{"schemaVersion":"jobsearcher.job.v1","id":"8ee6580ee9367a2fd77a7ce7","url":"https://jobsearcher.com/jobs/8ee6580ee9367a2fd77a7ce7","canonicalUrl":"https://jobsearcher.com/jobs/8ee6580ee9367a2fd77a7ce7","title":"Associate Program Director","description":"An exciting opportunity to join the Plainfield leadership team.\nJob Description\nAn exciting opportunity to join the team of a progressive YMCA located in vibrant Somerset County, New Jersey. The YMCA is one of the nation’s leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. With a 150-year-old history, Greater Somerset County YMCA (GSCY) is a pillar of the community and has seven locations across three counties, which collectively serve upwards of 30,000 individuals. GSCY has 100 full-time and 950 part-time employees along with operating revenues to $22+ million.\nThe Y empowers everyone—no matter who they are or where they are from. To fulfill our purpose of strengthening community for all, GSCY is committed to being an inclusive organization and leveraging our collective impact to address social inequities. To learn more about GSCY, visit our website: http://gscymca.org\nThe Associate Program Director supports the day-to-day operations of youth programming at the Plainfield YMCA. This role provides direct program support, staff supervision, and administrative oversight to ensure high-quality, safety, and engaging youth programs. Responsibilities include supporting SACC, summer camp, youth and teen programs, chronic disease programming, Saturday In Motion (SIM), volunteer coordination, and program development, while upholding YMCA policies and core values.\nQualifications\nBachelor’s degree in a related field preferred.\n1–3 years of experience in youth development, nonprofit, or community-based programming preferred.\nExperience working in a YMCA or similar nonprofit organization preferred.\nBilingual English/Spanish preferred.\nAbility to work effectively with diverse populations and build strong, positive relationships.\nStrong organizational, communication, and leadership skills.\nEssential Functions\nSupport daily operations of School Age Child Care (SACC), including staff supervision, scheduling, curriculum support, and program quality.\nAssist with hiring, training, onboarding, and ongoing coaching of program and camp staff.\nEnsure programs meet YMCA safety standards, licensing requirements, and quality expectations.\nManage program administration including registrations, enrollments, attendance, billing follow-up, and parent communication.\nSupport in youth and teen programs, chronic disease programming, SIM programs, and facilitate classes as needed.\nDevelopment and implementation of child development and teen programs.\nSupport staff leadership in planning and managing program budgets, monitoring payroll, and controlling purchasing expenses in accordance with YMCA financial guidelines.\nAssist with purchasing program supplies and snacks within budget and nutrition guidelines.\nBuild and maintain positive relationships with youth, families, volunteers, and community partners.\nAssist with summer camp operations, including staff supervision, activity planning, scheduling, trips, and use of camp management software and parent portals.\nSupport staff leadership development and ensure consistent supervision, safety procedures, and incident reporting.\nContribute to program growth by supporting new program ideas and community engagement efforts.\nAssist with fundraising efforts, including the Annual Campaign and special events.\nPromote programs through marketing support, website content, program guides, and social media.\nParticipate in organization-wide events, trainings, meetings, and other duties as assigned.\nCause-Driven Leadership Competencies\nMission Advancement: Models and teaches the Ys values. Ensures a high level of service with a commitment to changing lives. Provides volunteers with orientation, training, development, and recognition. Cultivates relationships to support fund-raising.\nCollaboration: Champions inclusion activities, strategies, and initiatives. Builds relationships to create small communities. Empathetically listens and communicates for understanding when negotiating and dealing with conflict. Effectively tailors' communications to the appropriate audience. Provides staff with feedback, coaching, guidance and support.\nOperational Effectiveness: Provides others with frameworks for making decisions. Conducts prototypes to support the launching of programs and activities. Develops plans and manages best practices through engagement of team. Effectively creates and manages budgets. Holds staff accountable for high-quality results using a formal process to measure progress.\nPersonal Growth: Shares new insights. Facilitates change, models adaptability and an awareness of the impact of change. Utilizes non-threatening methods to address sensitive issues and inappropriate behavior or performance. 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.\nWORK 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.\nSufficient strength, agility and mobility to perform essential functions of position and to supervise program activities.\nWhile 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.\nThe employee frequently is required to sit and reach and must be able to move around the work environment.\nThe employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.\nSpecific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust.\nThe noise level in the work environment is usually moderate, with occasional noise levels associated with working with school-aged children.\nThis Job is fully on-site with no remote opportunities\nBenefits of working full-time at GSC YMCA include:\nFREE family membership to Greater Somerset County YMCA, including full access to all of our branch facilities including Bridgewater YMCA, Hillsborough YMCA, Princeton YMCA, Somerset Hills YMCA, and Somerville YMCA.\nFREE nationwide membership with access to over 2,500 YMCA locations across the country\nDiscounted program fees\nPaid sick leave and short-term disability insurance\nEmployee Assistance Program (EAP)\nGenerous 12% retirement contribution to the YMCA Retirement Fund after eligibility period (no employee contribution required)\nMedical and dental insurance with prescription coverage\nVision insurance\nFlexible Spending Account for medical and/or dependent care\n100% contribution towards life insurance and long-term disability\nOptional additional life insurance and dependent life insurance available at low rates\n403(b) Smart Savings Plan\nGenerous paid time off policy\n7 paid holidays\n\nGreater Somerset County YMCA is a drug free work environment. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information who share our values of Caring, Honesty, Respect and Responsibility.","company":"YMCA","rawCompany":"ymca","city":"Plainfield","state":"NJ","isRemote":false,"isActive":false,"createdAt":"2026-04-14T10:49:03.727Z","occupations":[{"code":"11-9151.00","title":"Social and Community Service Managers","slug":"social-and-community-service-managers"},{"code":"11-1021.00","title":"General and Operations Managers","slug":"general-and-operations-managers"},{"code":"11-9031.00","title":"Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare","slug":"education-and-childcare-administrators-preschool-and-daycare"}],"industries":[{"code":"624110","title":"Child and Youth Services","slug":"child-and-youth-services"},{"code":"813410","title":"Civic and Social Organizations","slug":"civic-and-social-organizations"},{"code":"713940","title":"Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers","slug":"fitness-and-recreational-sports-centers"}],"jobPosting":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"JobPosting","title":"Associate Program Director","description":"An exciting opportunity to join the Plainfield leadership team.\nJob Description\nAn exciting opportunity to join the team of a progressive YMCA located in vibrant Somerset County, New Jersey. The YMCA is one of the nation’s leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. With a 150-year-old history, Greater Somerset County YMCA (GSCY) is a pillar of the community and has seven locations across three counties, which collectively serve upwards of 30,000 individuals. GSCY has 100 full-time and 950 part-time employees along with operating revenues to $22+ million.\nThe Y empowers everyone—no matter who they are or where they are from. To fulfill our purpose of strengthening community for all, GSCY is committed to being an inclusive organization and leveraging our collective impact to address social inequities. To learn more about GSCY, visit our website: http://gscymca.org\nThe Associate Program Director supports the day-to-day operations of youth programming at the Plainfield YMCA. This role provides direct program support, staff supervision, and administrative oversight to ensure high-quality, safety, and engaging youth programs. Responsibilities include supporting SACC, summer camp, youth and teen programs, chronic disease programming, Saturday In Motion (SIM), volunteer coordination, and program development, while upholding YMCA policies and core values.\nQualifications\nBachelor’s degree in a related field preferred.\n1–3 years of experience in youth development, nonprofit, or community-based programming preferred.\nExperience working in a YMCA or similar nonprofit organization preferred.\nBilingual English/Spanish preferred.\nAbility to work effectively with diverse populations and build strong, positive relationships.\nStrong organizational, communication, and leadership skills.\nEssential Functions\nSupport daily operations of School Age Child Care (SACC), including staff supervision, scheduling, curriculum support, and program quality.\nAssist with hiring, training, onboarding, and ongoing coaching of program and camp staff.\nEnsure programs meet YMCA safety standards, licensing requirements, and quality expectations.\nManage program administration including registrations, enrollments, attendance, billing follow-up, and parent communication.\nSupport in youth and teen programs, chronic disease programming, SIM programs, and facilitate classes as needed.\nDevelopment and implementation of child development and teen programs.\nSupport staff leadership in planning and managing program budgets, monitoring payroll, and controlling purchasing expenses in accordance with YMCA financial guidelines.\nAssist with purchasing program supplies and snacks within budget and nutrition guidelines.\nBuild and maintain positive relationships with youth, families, volunteers, and community partners.\nAssist with summer camp operations, including staff supervision, activity planning, scheduling, trips, and use of camp management software and parent portals.\nSupport staff leadership development and ensure consistent supervision, safety procedures, and incident reporting.\nContribute to program growth by supporting new program ideas and community engagement efforts.\nAssist with fundraising efforts, including the Annual Campaign and special events.\nPromote programs through marketing support, website content, program guides, and social media.\nParticipate in organization-wide events, trainings, meetings, and other duties as assigned.\nCause-Driven Leadership Competencies\nMission Advancement: Models and teaches the Ys values. Ensures a high level of service with a commitment to changing lives. Provides volunteers with orientation, training, development, and recognition. Cultivates relationships to support fund-raising.\nCollaboration: Champions inclusion activities, strategies, and initiatives. Builds relationships to create small communities. Empathetically listens and communicates for understanding when negotiating and dealing with conflict. Effectively tailors' communications to the appropriate audience. Provides staff with feedback, coaching, guidance and support.\nOperational Effectiveness: Provides others with frameworks for making decisions. Conducts prototypes to support the launching of programs and activities. Develops plans and manages best practices through engagement of team. Effectively creates and manages budgets. Holds staff accountable for high-quality results using a formal process to measure progress.\nPersonal Growth: Shares new insights. Facilitates change, models adaptability and an awareness of the impact of change. Utilizes non-threatening methods to address sensitive issues and inappropriate behavior or performance. 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.\nWORK 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.\nSufficient strength, agility and mobility to perform essential functions of position and to supervise program activities.\nWhile 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.\nThe employee frequently is required to sit and reach and must be able to move around the work environment.\nThe employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.\nSpecific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust.\nThe noise level in the work environment is usually moderate, with occasional noise levels associated with working with school-aged children.\nThis Job is fully on-site with no remote opportunities\nBenefits of working full-time at GSC YMCA include:\nFREE family membership to Greater Somerset County YMCA, including full access to all of our branch facilities including Bridgewater YMCA, Hillsborough YMCA, Princeton YMCA, Somerset Hills YMCA, and Somerville YMCA.\nFREE nationwide membership with access to over 2,500 YMCA locations across the country\nDiscounted program fees\nPaid sick leave and short-term disability insurance\nEmployee Assistance Program (EAP)\nGenerous 12% retirement contribution to the YMCA Retirement Fund after eligibility period (no employee contribution required)\nMedical and dental insurance with prescription coverage\nVision insurance\nFlexible Spending Account for medical and/or dependent care\n100% contribution towards life insurance and long-term disability\nOptional additional life insurance and dependent life insurance available at low rates\n403(b) Smart Savings Plan\nGenerous paid time off policy\n7 paid holidays\n\nGreater Somerset County YMCA is a drug free work environment. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information who share our values of Caring, Honesty, Respect and Responsibility.","datePosted":"2026-04-14T10:49:03.727Z","dateModified":"2026-04-14T10:49:03.727Z","hiringOrganization":{"@type":"Organization","name":"YMCA","sameAs":"https://jobsearcher.com"},"jobLocation":{"@type":"Place","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","addressLocality":"Plainfield","addressRegion":"NJ","addressCountry":"US"}},"identifier":{"@type":"PropertyValue","name":"JobSearcher","value":"8ee6580ee9367a2fd77a7ce7"},"url":"https://jobsearcher.com/jobs/8ee6580ee9367a2fd77a7ce7"}}