Vice President of Childcare and Family Services

About the role

This position supports the work of the Y, a leading nonprofit, charitable organization committed to strengthening community through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. The Vice President of Childcare and Family Services provides strategic leadership, operational oversight, and program innovation for all youth development initiatives within the YMCA.

Responsibilities

• Provide vision, leadership, and direction for all youth development programs across the association.
• Develop and implement strategic plans, goals, and measurable outcomes aligned with YMCA mission and organizational priorities.
• Ensure program excellence, innovation, growth, and community impact.
• Lead and support directors and program managers responsible for childcare and family services operations.
• Oversee all early childhood education centers and preschool operations.
• Ensure compliance with state licensing regulations, accreditation standards, and YMCA policies.
• Support curriculum development focused on school readiness, child development, and family engagement.
• Maintain high standards for safety, staffing, quality assurance, and parent communication.
• Direct the planning, implementation, and evaluation of after-school and out-of-school programs.
• Ensure programs provide safe, enriching, and inclusive environments for children and youth.
• Build relationships with local school systems and community partners.
• Maintain enrollment, staffing, program quality, and participant outcomes.
• Oversee day camps, specialty camps, school break camps, and summer camp programs.
• Ensure camp programs promote youth engagement, leadership, character development, and outdoor education.
• Develop operational plans related to staffing, transportation, safety, risk management, and programming.
• Maintain compliance with licensing, ACA standards (if applicable), and YMCA best practices.
• Recruit, hire, train, supervise, and evaluate childcare and family services leadership staff.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, inclusion, and professional growth.
• Ensure staff certifications, trainings, and development requirements are maintained.
• Develop and manage department budgets and financial performance.
• Monitor revenue, expenses, enrollment trends, and program sustainability.
• Identify opportunities for grants, partnerships, and program expansion.
• Ensure all youth programs operate within YMCA standards, licensing requirements, and risk management procedures.
• Maintain high standards related to child safety, emergency preparedness, and program documentation.
• Oversee incident reporting and compliance monitoring.
• Serve as a YMCA ambassador within the community.
• Build and strengthen relationships with schools, agencies, municipalities, and community organizations.
• Represent the YMCA in collaborative initiatives focused on youth and family services.
• Establish performance metrics and outcome measurements for all youth development programs.
• Utilize data, participant feedback, and best practices to drive continuous improvement.
• Ensure programs are inclusive, accessible, and responsive to community needs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in education, recreation, human services, business administration, or related field required; Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of 5–7 years of progressive leadership experience in youth development, childcare, education, camp administration, or related field.
• Experience managing multi-site programs and large staff teams.
• Knowledge of state childcare licensing requirements and youth program regulations.
• Strong financial management, organizational, and leadership skills.
• Excellent communication, relationship-building, and problem-solving abilities.