Youth & Government Director

How you Will Power our Purpose (Job Summary)

Step into the forefront of youth empowerment with YMCA Youth & Government (YG), a vibrant statewide program dedicated to cultivating the leaders of tomorrow As the YG Program Director, you'll lead with passion and purpose, orchestrating engaging experiences across Travis, Hays, and Bastrop counties while offering crucial support to clubs in Williamson County, Corpus Christi, and San Antonio. From guiding middle and high school programs to fostering innovative legislative, judicial, media, and state affairs forums, you'll ignite the spark of civic engagement in young hearts and minds.

As a beacon of inspiration, you'll forge impactful relationships, foster program excellence, and champion inclusive practices that embrace diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Your role is to elevate the YG experience to unparalleled heights by championing the TX YG Advocacy program and nurturing the growth of the YG Alumni Network, empowering students to become catalysts for positive change. Join us on this thrilling journey to shape a brighter tomorrow, one empowered leader at a time

What You Bring to the Community Enterprise

Strategic Leadership & Program Management

* Develop, organize, and oversee programs to create opportunities for teen achievement and skill development by utilizing Y staff, volunteers, and community resources.
* Attend Youth and Government (YG) club meetings, guide participants' leadership development, and assist in YG program development.
* Oversee YG District Conference each fall and support State Conferences each winter.
* Cultivate relationships with community leaders and agencies to develop collaborative programmatic, volunteer, and financial partnerships.
* Ensure programs produce identified outcomes of achievement, relationships, and a sense of belonging.
* Partner with Y staff to connect schools, school leaders, and teens to Y opportunities and initiatives.
* Secure schools, Y facilities, equipment, and supplies for program activities and events.
* Regularly communicate with school staff and develop strong working relationships.
* Implement recruitment strategies, school pitch meetings, Y special events, and school special events.
* Recruit and train mentors, volunteers, and program staff for specific programs.
* Oversee program registration and internal tracking system.
* Oversee volunteer outreach for conference support and program enhancements each year.
* Create and oversee the implementation of the TX YG Advocacy Program.
* Organize Youth and Government (YG) alumni engagement and regional events/gatherings.
* Provide direct supervision and leverage the full potential of our valuable volunteer resources.
* Methodically track and consolidate YG outputs and outcomes to enhance the quality of our grant reports.
* Conduct regular observations, monitoring, and evaluations of programs and volunteer performance to maintain high standards.
* Develop and meticulously oversee program budgets, aligning financial allocations with strategic objectives for optimal fiscal management.

Risk Management

* Ensure proper supervision of all program participants.
* Ensure safety procedures are followed and incident/accident reports are filed in a timely manner.
* Ensure waivers and appropriate risk management paperwork is complete for all participants and volunteers.

Performance Achievement & Results

* Hold self and YG team accountable for achieving at high levels to meet strategic goals and objectives.
* Model inclusive leadership behaviors and embraces all dimensions of diversity - building strong teams that apply their diverse skills and perspectives to our mission.
* Conduct Cycle Check-ins and the Annual Check-In with volunteers and youth to ensure progress with OKRs, provide ongoing coaching and feedback, and discuss development opportunities.
* Responsible for successful Strategic Plan metrics, and Objectives and Key Results (OKRs)
* Implements a goal-based leadership approach (OKR methodology) and ensures the development department is actively working towards supporting organizational level objectives and key results.
* Develop new programs or modify existing programs as needed in alignment with the Strategic Plan of the Greater Austin YMCA and YMCA Texas Youth and Government.
* Promote and incorporate the YMCA core values and character development model into all program activities.
* Oversee TX YG marketing and distribution of program information to staff, members, program participants, and the community.
* Develop and distribute program calendar and social media content.
* Represent the Greater Austin YMCA and Texas Youth and Government locally, regionally, and nationally, both inside and outside the organization.
* Expand learning and personal skill development through participation in local and national events and career development training.
* Participate fully in Association events conducted for staff and volunteers.
* Perform other duties and special projects as assigned by the CEO.
* Other duties as assigned.

What You Bring to the Community Enterprise

* A Bachelor's degree in Political Science, Business Administration, Education, or a related field, or equivalent working experience, providing a solid foundation for understanding the complexities of community engagement and youth program management.
* 3-5 years of professional experience serving in a leadership capacity.
* Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint), enabling efficient data management, report creation, and communication with stakeholders.
* Familiarity with MailChimp, WordPress, Form Assembly, or other Customer Relationship Management Systems, demonstrating an aptitude for leveraging technology to streamline communication and engagement efforts within the community.
* Previous experience in volunteer management, event planning, or marketing communications is preferred, highlighting your ability to coordinate and execute initiatives that drive community participation and support for the program's objectives.
* You are adept at creating new and better ways and experiences to help the organization be successful.
* You're an expert at developing and delivering multi-mode communications with a wide variety of types of audiences that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different constituents.
* You are a master at planning your day and not letting distractions come in between meeting your goals.
* You leverage people's differences as strengths.
* You build close and good-natured relationships with people from all walks of life.
* You easily take on new opportunities and challenges with a sense of urgency and a solutions-oriented mindset. You have a record of consistently achieving results.

Physical Requirements:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, bend, talk, and occasionally lift and/or move items, including equipment, furniture, and/or children. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.