The Role
Leads operations across multiple Boys & Girls Club sites, supervising and coaching Program Managers, ensuring program quality, safety, compliance, staffing, budgeting, and youth outcomes. Conducts site visits, monitors data and reports, supports continuous quality improvement, manages operational issues, and strengthens relationships with schools, families, volunteers, and community partners. Collaborates with organizational departments on training, staffing, planning, and cross-site improvements.
Summary Generated by Built In
AREA MANAGER
Department: Program
Reports To: Chief Program Officer (CPO)
Status: Full-Time, Exempt
Salary Range: $60,000-$70,000 annually (DOE)
Position Summary
The Area Manager provides direct multi-site leadership and operational oversight for assigned Boys & Girls Club locations. This role ensures consistent program quality, strong staff performance, responsible use of site resources, and safe, compliant operations.
Working closely with the Chief Program Officer and in partnership with the Program Leadership Team and other organizational leaders, the Area Manager supervises and develops Program Managers through regular site visits, coaching, performance management, operational guidance, and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI).
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Site Operations & Program Quality
- Oversee day-to-day operations across assigned sites to ensure safe, structured, welcoming, and high-quality environments.
- Ensure consistent implementation of approved curriculum, program models, organizational priorities, and quality standards.
- Conduct regular site visits, observations, and CQI reviews to monitor operations, youth engagement, staff practice, and program quality; support timely improvement actions.
- Monitor site operational readiness, including staffing coverage, facilities, supplies, technology, and equipment needs, and coordinate resolution with appropriate departments.
- Monitor assigned site budgets and expenditures in partnership with Program Managers and Finance, support responsible use of approved resources, and elevate material variances or needs to the Chief Program Officer.
- Support Program Managers in achieving expectations related to attendance, ADA, enrollment, CCAP participation, retention, teen engagement, and youth outcomes.
Staff Supervision & Development
- Directly supervise and coach Program Managers through goal setting, regular check-ins, observations, feedback, evaluations, and documented follow-up.
- Maintain a consistent site presence to provide hands-on support, problem-solving, and real-time coaching to Program Managers and frontline staff.
- Partner with Human Resources and the Chief Program Officer to support recruitment, hiring, onboarding, staff engagement, retention, and performance management across assigned sites.
- Support onboarding, training, and professional development efforts while identifying recurring skill gaps and recommending strategies to strengthen staff performance.
- Identify high-potential staff and support leadership pathways, including the development of Lead Youth Development Professionals.
- Coordinate continuity plans during Program Manager vacancies, absences, or transitions, and help Program Managers strengthen team culture, staff engagement, and retention across assigned sites.
Safety, Compliance & Youth Support
- Ensure assigned sites comply with BGCA standards, organizational policies, licensing, grants, and applicable regulatory requirements, including CACFP, CCAP, Teen REACH, OJJDP, 21st Century, and other site-level requirements.
- Conduct or support safety and compliance checks and ensure timely resolution and documented follow-up of identified concerns.
- Monitor timely completion and follow-up of incident and accident reports, corrective actions, and compliance-related documentation
- Help coordinate site response during staffing shortages, emergencies, and operational crises.
- Support Program Managers in consistently applying organizational behavior-guidance and youth-discipline practices, coordinating appropriate youth supports, and escalating serious or recurring matters according to organizational procedures.
- Promote a culture of physical and emotional safety, accountability, preparedness, and consistent expectations across assigned sites.
Data, Reporting & CQI
- Maintain proficient knowledge of MyClubHub to review dashboards and reports, audit data, and support site-level accountability.
- Monitor data quality and performance related to attendance, ADP, CCAP, enrollment, teen recruitment and retention, staffing, participation, and youth outcomes.
- Ensure required reports, action plans, and documentation are accurate and completed by established deadlines.
- Coach Program Managers on performance trends, root causes, data-quality concerns, and improvement strategies.
- Use CQI processes to connect data, observations, and stakeholder feedback; monitor improvement priorities and assess whether changes are sustained.
- Support site-level accountability for organizational surveys, assessments, evaluation activities, and data-collection efforts by monitoring completion, reinforcing expectations, and coordinating follow-up across assigned sites.
Relationship Management
- Support Program Managers in building strong relationships and maintaining consistent communication with school partners, families, volunteers, and community stakeholders.
- Support active Parent Advisory Councils (for Teen REACH sites) and family engagement opportunities aligned with organizational priorities.
- Serve as a secondary point of contact for school and community partners as needed; help Program Managers coordinate volunteer involvement and partner-led activities and elevate concerns requiring department-level leadership or organizational commitments.
- Incorporate relevant youth, family, partner, and staff feedback into site-level CQI efforts.
Organizational Collaboration
- Partner with the Chief Program Officer and Program Leadership Team to implement operational priorities and collaborate on Program Manager meetings, training initiatives, and leadership development efforts.
- Contribute site-informed recommendations to department planning, staffing, budget planning, operational systems, and cross-site improvement efforts.
- Partner with the Director of Programs to support consistent implementation of curriculum, program models, quality standards, and CQI expectations.
- Collaborate with Human Resources, Finance, Operations, Development, and other departments to address site needs and support organizational success.
- Participate in trainings, meetings, planning, and organizational initiatives.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree preferred or equivalent relevant experience.
- Minimum 3-5 years of progressively responsible experience in youth development, education, nonprofit leadership, program management, or multi-site operations.
- Demonstrated experience supervising, coaching, and developing staff, including performance management and accountability.
- Experience overseeing multiple programs, sites, teams, or projects simultaneously preferred.
- Strong leadership, communication, relationship-building, facilitation, judgment, and problem-solving skills.
- Experience using data, reports, observations, or management systems to monitor performance and support CQI.
- Ability to monitor budgets or expenditures, support responsible resource use, and communicate financial or operational concerns appropriately.
- Demonstrated ability to build positive relationships with school partners, families, community stakeholders, and internal teams.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, Word, and Outlook, and ability to learn organizational data systems.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and travel regularly between sites throughout Lake County.
- Flexible schedule, including occasional evenings and weekends.
- Successful completion of required background checks and screenings.
Typically between 9:30am-7:00pm, to accommodate site operating hours
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent relevant experience
- Minimum 3-5 years of progressively responsible experience in youth development, education, nonprofit leadership, program management, or multi-site operations
- Experience supervising, coaching, and developing staff, including performance management and accountability
- Experience overseeing multiple programs, sites, teams, or projects simultaneously
- Strong leadership, communication, relationship-building, facilitation, judgment, and problem-solving skills
- Experience using data, reports, observations, or management systems to monitor performance and support continuous quality improvement
- Ability to monitor budgets or expenditures, support responsible resource use, and communicate financial or operational concerns
- Ability to build positive relationships with school partners, families, community stakeholders, and internal teams
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, Word, and Outlook, and ability to learn organizational data systems
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and travel regularly between sites throughout Lake County
- Flexible schedule, including occasional evenings and weekends
- Successful completion of required background checks and screenings
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The Company
What We Do
Boys & Girls Club of Lake County serves children and teens across Lake County, Illinois. Through club locations, it creates safe, supportive spaces and offers mentorship and enrichment programs that help young people learn and grow. Its programming promotes academic success, healthy lifestyles, character, citizenship, and personal growth. Its mission is to help young people—especially those most in need—reach their potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.
