The Executive Director of Youth Safety at the YMCA of Greater Houston plays a vital role in supporting the organization's mission as a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening the community through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. This position is responsible for developing and implementing strategies, policies, and programs that ensure the safety, security, and well-being of youth-focused programs.
The Executive Director promotes a culture of proactive risk management, incident prevention, and continuous improvement in youth safety standards, aligning these efforts with the YMCA's mission and values. In this position, the Executive Director serves as a technical expert and resource for youth-focused programs, fostering partnerships and providing resources to empower staff, volunteers, and community stakeholders to prioritize youth safety in all programming aspects.
1. Bachelor's degree in Child Development, Safety Management, Risk Management, or Education or equivalent combination of education and experience.
2. Five or more years of professional/leadership experience in safety and risk management, preferable in a youth development setting.
3. Experience in management and development of staff.
4. Proven ability to maintain tight control of confidential material and information.
5. Ability to assess safety risks and develop appropriate solutions in a timely manner.
6. Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and respond effectively to emergencies.
7. Strong critical thinking skills, including the use of collaborative and creative approaches to problem solving.
8. Flexible schedule with the ability to be available at all times, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, to respond to incidents and emergencies.
9. Ability to establish and maintain collaborations within the organization.
10. Effective written and verbal communication skills.
11. CPR and First Aid certifications as well as YMCA Compliance training required.
LANGUAGE SKILLS
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.
MATHEMATICAL SKILLS
Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.
REASONING ABILITY
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
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.
Sufficient strength, agility and mobility to perform essential functions of position and to supervise program activities. Ability to lift up to 50 pounds. Ability to perform all tasks demanded from employees inclusive of but not limited to sitting and standing for long periods of time, able to work in both indoor and outdoor weather conditions for extended periods of time and an ability to perform computer work for lengthy hours of operation.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
TRAVEL
Travel is 50-75%, primarily locally assigned to centers within the business unit in the Greater Houston area during the business day. Some out-of-area and overnight travel may be expected.
HOURS
Flexible with scheduling and available to work operational hours of the YMCA, which may include day, evening, weekends, and/or holidays, based on the center and operational needs.
17. Report suspicious and inappropriate behaviors and policy violations.
18. Follows mandated abuse and incident reporting requirements.
19. Meet timelines and deadlines related to supporting systems and employee compliance. Example includes but are not limited to Kronos Workforce Ready for review and approval of time sheets.
20. Other duties as assigned.
YMCA Competencies (Multi-Team or Center Leader):
Mission Advancement: Reinforces the Y’s values within the organization and the community. Effectively communicates the benefits and impact of the YMCA’s efforts for all stakeholders. Implements effective systems to develop volunteers at program, fundraising, and policy leadership levels. Secures resources and support for all philanthropic endeavors.
Collaboration: Develops strategies to ensure staff and volunteers reflect the community. Builds and nurtures strategic relationships to enhance support for the YMCA. Serves as a community leader building collaborations based on trust and credibility to advance YMCA mission and goals. Communicates for influence to attain buy-in and support of goals. Provides tools and resources for the development of others.
Operational Effectiveness: Integrates multiple thinking processes to make decisions. Involves members and community in the development of programs and activities. Ensures execution of plans. Institutes sound accounting procedures, investment policies and financial controls. Assigns clear accountability and ensures continuous improvement.
Personal Growth: Fosters a learning environment embracing diverse abilities and approaches. Creates a sense of urgency and positive tension to support change. Anticipates challenges that can sidetrack or derail growth and personal learning. 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.