Teen Programs Director

Empower Teens. Build Connections. Inspire the Next Generation of Leaders!

Are you passionate about helping young people discover their potential, find their voice, and make a difference in their community?

At theWhatcom Family YMCA, we believe every young person deserves a place where they feel welcomed, supported, and inspired to grow. We're looking for a creative, relationship-driven, and enthusiasticTeen Programs Director to help us expand opportunities for tweens and teens throughout Whatcom County!

This isn't just a job managing programs. It's an opportunity to shape experiences, build community partnerships, and create spaces where young people can discover who they are and who they want to become.

If you're energized by working with teens, love bringing people together, and have a passion for developing meaningful programs that make a lasting impact, we'd love to meet you!

What You'll Do

As our Teen Programs Director, you'll lead a growing portfolio of programs that help young people build confidence, develop leadership skills, explore new opportunities, and connect with their community.

Create Experiences That Matter

• Lead and grow exciting programs for tweens and teens, including Youth & Government, Youth Institute, Teen Drop-In, Teen Late Nights, and summer camps.
• Serve as the primary leader for Youth & Government, helping teens discover their voice through civic engagement, leadership development, and hands-on learning experiences.
• Develop innovative programs that reflect the interests, needs, and strengths of young people in our community.
• Give teens a seat at the table by involving them in program planning, decision-making, and leadership opportunities.
• Evaluate programs and use participant feedback to make experiences even better.

Build Partnerships That Open Doors

• Develop meaningful relationships with schools, community organizations, youth-serving agencies, civic leaders, and local partners.
• Represent the YMCA throughout Whatcom County, building awareness of our teen programs and creating new opportunities for collaboration.
• Connect with families, funders, and community partners to expand access and remove barriers to participation.
• Identify opportunities for grants, sponsorships, and partnerships that help our programs grow and thrive.

Lead and Inspire an Amazing Team

• Recruit, coach, mentor, and support staff and volunteers who share your passion for youth development.
• Create a positive, collaborative team culture where everyone feels valued and empowered to succeed.
• Provide leadership and direction to staff responsible for delivering high-quality programs and experiences.
• Model the YMCA's core values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility in everything you do.

Turn Big Ideas Into Lasting Impact

• Oversee program budgets, resources, and operations to ensure long-term success.
• Manage grant-funded programs, including tracking outcomes, meeting reporting requirements, and demonstrating community impact.
• Use participation data and feedback to celebrate successes, identify opportunities, and guide future programming.
• Collaborate with YMCA leadership, development staff, and community partners to strengthen and expand teen programming.
• Ensure programs are safe, inclusive, and aligned with YMCA standards, youth protection policies, and applicable regulations.

What Makes You a Great Fit?

We're looking for someone who is equally comfortable connecting with a group of teens, collaborating with community leaders, and leading a team toward a shared vision.

You'll thrive in this role if you:

• Have a genuine passion for working with tweens and teens and helping them reach their full potential.
• Are a natural relationship builder who enjoys connecting with people from all walks of life.
• Bring creativity, energy, and fresh ideas to youth programming.
• Have experience leading youth development, education, recreation, or community-based programs.
• Enjoy mentoring and developing staff while building a strong, supportive team.
• Are organized and comfortable managing multiple programs, budgets, and priorities.
• Can balance big-picture thinking with the day-to-day details that make programs successful.
• Have strong communication skills and enjoy collaborating with schools, families, community partners, and funders.
• Believe that young people have valuable ideas, perspectives, and leadership abilities worth celebrating.

Experience with grant-funded programs, fundraising, community partnerships, or youth leadership initiatives is a plus!

Most importantly, we're looking for someone who believes in the power of young people and is excited to help them turn their potential into possibility.

Why Work at the Y?

Because the work you do today helps shape the leaders of tomorrow!

At the Whatcom Family YMCA, you'll have the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of young people while helping shape the future of teen programming in our community.

You'll be part of a mission-driven organization that values creativity, collaboration, inclusion, and making a positive impact.

Here, you'll have the opportunity to:

• Make a lasting impact on the lives of tweens and teens.
• Build and grow programs that respond to real community needs.
• Develop partnerships that create new opportunities for young people.
• Lead a passionate team committed to helping youth succeed.
• Be part of an organization that believes everyone deserves the opportunity to belong, grow, and thrive.

Everyone Belongs at the Y

At the Whatcom Family YMCA, we believe everyone deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential. We are committed to creating welcoming, inclusive spaces that celebrate diversity, remove barriers, and provide opportunities for individuals of all backgrounds, identities, and abilities.

We know that strong communities are built when everyone has a voice, and we're especially passionate about ensuring young people have the support, resources, and opportunities they need to succeed.

Ready to Help Shape the Future?

If you're passionate about youth development, energized by community connections, and excited to create opportunities that inspire the next generation, we want to hear from you!

Apply today and help us empower teens, strengthen our community, and develop tomorrow's leaders — one connection at a time!

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must be 21 year of age minimum to be able to drive a Y owned vehicle as needed.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in youth development, teen programming, education, community engagement, or a related field, with demonstrated experience leading programs and partnerships.
• Bachelor’s degree in Youth Development, Education, Recreation, Social Services, or equivalent education and experience.
• Two years or more of supervisory or team-leadership experience, including experience coaching and developing staff and/or volunteers.
• Demonstrated ability to build authentic relationships with teens, engage young people as partners and leaders, and apply positive youth development principles.
• Experience developing and stewarding partnerships with schools, community organizations, funders, or other youth-serving partners strongly preferred.
• Experience with grant-funded programs, including implementation, tracking requirements, data collection, outcome reporting, and/or grant stewardship preferred.
• Ability to develop and manage budgets, analyze participation and outcome data, and manage multiple projects and deadlines effectively.
• Strong communication, facilitation, presentation, and relationship-building skills with teens and adults are essential.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including occasional evenings, weekends, community events, and program activities based on program and partnership needs.
• Ability to relate effectively to diverse groups of people from all social and economic segments of the community; commitment to inclusion and ADA compliance.
• Completion of Child Abuse Prevention upon hire, and Within 30 days of hire, CPR, First Aid, AED, and Bloodborne Pathogens training.
• Required to be legally able to drive in WA State with a good driving history.
• Completion of YMCA program-specific training and Youth & Government training as required.

WORK ENVIRONMENT & 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.

• The employee needs sufficient strength, agility and mobility to perform essential functions and to safely supervise program activities in a variety of indoor and outdoor locations.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use a computer for extended periods of time and be able to communicate using a computer and phone/smart device.
• The employee frequently is required to sit and reach, and must be able to move around the work environment.
• The employee may need to occasionally participate in overnight travel as part of their regular rle.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds. 
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud.