The YMCA of Metropolitan Washington is one of the largest charities in the DC area. The Y serves as an anchor in the community offering programs and services encompassing youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. 
 

Position: Group Leader           Salary: $15.00 per hour   
 
The YMCA of Metropolitan Washington is a leading nonprofit organization that has a strong commitment to nurturing the potential of kids, promoting healthy living and fostering a sense of social responsibility. The Y is a cause driven organization that offers tremendous opportunities to make a difference. We invite you to join us in this amazing work to develop your skills, to realize your leadership potential and discover a career that is so much more than a job. 
  
About the Job
The Group Leader position is responsible for assisting the School Age Child Care Director/Site Director/Senior Group Leader in the daily operations of the program. Responsible for the planning, development and implementation of all the before and after school activities under the guidelines of the YMCA School Age Curriculum. Assists in oversight of all program activities, communicating with families and ensuring all equipment and supplies are available. 

Some of the exciting things you will do as a Group Leader include but are not limited to:

• Implements the program in accordance with the goals and policies of the YMCA, the School Age Curriculum (i.e. Creative curriculum)
• Effectively carries out appropriate lesson plans 
• Establishes structure and routines for children setting boundaries and behavior guidelines
• Responsible for the safety of the children at all times, including understanding and being able to implement emergency procedures as necessary
• Attends parent/child events as required
• Effectively communicates with parents throughout the program year
• Maintains an attractive and clean classroom at all times

Qualifications:

• Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Must have high school diploma or GED. Obtain CDA within 18 months of employment. Current CPR and First Aid Certification.
• Documentation of physical examination and TB skin test.
• Clear the local jurisdiction requirements for criminal background and/or fingerprinting.
• Must meet the county/state licensing requirements.
• Must have the critical skill of being able to relate to parents, school staff and children and have a positive, creative attitude. 

Working Conditions:

• Must be able to stand or sit for prolonged periods of time.
• Must be physically active to play games and sports with the children.
• Must be able to pick-up at least 35 pounds.
• Must have visual acuity to observe all children. 

Benefits:

Did you know that just for being a YMCA employee you get great benefits and discounts from banks, credit unions, Verizon Wireless, Sprint, Dell, Veterinary Pet Insurance, supplemental (AFLAC, ALLSTATE, Vision Care, LegalShield) and even Zip Car! The YMCA of Metropolitan Washington provides progressive employee benefits, including employer-funded retirement plan with vesting after two years of service or 1000 hours compensated time in each of those two years; 403(b) savings plan; high quality and affordable healthcare; free YMCA membership for employee, spouse and dependents; paid time off/sick leave, numerous professional development opportunities.

Basic Function and Scope of Responsibility: 

• Assists the Program Coordinator in the daily operations of the program. 

• Assists in planning and implementing the after school activities under the guidelines of the YMCA School Age Curriculum and the specific requirements of grants and contracts. 

• Assists in oversight of all program activities, communicating with families and ensuring all equipment and supplies are availiable. 

Supervisory Responsibility: 

X No Supervisory responsibility   

¨Provides guidance, leadership, or training to other employees (no direct supervision)  

¨Directly responsible for supervising non-exempt, clerical, or office administration personnel 

¨Directly responsible for supervising exempt, professional, or technical employees 

¨Directly responsible for supervising supervisory/managerial employees 

Organizational Structure: 

Job title to which this position reports: Program Coordinator, Department Director 

Job titles directly reporting to this position: None 

Job titles indirectly reporting to this position:None 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:  

• Establishes structure and routines for children setting boundaries and behavior guidelines 

• Documents attendance, absenteeism and incidents for each child in compliance with agency, state, and county requirements 

• Responsible for the safety of the children at all times, including understanding and being able to implement emergency procedures as necessary 

• Reports concerns, conflicts, or other problems directly to the supervisor 

• Assists in planning monthly parent and community meetings 

• Assists with parent/community council yearly calendar 

• Assists with holiday giving program, clothing drive, and emergency food pantry 

• Supports and participates in community events 

• Attends parent/child events as required 

• Makes outreach and reminder phone calls  

• Implements the program in accordance with the goals and policies of the YMCA and all grants and contracts 

• Effectively communicates with parents throughout the program year 

• Maintains positive, collaborative relationships with parents, school personnel, and community partners 

• Generates flyers and outreach communication  

• Distributes and provides resources and referral information to community members as needed 

• Maintains an attractive and clean classroom at all times 

• Employee will be trained on bus driving a 15 passenger vehicle and will transport students each day

• Other duties as required 

Community Building 

• Outreach and network with youth, families, communities, schools, and other community agencies 

• Develops and maintains relationships with clients 

Association 

• Promote the YMCA and the Caring or Community campaign  

• Participates in special events 

• Other duties as required 

Customer Service Standards:  

Staff Engagement: 

• Greets all children and parents with a smile and by name 

• Provides ongoing feedback on the child’s progress and development 

• Is proactive and responsive to parents needs when concerns occur with their child 

Facility Excellence: 

• Works with the Centralized Maintenance to ensure that all spaces are well kept and staff oversee the proper use of equipment 

• Provides a safe and clean environment for all participants 

• Is knowledgeable about the other service area programs and offerings 

Show: 

• Builds lasting positive relationships  

Required Competencies: Leader 

Mission Advancement 

• Values - Accepts and demonstrates the Y’s values  

• Community - Demonstrates a desire to serve others and fulfill community needs  

• Volunteerism - Recruits volunteers and builds effective, supportive working relationships with them  

• Philanthropy – Supports fundraising  

Collaboration 

• Inclusion - Works effectively with people of different backgrounds, abilities, opinions, and perceptions  

• Relationships - Builds rapport and relates well to others  

• Influence -  Seeks first to understand the other person’s point of view and remains calm in challenging situations 

• Communication - Listens for understanding and meaning; speaks and writes effectively  

• Developing others – Takes initiative to assist in developing others 

 Operational Effectiveness 

• Decision Making - Makes sound judgments, and transfers learning from one situation to another  

• Innovation – Embraces new approaches and discovery ideas to create a better member experience 

• Project Management- Establishes goals, clarifies tasks, plans work, and actively participate in meetings 

• Finance – Follows budgeting policies and procedures, and reports all financial irregularities immediately 

• Quality Results - Strives to meet or exceed goals and deliver a high-value experience for members  

Personal Growth 

• Self-Development - Pursues self-development that enhances job performance  

• Change Capacity – Demonstrates an openness to change, and seeks opportunities in the change process 

• Emotional Maturity - Accurately assesses personal feelings, strengths, and limitations and how they impact relationships  

• Functional Expertise - 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  

Education 

• Must be at least 18 years of age 

• Must have high school diploma or GED 

• Some college preferred 

Experience 

• 1-3 years experience  

• Experience in working with diverse populations  

Certifications 

• YMCA of the USA Leadership Competency Certification: Leader  

• CPR/First aid/OSHA certifications (may complete during employment) 

• Documentation of physical examination and TB skin test 

. 

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities: 

• Must be engaging, enthusiastic, and energetic with all program participants  

• Must be able to relate to parents, school staff and children and have a positive, creative attitude  

• Must be able to work as a team member  

• Friendly, helpful, punctual, dependable and able to set appropriate limits with youth and adults  

• Ability to provide supervision and leadership in a variety of program areas such as: Homework Assistance, Recreation, Arts and Crafts, Reading groups, etc.  

• Must understand and be committed to working with diverse population  

• Must demonstrate and model the YMCA core Values  

• Billingual in English and Spanish preferred 

Working Conditions: 

• Criminal background check  

• Federal & State fingerprinting 

• Pre-employment drug test 

• Abilitiy to lift up to 15 pounds in order to maintain paper supplies etc 

• Must be able to sit, stand and bend for extended periods of time 

• Flexible hours; Some early morning and evening meetings are required for special YMCA events 

• Must have visual acuity to observe children