and Youth Sports programs. This includes ensuring the safe operation and instruction of all activities, promoting camp and sports programs to prospective families, and leading a high-performing team of over 100 part-time seasonal staff and a minimum of four full-time directors.
At the Y, every day is an opportunity to make a lasting difference. As the Senior Director of Day Camp & Youth Sports, you will directly impact hundreds of families each year by creating a safe, nurturing, and inspiring environment where young people can learn, grow, and thrive through camp and sports activities. Your leadership will help ensure that every child and adult who comes through our doors feels supported, included, and empowered.
Qualifications
We seek a passionate, organized, and strategic leader with a commitment to the YMCA’s core values. You should bring a strong background in youth programming, staff management, program development, and customer service, along with a deep enthusiasm for creating meaningful experiences that change lives.
Job Description
At the YMCA, we believe in nurturing the potential of every child, fostering healthy living, and building a sense of community. Our Day Camp and Youth Sports programs are at the heart of that mission, offering safe, enriching, and fun experiences that help children grow and thrive. We’re looking for a dynamic, mission-driven leader to join our team as the Senior Director of Day Camp & Youth Sports — a role critical to shaping the future of our young participants and strengthening our community.
The Senior Director of Day Camp & Youth Sports plays a vital leadership role in overseeing all aspects of our vibrant Day Camp and Youth Sports programs. This includes ensuring the safe operation and instruction of all activities, promoting camp and sports programs to prospective families, and leading a high-performing team of over 100 part-time seasonal staff and a minimum of four full-time directors.
At the Y, every day is an opportunity to make a lasting difference. As the Senior Director of Day Camp & Youth Sports, you will directly impact hundreds of families each year by creating a safe, nurturing, and inspiring environment where young people can learn, grow, and thrive through camp and sports activities. Your leadership will help ensure that every child and adult who comes through our doors feels supported, included, and empowered.
Qualifications
We seek a passionate, organized, and strategic leader with a commitment to the YMCA’s core values. You should bring a strong background in youth programming, staff management, program development, and customer service, along with a deep enthusiasm for creating meaningful experiences that change lives.
- Camp leadership experience.
- Bachelor’s degree in a related field, with 3–5 years of hands-on camp programming and staff leadership experience.
- Proven success in managing teams, volunteers, and program budgets with efficiency and vision. A strong commitment to delivering exceptional service and building lasting relationships with youth, parents, and the community.
- Outstanding communication and organizational skills to keep programs running smoothly and participants engaged.
- A passion for modeling the YMCA’s core values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility in everything you do.
- Lead recruitment, training, supervision, and evaluation of 100 part-time day camp staff, a minimum of four full-time Assistant Camp Directors, and part-time Youth Sports staff.
- Design, implement, and continuously improve Day Camp programming, including themed weeks, daily schedules, special events, and school break week programs (December, February, April).
- Manage logistics for field trips, transportation, inclement weather plans, equipment needs, facility maintenance, and camp ceremonies (opening/closing and awards).
- Oversee scheduling, logistics, pick-up and drop-off procedures, and the overall experience for campers and participants.
- Build strong relationships with parents and guardians through daily communication at pick-up/drop-off, updating social media (e.g., camp Facebook page), and organizing camp information nights and open houses.
- Design, organize, promote, and deliver high-quality sports classes, clinics, and leagues for preschoolers, school-aged children, adults, and seniors.
- Prepare, manage, and monitor annual budgets for Day Camp and Youth Sports programs, ensuring efficient use of resources.
- Continually evaluate and improve programs to meet the evolving needs of the community and reflect the YMCA’s commitment to youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.