ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Youth Development Professional Jobs in Iowa (NOW HIRING)

Polk County

YOUTH SERVICES WORKER

Des Moines, IA · On-site

$64K/yr

Maintains professional interaction with youth while providing daily care; facilitates, organizes ... Knowledge of the behavior patterns common to various stages of youth development. Knowledge of ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

All JobsYouth Development Professional JobsYouth Development Professional Jobs in Iowa

Youth Development Professional information

See Iowa salary details

$8

$16

$29

How much do youth development professional jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 30, 2026, the average hourly pay for youth development professional in Iowa is $16.03, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $12.88 and $17.40 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a youth development professional?

Youth Development Professionals are individuals who work with young people to support their personal, social, and educational growth. They create safe, supportive environments and design programs that help youth develop valuable life skills, build confidence, and achieve their goals. These professionals often work in after-school programs, community centers, schools, or non-profit organizations, serving as mentors, facilitators, and advocates for youth. Their primary aim is to empower young people to reach their full potential and become active, engaged members of their communities.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a youth development professional?

To thrive as a Youth Development Professional, you need a solid background in child or adolescent development, program planning, and often a degree in education, social work, or a related field. Familiarity with youth engagement software, behavior management systems, and certifications like CPR/First Aid are typically required. Strong communication, leadership, and conflict resolution skills help foster trust and positive relationships with youth. These abilities are crucial for creating supportive environments that promote healthy growth and positive outcomes for young people.

What are some common challenges youth development professionals face when working with diverse youth populations?

Youth Development Professionals often encounter challenges such as building trust with youth from varied backgrounds, addressing unique emotional and behavioral needs, and navigating cultural or language barriers. Successfully supporting diverse youth requires adaptability, strong communication skills, and ongoing cultural competency training. Many organizations provide resources, mentorship, and team collaboration to help professionals effectively meet the needs of all participants while fostering an inclusive, safe environment.

What career paths are in youth development professional?

A youth development professional can pursue career paths such as program coordinator, youth counselor, community outreach specialist, or program director. These roles often require skills in leadership, communication, and program management, and may involve working in schools, community centers, or non-profit organizations.

What are the most commonly searched types of Youth Development jobs in Iowa?

The most popular types of Youth Development jobs in Iowa are:

What are popular job titles related to Youth Development Professional jobs in Iowa?

For Youth Development Professional jobs in Iowa, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Youth Development Professional jobs in Iowa look for?

The top searched job categories for Youth Development Professional jobs in Iowa are:

What cities in Iowa are hiring for Youth Development Professional jobs?

Cities in Iowa with the most Youth Development Professional job openings:

Youth Development Professional jobs near you
Infographic showing various Youth Development Professional job openings in Iowa as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 36% Full Time, and 64% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $33,352 per year, or $16 per hour.

Academic Youth Development Professional - Full Time - Council Bluffs

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands

Council Bluffs, IA • On-site

$18.50 - $20/hr

Full-time

Posted 24 days ago

Job description

Description
STARTING AT $18.50-$20.50
Job Title: AcademicYouth Development Professional
Reports to: Club Director
Location: Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands, Council Bluffs 815 N. 16th St. Council Bluffs, IA 51501
Schedule: Monday to Friday 11:30am-7:30pm
Wage: Starting at $18.50 to $20/ hour
Organization Information:
The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands (BGCM), an affiliate with Boys & Girls Clubs of America is a comprehensive out-of-school provider designed to support the most vulnerable youth in the Midlands. Our vision is to provide a world-class Club Experience that assures success is within reach of every young person who enters our doors, with all members on track to graduate from high school with a plan for the future, demonstrating good character and citizenship, and living a healthy lifestyle. It is our mission to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, healthy and caring members of society. Safety, Accountability, Positivity, Integrity, Professionalism and Respectfulness are our core values that are embedded in our everyday culture.
Position Summary:
The Academic Youth Development Professional will work with members to facilitate their personal, social and educational development to enable them to gain voice, influence, and place in society as they make the transition from dependence to independence. The YDP will also assist youth to establish daily, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands motto "Safety First & Always" at all times. The Youth Development Professional will deliver Education & Career Development, Sports, Fitness & Recreation, Arts, Character & Leadership, STEM, Outdoor Education, Aquatics (when applicable), and other assigned programs to members KG-12th: The Youth Development Professional will deliver programs to Younger members (KG-5th Graders), Middle School members (6th-8th Graders) and High School members (9th-12th Graders) The Youth Development Professional may be required to provide transportation with the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands 10-person van and/or 15-person people mover. The Youth Development Professional will also continue to monitor programming and discipline and effective guidance to ensure "Quality" is always present by utilizing the 5 Key Elements of Positive Youth Development, the Program Quality Assessment (PQA) tool, and routinely assessing progress towards goals and adjusting activities as necessary.
Essential Functions:
  • Embrace the overarching principles for Youth Development
    • Positive child and youth development principles and practices. These include building on youth strengths, setting and maintaining high expectations; understanding the centrality of and fostering positive relationships with peers and adults; providing age appropriate and challenging programming; engaging members as partners, not just as consumers of services; promoting positive identity formation and helping young people to fully develop their potential
    • Respect and value the cultures and traditions of members, their families and their communities, and treating all members and staff equally, irrespective of race, religion, sex, gender identity, national origin, age or disability
    • Appreciate the range of abilities and diverse needs of children and youth
    • Understand the mission, policies and practices of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands
  • Comply with BGCM Safety requirements
  • Promote an inclusive, welcoming, and respectful environment that embraces diversity
  • Foster academic skills with members that promotes positive outcomes
  • Deliver high quality programs and activities to members
  • Direct supervision of members
  • Maintain accurate and timely recording keeping for activities and meals
  • Complete incident reports, along with proper documentation
  • Computer Literate - Develop, organize and complete tasks and projects using software programs such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint
  • Set and maintain appropriate and culturally sensitive physical, emotional boundaries in interactions with members and staff
  • Makes children and youth feel physically and emotionally safe and part of the group; for example, fostering an inclusive environment, addressing bullying and teasing, effectively managing groups including disruptive behavior and conflict, maintain a sense of order
  • Use SEL (Social & Emotional Learning) Model
    • Self: Self-Management; Managing emotions and behaviors to achieve one's goal
    • Self: Self-Awareness; Recognizing one's emotions and values as well as one's strengths and challenges
    • Social: Social Awareness; Showing understanding and empathy for others
    • Responsible: Responsible Decision Making; Making ethical, constructive choices about personal and social behavior
    • Relationship Skills: Forming positive relationships, working in teams, dealing effectively with conflict
  • Be knowledgeable of the principles and practices of child and youth development and use this knowledge to achieve the goals of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands
  • Comply with applicable safety and emergency requirements
  • Develop academic and non-academic skills and broaden members' horizons
  • Implement BGCM/BGCA curricula and program activities
  • Promote responsible and healthy decision-making among all members
  • Develop leadership, team-building and self-advocacy skills among members

Qualifications:
  • 2-4 years of college, in the field of education
  • 3-4 years of experience working with youth, at-risk youth (preferred); **Experience will be considered in lieu of degree**
  • Bilingual a plus
  • Demonstrates basic knowledge of developmental milestones concerning the physical, emotional, cognitive and social development of children and youth
  • Must be able to interact positively with members, individually and in groups, using strength-based approaches, respectful communication and affirmative techniques, such as developing trust, listening and engaging with members
  • Experience working with and demonstrating compassion and/or sensitivity toward vulnerable populations and individuals with diverse backgrounds present in the organization's service population, both individually and in groups
  • Demonstrated organizational skills and project management abilities, attention to detail, and promptness
  • Must be able to effectively navigate and function within a virtual environment
  • Must effectively and comfortably manage in a virtual environment:
  • Must serve as a technology advocate and understand the tools available and optimal methods to ensure utilization of technology is promoted at every opportunity
  • Must be able to inspire trust and motivate virtual teams using strong communication, developmental and interpersonal skills and an ability to adapt to different virtual platforms
  • Must successfully guide virtual teams, communicate clear goals, and facilitate problem solving
  • Must be proficient in the use of Windows, Internet, Microsoft Suite (Microsoft Teams, Word, Excel, Outlook, Access or other database software proficiency), Zoom or other Virtual Meeting platforms, and Google Platform (Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides)
  • Ability to earn and maintain mandatory CPR & First aid certification or obtain within 6 months of hire
  • Maintain a valid driver's license and meet eligibility requirements to drive a BGCM vehicle
  • Must be able to pass a drug test, criminal and driving records investigation
  • The ability to read and write is necessary to complete reports and properly document program and organizational data
  • Must have reliable transportation to get to sites or meetings
  • Must have regular and reliable attendance

Apply