Youth Program Director

Career Guide

Plans and leads after-school, summer, and enrichment programs for children and teens. Oversees staff and volunteers, budgets and grants, safety and program quality, and partnerships with schools and community groups.

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Key Responsibilities

Design and oversee after-school, summer, and teen programs
Hire, train, schedule, and coach staff and volunteers
Manage program budgets, grants, and compliance reporting
Establish and enforce child safety and risk management protocols
Track outcomes and prepare reports for funders and leadership
Build partnerships with schools, agencies, and community groups
Lead outreach and participant recruitment efforts

Career Progression

Can Lead To

Director of Programs

Chief Program Officer (CPO)

Executive Director

Transition Opportunities

Community Engagement Manager

Nonprofit Operations Manager

Recreation Director

Grant Manager

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills

Child and youth safeguarding and risk managementGrant budgeting and compliance reportingProgram evaluation and outcomes measurementVolunteer management and scheduling

Development SuggestionsComplete Youth Program Quality (YPQI) or Positive Youth Development training and Youth Mental Health First Aid; volunteer to lead a small after-school program to practice supervision, budgeting, and outcome reporting.

Market Intelligence Report

Youth Program Director is part of the Program Management category.Explore our market intelligence report to see how AI and hiring demand are shifting for these roles.

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Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range

Entry Level$45,000-$58,000

Mid Level$60,000-$78,000

Senior Level$80,000-$105,000

Growth Trend

stable

Companies Hiring

Major Employers

Boys & Girls Clubs of America (local affiliates)YMCACity and County Parks & Recreation Departments

Industry Sectors

Non-Profit & Social ImpactGovernment (Local/Municipal)Education

Recommended Next Steps

Earn CPR/First Aid and Youth Mental Health First Aid; complete required background checks; shadow a local program director for a full program cycle.

Take an intensive grant writing course and submit a small grant (e.g., $5k–$15k) to build budgeting and compliance experience.

Build an outcomes toolkit: create a logic model, simple survey, and dashboard (Excel/Google Data Studio) for a pilot program and add results to a portfolio.