Operating under the Early Childhood Resource Center (ECRC), Youth Experiences in Stark is a new county-wide out-of-school time (OST) collaborative network designed to strengthen OST provider organizations and expand access to before-school, after-school, and summer programming for children and youth across Stark County.
ECRC is seeking a full-time Director to provide the leadership and day-to-day operational management needed to launch Youth Experiences in Stark and ensure its long-term success.
This highly collaborative leadership role is ideal for an individual who can think strategically while managing details, build strong relationships across diverse organizations and sectors, and translate vision into action. The Director of YES will lead the final development and launch of the network, including convening workgroups and committees, coordinating partners, establishing systems and processes, and overseeing ongoing operations.
The ideal candidate is an exceptional communicator who is highly organized, collaborative, proactive, and solutions oriented. They should be equally comfortable facilitating a room of community partners, interacting directly with children and families, managing project timelines, and ensuring operational details are completed accurately and on time.
- Provide overall leadership and direction for Youth Experiences in Stark, working collaboratively with ECRC staff, OST provider organizations, and other partners.
- Lead the transition from network development to full implementation and ongoing operations. Operational duties may include grant writing, identifying and launching appropriate tracking software, coaching for OST providers, and other tasks as determined by the business plan.
- Monitor emerging needs, trends, opportunities, and challenges within the out-of-school time field and bring strategic recommendations to network leadership.
- Convene and facilitate workgroups, committees, OST providers and partner meetings.
- Develop meeting agendas, materials, action items, and follow-up processes that keep collaborative efforts moving forward.
- Build trust and productive working relationships among diverse partners, including youth-serving organizations, schools, community organizations, funders, public agencies, and other stakeholders.
- Facilitate consensus-building and help partners navigate differing perspectives, priorities, and organizational interests.
- Ensure decisions, responsibilities, and next steps are clearly documented and communicated.
- Establish and maintain effective systems, policies, procedures, workflows, and communication structures.
- Develop and manage project plans, timelines, deliverables, and performance measures.
- Coordinate multiple initiatives and priorities simultaneously while maintaining attention to detail.
- Continuously assess network operations and make improvements based on partner feedback, data, and changing community needs.
- Effectively communicate the network's purpose, priorities, progress, and impact clearly to a variety of audiences.
- Prepare high-quality written materials, including reports, presentations, meeting materials and other organizational documents, or work with ECRC’s marketing department to do so.
- Recognize how this role in the network contributes to power dynamics and actively take steps to shift power to the OST providers.
- Represent Youth Experiences in Stark at community meetings, conferences, and other relevant events.
- Use data and feedback to evaluate network effectiveness and inform decision-making.
- Identify opportunities for continuous improvement and lead implementation of recommended changes.
- Help demonstrate and communicate the collective impact of Youth Experiences in Stark.
- Other duties as assigned.
- Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, education, organizational leadership, or a related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
- At least three years of progressively responsible experience in program management, collaborative initiatives, nonprofit leadership, community engagement, education, youth development, or a related field.
- Experience working within the out-of-school time, youth development, education, nonprofit, or community-development sectors.
- Demonstrated experience leading complex projects or initiatives involving multiple partners or stakeholders.
- Exceptional oral and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate complicated ideas clearly and compellingly.
- Experience creating and facilitating training for adults.
- Ability to move fluidly between big-picture strategic thinking and detailed execution.
- Demonstrated ability to work independently, take initiative, solve problems, and follow through.
- Proficiency with standard productivity, communication, and project-management tools such as Microsoft Office applications.
- Commitment to ethical and confidential conduct.
- Access to a vehicle and willingness to travel.
- Maintain a valid Ohio’s driver's license and motor vehicle insurance.
- Ability to pass pre-employment physical, background check, and drug screen.
- Familiarity with Stark County's youth-serving organizations and knowledge of Ohio Afterschool Network (OAN).
- Experience facilitating committees, workgroups, or cross-sector partnerships.
- Experience with program evaluation, data management, or outcomes measurement.
- Experience securing or managing grant-funded initiatives.
Reports to: Executive Director
Working conditions: Working conditions: on site; normal office environment with some local/regional travel required
Classification: Exempt
Location: Canton
Pay Grade: 75K – 80K
