Director, Belonging

YMCA OF METROPOLITAN LOS ANGELES

The LA Y is the Center for Community Well-Being in Los Angeles, committed to building stronger communities by providing equitable programs and services to empower all. We are focused on fighting food insecurity, providing equity in education, making sure every child has the opportunity to experience the joy of sports, ensuring kids and teens have a safe place to grow, learn and live a healthy lifestyle. The LA Y’s health and wellness initiatives offer medical and mental health resources to ensure everyone has access to basic health needs. Our mission is to provide services and resources that contribute to the well-being of our community. The LA Y operates 29 Centers and over 200 program sites across LA County.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Membership and Belonging Director is responsible for leading and scaling membership growth, engagement, and retention at the center. This role serves as the primary leader of the membership function, driving a high-performing sales and service culture that delivers measurable results and a strong member experience.

The Director owns membership performance, including lead generation, pipeline management, conversion, onboarding, and retention. This role leads and develops the membership team, establishes clear expectations, and ensures consistent execution of membership strategies that support overall center goals.

Working in partnership with center leadership, the Director also ensures members are connected to programs, services, and experiences that deepen engagement, increase participation, and strengthen long-term retention.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Membership Growth and Sales Leadership

• Own and drive membership sales performance, including new member acquisition, revenue growth, and conversion outcomes
• Develop and execute strategies to grow membership through tours, outreach, referrals, and lead generation efforts
• Oversee and ensure consistent execution of the membership sales process across the team
• Monitor daily and weekly sales activity including tours, appointments, follow-up, and closes
• Analyze performance data to identify opportunities and adjust strategies to improve results

Lead & Pipeline Management

• Own the full membership pipeline from initial inquiry through conversion and onboarding
• Ensure all prospective member interactions (walk-ins, digital inquiries, referrals, outreach) are captured and actively managed
• Establish clear expectations for lead response time, follow-up cadence, and conversion standards
• Monitor pipeline health including lead volume, stage progression, and conversion rates
• Implement routines for daily and weekly pipeline review and performance tracking

Membership Engagement and Retention

• Develop and implement strategies to increase member engagement and long-term retention
• Monitor member participation and identify at-risk members based on usage and engagement trends
• Ensure proactive outreach and re-engagement efforts are executed to reduce cancellations
• Oversee onboarding processes that connect new members to programs, services, and staff
• Drive participation in programs and services to strengthen member connection and retention
• Support engagement strategies for healthcare-based members to increase utilization and sustain participation

Staff Leadership and Development

• Recruit, hire, train, and develop Membership Managers, Coordinators, and front-line staff
• Establish clear expectations for sales performance, follow-up, and member engagement
• Provide ongoing coaching, feedback, and performance management
• Hold team members accountable to activity, conversion, and service standards
• Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, and member-centered service

Operations and Member Experience

• Ensure a welcoming, inclusive, and high-quality member experience throughout the center
• Oversee accurate processing of memberships, program enrollments, and transactions
• Maintain operational standards related to member services, safety, and compliance
• Support the execution of promotions, campaigns, and center initiatives

Community Engagement and Partnerships

• Build relationships with local businesses, organizations, and community partners to support membership growth
• Represent the YMCA at community events and outreach opportunities
• Develop strategies to increase awareness and engagement within the community

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Membership sales and revenue growth
• Tour-to-membership conversion rate
• Lead pipeline health and follow-up performance
• Membership retention rate
• Member engagement and program participation
• Referral growth and new member sources
• Team execution of sales and service standards

Leadership Expectations

• Demonstrate accountability, professionalism, and initiative
• Foster a culture of inclusion, engagement, and high performance
• Support collaboration across departments to enhance member experience
• Contribute to overall center success and organizational goals

Other Essential Functions

• Attend staff meetings and training as required.
• Uphold YMCA policies for safety, supervision, mandated reporting and risk management.
• Demonstrate the Six Pillars of Character (Trustworthiness, Citizenship, Respect, Responsibility, Caring and Fairness) as well as the YMCA Core Values of Caring, Respect, Honesty and Responsibility, in all dealings with members, guests, volunteers and fellow staff.
• Demonstrate competencies in and willingness to develop in the Cause Driven Leadership areas of mission advancement, collaboration, operational effectiveness and personal growth.
• All other duties as assigned by your supervisor.

YMCA LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES

The Y’s Leadership Competency Model is comprised of multiple leadership competencies (leadership knowledge, skills, and behaviors required for success in the Y), organized by the four disciplines of cause driven leadership:

• Advancing Our Mission & Cause: Provide visionary leadership to the organization and ensure that all resources are mobilized to adapt to new challenges and needs in the community.
  • Competencies Include: Change Leadership, Engaging Community, Philanthropy, & Volunteerism
• Building Relationships: Connect people to the Y’s cause by developing inclusive relationships, partnerships and collaborations so that Ys can co-create solutions to pressing social needs.
  • Competencies Include: Collaboration, Communication & Influence, Inclusion
• Leading Operations: ensure relevance, effectiveness, and sustainability of the organization so that we can continue to fulfill our promise to the community.
  • Competencies Include: Critical Thinking & Decision Making, Fiscal Management, Functional Expertise, Innovation, Program/Project Management
• Developing & Inspiring Others: support the holistic development of self and others so that everyone can embrace the Y’s cause, sustain the Y’s culture, and inspire others to take individual and collective action to further our impact.
  • Competencies Include: Developing Self & Others, Emotional Maturity

While all competencies are significant the following are critical to success in this position:

• Change Leadership
• Communication & Influence
• Program/Project Management
• Developing Self & Others

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• AGE: 18
• EDUCATION:  
  • High School Diploma, required
  • Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, public administration, or related field, preferred
• RELATED EXPERIENCE:  
  • 3–5 years of experience in membership sales, business development, or customer service leadership
  • Proven experience leading teams and achieving sales or performance goals
  • Experience in nonprofit, fitness, hospitality, or community-based organizations preferred
• SPECIALIZED SKILLS:
  • Strong ability to lead, coach, and develop team members
  • Ability to analyze performance data and drive decision-making
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities and operate in a fast-paced environment
  • Strong organizational and follow-up discipline
  • Ability to build relationships with members, staff, and community partners
  • Strong leadership and team management skills
  • Sales and performance management skills
  • Communication and interpersonal skills
  • Relationship-building and customer engagement skills
  • Data analysis and problem-solving skills
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office and member management systems
• CERTIFICATIONS:
  • Current YMCA-Approved Adult & Pediatric First Aid, AED, CPR Certifications or willingness to obtain within 60 days of hire, required.
  • Y-USA Team Leader Certification, preferred.

WORK ENVIRONMENT/MINIMUM PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• You must have the physical, visual, and auditory ability to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Must be able to stand for extended periods and lift up to 25 pounds.
• Must demonstrate auditory and visual ability to observe and respond to situations in the fitness and membership areas.

Req# 4762