Executive Director of Healthy Living

ABOUT US  

The YMCA of Western North Carolina is a mission-driven nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Since 1889, we have served as a trusted community partner, engaging more than 100,000 people each year through seven YMCA branches, dozens of program sites, YMCA Camp Watia in Bryson City, NC, and the state's largest licensed school-age childcare program. Guided by our core values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility, we are committed to creating welcoming, inclusive communities and advancing our work as a multicultural and for all organization. Just as inspiring as our mission is the place we call home. Nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Western North Carolina offers an exceptional quality of life with breathtaking natural beauty, endless outdoor recreation, vibrant arts and culture, award-winning restaurants, excellent schools, and a strong sense of community. Whether you're drawn by the opportunity to make a meaningful impact through your work or the chance to enjoy an active, family-friendly lifestyle, the YMCA of Western North Carolina offers the opportunity to build both a rewarding career and a fulfilling life in one of the country's most remarkable regions. For more information, please visit ymcawnc.org.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Under the direction of the Senior Vice President of Operations and in partnership with peers across the Association, the Executive Director provides strategic leadership for the YMCA of Western North Carolina's wellness programming and Healthy Living service line.

This position is responsible for developing and executing a forward-looking wellness strategy that strengthens the member experience, increases participation and engagement, drives program quality and revenue growth, and positions the YMCA as the leading community resource for health and well-being.

The Executive Director leads fitness innovation across the Association by identifying emerging trends, testing and scaling innovative approaches, leveraging data and technology, developing strategic partnerships, and ensuring high-quality and consistent programming across YMCA centers.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

1. Wellness Strategy, Innovation and Growth

• Provides strategic, data-informed leadership for the Association's Healthy Living service line, aligning priorities with organizational resources, community needs, and evolving member expectations.
• Identifies emerging health, fitness, wellness, consumer, and technology trends and translates them into opportunities for innovation, differentiation, and growth.
• Evaluates the Wellness program portfolio and leads the development, testing, scaling, redesign, or discontinuation of programs and services based on data, member feedback, and future potential.
• Develops strategies to grow participation and revenue by leveraging all available resources and by working across other services lines.
• Creates a culture of innovation and continuous improvement that keeps the YMCA responsive to changing consumer behaviors, community demographics, and the future of wellness.

2. Wellness Experience and Program Quality

• Establishes and monitors Association-wide standards for a welcoming, inclusive, relationship-driven wellness experience across all wellness programs and services.
• Partners with center Executive Directors and service-line leaders to ensure consistent execution of standards while remaining responsive to individual community needs.
• Develops strategies that connect wellness participants to the broader YMCA experience, strengthening member engagement, satisfaction, and long-term retention.
• Uses member feedback, performance data, and industry best practices to identify opportunities that drive continuous improvement.
• Ensures wellness programs, equipment and spaces are accessible and engaging for individuals across ages, abilities, backgrounds, fitness levels, and stages of their wellness journey.

3. Data, Outcomes and Business Performance

• Oversees wellness budgeting and financial performance, ensuring resources are aligned with strategic priorities and programs achieve appropriate revenue, expense, productivity, and sustainability targets.
• Establishes and monitors key performance indicators for wellness participation, penetration, engagement, quality, financial, retention, and community impact.
• Uses all available data to evaluate performance, identify opportunities, and guide strategic decisions.
• Establishes measurable outcomes for new and existing wellness initiatives and uses results to determine opportunities for investment, improvement, expansion, or change.
• Partners with center and Association leadership to strategically allocate staff, space, technology, equipment, and capital resources to support current operations and future growth.

4. Team Leadership and Talent Development

• Provides leadership, coaching, and development to wellness staff through direct supervision, influence, and shared accountability across YMCA centers.

• Aligns wellness priorities, standards, and expectations while fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Leads recruitment, onboarding, professional development, and succession-planning strategies that attract, develop, and retain high-quality wellness professionals.
• Anticipates future workforce needs and ensures wellness staff have the skills, training, and tools necessary to respond to evolving member expectations, technology, and industry practices.

ABOUT YOU

 Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in health and wellness, exercise science, business, nonprofit leadership, or a related field; equivalent combination of education and experience considered. Master’s Degree in associated field preferred.
• Five or more years of progressively responsible leadership experience in wellness, fitness, health, recreation, or a related field, preferably within a YMCA, nonprofit, or multi-site organization.
• Experience developing and managing budgets and achieving revenue and expense targets.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to lead teams directly and through influence across multiple locations or departments.
• Excellent organizational, written, verbal, and presentation skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Microsoft Teams and ability to effectively utilize data and technology platforms.

EFFECT ON END RESULT

• Increased wellness program participation, penetration, and earned revenue.
• Improved member retention through stronger connections to wellness experiences and YMCA relationships.
• A culture of innovation in which new concepts are effectively identified, tested, measured, and scaled.
• Strong recruitment, development, engagement, and retention of staff and members.
• A sustainable pipeline of new programs, partnerships, and revenue opportunities that position the YMCA for future growth.
• Increased recognition of the YMCA of Western North Carolina as a leader in community health, wellness, active aging and healthy living.

PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF THE JOB

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.

• Physical demands are essentially those of sedentary work. Tasks may require extended periods of time at a keyboard or workstation.
• Ability to constantly and quickly move to various locations in and around the entire facility
• Be able to lift 25 pounds or more.
• Physically perform all CPR and First Aid skills and/or assist as needed in emergency situations
• Ability to stand for long periods of time.
• Bend or stoop to reach various height level

FULL-TIME BENEFITS

Full-time employees receive medical, dental and vision insurance, group life insurance and long-term disability paid by the Y; short-term disability, term life insurance and dependent life insurance is available for purchase; generous paid time off, retirement plan with employer contribution of 12% of salary (subject to eligibility requirements), free YMCA membership, free afterschool childcare and summer day camp and program discounts.

The YMCA of Western North Carolina is committed to equal opportunity in terms and conditions of employment for all employees and job applicants without regard to race, color, faith, gender, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, citizenship status, genetic information, gender expression, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law, except where a bona fide occupational qualification applies.

Salary : $70,000 - $90,000