Youth & Family / Child Watch Program Lead

 The YMCA Youth & Family / Child Watch Lead is a dual-responsibility role focused on managing short-term childcare operations while developing engaging enrichment programs for families. This leader ensures a safe, welcoming, and values-driven environment that aligns with the YMCA's core pillars of youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.

The Lead supervises and leads activities in the Child Watch area, coordinates youth and family program schedules, manages part-time staff, and ensures strict compliance with safety guidelines. They serve as a primary liaison between families and facility management.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Coordinate team schedules: Manage staff shifts and calendar rotations to ensure safe staff-to-child ratios.
• Provide emergency coverage: Serve directly on the floor as the childcare provider when staff are unavailable.
• Mentor team members: Provide on-the-floor guidance, feedback, and support to assistants, aides, and volunteers.
• Plan age-appropriate activities: Design daily lesson plans, crafts, games, and interactive play for children.
• Oversee daily operations: Monitor area flow, manage sign-in sheets, and track youth attendance records.
• Meeting Family Nees:   Identify family needs and design, implement, and supervise programs to directly meet them. 
• Manage program resources: Maintain inventory, order necessary supplies, and manage the activity budget.
• Provide interactive supervision: Maintain close visual and auditory surveillance of children to ensure safety.
• Enforce safety protocols: Maintain compliance with health regulations, emergency plans, and child protection guidelines.
• Manage behaviors positively: Guide children using redirection, clear boundaries, and constructive communication.
• Maintain facility cleanliness: Execute daily cleaning, toy sanitization, and room organization checklists.
• Engage with families: Greet parents warmly and provide regular updates on their child's progress.
• Support community events: Help facilitate family nights, holiday workshops, and seasonal youth initiatives.

YMCA Competencies (Team Leader):

• Values: Demonstrates and models the Y’s core values of Caring, Honesty, Respect, and Responsibility in all actions.
• Community: Demonstrates a desire to serve others and fulfill critical community and family needs.
• Volunteerism: Helps recruit, train, and build supportive relationships with community volunteers.
• Philanthropy: Supports fundraising efforts and promotes the Y's charitable mission.

Qualifications: 

• Must be available for evenings and weekends
• CPR, AED, and First Aid: Current certifications (Infant, Child, and Adult) are mandatory upon hire or within the first 30 days.
• Child Abuse Prevention: Completion of mandatory training before working on the floor. 
• Education: A High School Diploma or equivalent is required. An Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Recreation Management, or a related field is highly preferred.
• Minimum Age Requirements:  21 years old
• Childcare Experience: Minimum of 1 to 2 years of direct experience working with children in a licensed daycare, camp, school, or YMCA environment.
• Leadership Experience: At least 6 months to 1 year of experience supervising staff, leading volunteers, or managing a small team.
• Program Planning: Proven experience designing daily lesson plans, age-appropriate crafts, and structured group games.
• Age Group Knowledge: Deep understanding of child development milestones for infants through pre-teens.

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.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 45 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and ability to adjust focus.