Grant Implementation & Academic Director

The Grant Implementation and Academic Director is responsible for the day-to-day implementation, academic direction, staff leadership, financial stewardship, and program performance of the YMCA of Catawba Valley’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) programs. This position ensures that approved grant activities and initiatives are implemented consistently across all funded sites and that staffing, enrollment, attendance, academic support, enrichment, family engagement, professional development, spending, evaluation, documentation, and required grant deliverables remain aligned with the approved grant application, Budget 208, YMCA expectations, and applicable grant requirements.

• Lead day-to-day implementation of the 21st CCLC grant across all funded sites and ensure programming remains aligned with the approved grant application, Budget 208, program goals, YMCA expectations, and applicable grant requirements.
• Recruit, hire, directly supervise, coach, develop, and evaluate the Student & Grant Support Specialist and 21st CCLC Site Coordinators.
• Establish clear expectations and accountability for staffing, program implementation, attendance, family engagement, documentation, spending responsibilities, and required grant deliverables.
• Provide leadership for academic programming, tutoring, enrichment, SEL, and other student supports, ensuring services are responsive to identified student and school needs.
• Conduct regular site visits, observations, and program-quality reviews and work with Site Coordinators to address identified concerns and improve consistency across sites.
• Review enrollment, attendance, participation hours, ADA, academic outcomes, surveys, evaluation findings, and other performance data to identify trends, concerns, and opportunities for improvement.
• Develop and monitor annual and monthly spending plans, budget-to-actual performance, and grant-funded purchases to ensure resources are used timely, appropriately, and in alignment with approved budgets and program priorities.
• Work with fiscal and business administration staff to reconcile expenditures, resolve discrepancies, maintain required supporting documentation, and prepare spending recommendations or budget adjustments for leadership review.
• Oversee grant deliverables, monitoring requirements, continuation activities, amendments, reporting, evaluation, and preparation for NCDPI monitoring, desk reviews, site visits, and audits.
• Review grant data, reports, and supporting documentation prepared by the Student & Grant Support Specialist and ensure records are accurate, complete, organized, and monitoring-ready.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with school administrators, teachers, families, evaluators, community partners, and other stakeholders supporting 21st CCLC implementation.
• Ensure family engagement activities and communication requirements are meaningfully planned, implemented, documented, and evaluated.
• Partner with the Regional Director on NC Child Care licensing, safety, regulatory compliance, and broader regional operational needs while maintaining supervisory responsibility for grant-funded staff.
• Ensure grant-funded staff receive appropriate training and professional development related to academics, behavior management, inclusion, SEL, safety, grant requirements, and identified program needs.
• Identify programmatic, financial, staffing, or compliance concerns; develop and monitor corrective action plans; and appropriately escalate significant issues to the Senior Director of School Age Programs, Vice President of Youth Development, and /or designated leadership.
• Maintain active supervision and follow all YMCA safety, Child Abuse Prevention, emergency, confidentiality, and reporting requirements while working with students.
• Support continuous improvement, annual needs assessment, sustainability planning, and other strategic efforts that strengthen program quality and long-term grant success.
• Support program operations during staffing shortages, School’s Out days, summer programming, family events, and other high-need periods.
• Support annual fundraising efforts and serve as a positive spokesperson and advocate for YMCA and 21st CCLC programs in the community.
• Requires the use of a personal vehicle to travel throughout the YMCA of Catawba Valley Association. Program assignments and support needs are subject to change based on organizational priorities.
• Act as Manager on Duty (MOD) as assigned.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Youth Development, Child Development, Human Services, Recreation, Public Administration, Nonprofit Management, or a related field required.
• Minimum of three years of progressive leadership experience in education, school-age programming, youth development, grant-funded programming, nonprofit operations, or a related child-serving field.
• Experience with program budgets, financial tracking, grant compliance, program monitoring, staffing, and continuous improvement strongly preferred.
• Experience with federal or state grant-funded programs, including 21st CCLC, preferred.
• Experience working collaboratively with schools and educational partners preferred.

Knowledge:

• Knowledge of youth development, child development, and developmentally appropriate practices for school-age children.
• Understanding of academic intervention, tutoring, enrichment, social-emotional learning, and family engagement in out-of-school-time settings.
• Understanding of grant implementation, monitoring, documentation, compliance, and program accountability.
• Understanding of staff onboarding, training, background checks, clearances, and personnel-documentation requirements.

Skills:

• Strong Leadership skills, experience managing teams, providing coaching and feedback, and supporting program and professional growth.
• Ability to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing, including the ability to clearly document program observations and operational issues.
• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to manage multiple programs and priorities simultaneously.
• Proficient computer skills, Microsoft, Google Suite, and other software programs.
• Position requires travel throughout Burke, Catawba, and Lincoln Counties, using personal vehicle.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills with the ability to assess challenges and provide effective solutions.
• Ability to design, support, and evaluate engaging and effective school age programs.

Abilities:

• Ability to lead and support multiple school age programs across several locations.
• Ability to coach and support program coordinators while maintaining clear expectations and accountability.
• Strong ability to manage staffing, program operations, and family engagement challenges effectively.
• Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with staff, families, branch leadership, and community partners.
• Ability to balance operational oversight with strategic program development.

Personal Attributes:

• High level of energy, creativity, and enthusiasm for working with staff, children, and families.
• Strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Ability to work independently while also contributing to the YMCA leadership team.
• Support the overall objectives and mission of the YMCA.

Physical Requirements:

The Grant Implementation & Academic Director must represent the YMCA in a professional image. He/she must be able to maneuver the grounds and facilities freely and be capable of speaking clearly, including, but not limited to: walking, stooping, carrying minimum of 50 lbs., sitting, standing, pushing, climbing, kneeling, lifting minimum of 50 lbs., and crouching. 

Safety Policy:

The Grant Implementation & Academic Director will be responsible for observing the following rules:

• No Alcohol or drugs will be used on the job at any time.
• Report all job accidents the same day the accident happens.
• Obtain authorization from your supervisor for all non-emergency treatments for accidents.
• Wear seat belts at all times in company vehicles.
• Keep the area where you work clean and neat at all times.
• Do not remove or bypass any guards on any machinery at any time.
• Ask you supervisor when you need additional equipment or instructions to get the job done safely.
• Lift with your legs, not your back, and get assistance with loads over 50 pounds.
• Advise your supervisor of any hazardous conditions.
• Follow all other written and spoken safety rules.

• Employee Assistance Program
• Retirement Contributions

Child Abuse Prevention: All YMCA staff are responsible for creating a safe, inclusive environment. This includes following all YMCA policies and procedures related to abuse prevention, reporting concerns or incidents immediately, and maintaining appropriate boundaries with youth and members. This position should ensure that all staff and volunteers understand and comply with YMCA abuse prevention policies, actively monitor staff interactions with participants, address boundary violations, and ensure prompt reporting of concerns in accordance with YMCA policy and state law.