Dir, Strategy and Quality Practices, Membship

The Network Experience team delivers and/or activates a system of services which are designed to support the Y network. The Network Experience portfolio includes the mobilization of the service delivery system including alliances, service delivery partners and hubs, as well as the execution of CEO search and thriving Y work, leadership and facilitation of our innovative priorities, oversight of safety & risk protocols, emergency response support, the implementation of certification and membership standards, strategic intervention, knowledge management and the continued advancement of equity related to health access, social determinants of health, academic achievement, food insecurities, boys and young men of color, community and civic engagement, mental health, housing, workforce development and core membership and program delivery.

The Director of Strategy and Quality Practices, Membership will provide leadership that advances community- based services within the network delivery system that engages local YMCAs and YMCA State/Regional Alliances. The role will support Y-USA in unifying our collective strategies, inclusive of GDEI and community-engagement learnings. Deliverables will include the activation of leading practices across the network, socialization of growth strategies, sourcing of national partnerships, advocacy and public policy support, identification of industry signals and trends, to inform continuous quality improvement and emerging innovation.

This position will engage partners and collaborators, thought leaders, innovation teams, learning cohorts, and others to promote mutual understanding, to cultivate shared responsibility, to identify inclusive solutions, to implement quality improvement strategies, and to propose sustainable pathways in response to identified Leading Practices. The Director will collaborate with other teams at Y- USA, local YMCA teams, and external partners to lead the implementation of approaches that align with organizational priorities to advance access to and engagement of community-based services across the Y Movement.

• Bachelor’s degree is required. Master’s Degree in Business or Human Services, Community Engagement, Organizational Development, Organizational Behavior, or Public Policy is preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of experience working collaboratively and building partnerships with staff of local YMCAs or other community-based organizations to implement organizational priorities is strongly preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of experience building strong relationships among a wide variety of stakeholders (government officials, community-based organizations, school officials, members of faith- based institutions, other non-profits, and community members) to advance a common cause is strongly preferred.

• Minimum 10 years of experience working with or within Ys to reach and support community members in the Leading Practice area preferred.
• At least two of the preferred work experiences and/or preferred education are required.

• Experience supervising and leading staff is preferred.
• Project management experience is preferred.
• Ability to travel approximately 40% of the time

• Demonstrated ability to multi-task and manage complex systems with superior technical and project management skills is required.

• Must possess excellent analytical, problem-solving skills, and be able to comply with all administrative processes.

• Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication and presentation skills are required.
• Demonstrated experience in engaging multiple stakeholders, facilitating, coaching, mentoring is required.

• Excellent time management skills, initiative, and the ability to take direction .
• Demonstrated ability to influence others to achieve objectives is required.

• Requires a commitment to the YMCA character development values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility.

• Values. Demonstrates in word and action the Y’s core values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility and a commitment to the Y’s mission, in all matters always.
• Inclusion. Values all people for their unique talents and takes an active role in promoting practices that support diversity, inclusion, and cultural competence.
• Relationships. Builds authentic relationships in the service of enhancing individual and team performance to support the Y's work.

• Communication. Listens and expresses self effectively and in a manner that reflects a true understanding of the needs of the audience.

• Developing Others. Recognizes and acts on the need to continually develop others' capabilities to attain the highest level of performance possible.
• Project Management. Supports goal attainment by prioritizing activities, assigning responsibilities in accordance with capabilities, monitoring progress, and evaluating impact.

• Decision Making. Integrates logic, intuition, and sound judgment to analyze information to identify greatest opportunities, make sound decisions, and solve problems.
• ChangeCapacity. Leads self and others through change by navigating ambiguity appropriately and adapting well to new situations, obstacles, and opportunities.

• Emotional Maturity. Demonstrates effective interpersonal skills.

• Quality Results. Demonstrates and fosters a strong commitment to achieving goals in a manner that provides quality experiences.

Unify the Network:

• Build and maintain relationships with Ys across the Network to build credibility of Y-USA strategy and supports.
• Align practices and strategies across the Network to create shared goals and outcomes.

Provide Leadership to Collective Strategies:

• Manage execution of approaches to support organizational priorities to include diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Contribute to strategy development for organizational priorities to include growth and funding strategies.
• Advance implementation and dissemination efforts to ensure Ys, service delivery partners, and other key stakeholders have the resources they need to effectively engage stakeholders and drive impact.
• Deliver specialized consulting support to Y-USA staff, and other stakeholders and provide thought leadership for the organizational priorities.
• Equip the network through capacity-building, planning, and activation.

Manage execution of YMCA Leading Practices:

• Leverage and engage the YMCA network to: (a) increase adoption and usage of Y-USA developed products/solutions; (b) identify bright spots; (c) provide programmatic support to Network Partners.
• Manage utilization of existing systems to ensure seamless support to the Y Movement.
• Convene diverse and cross functional teams to inform and support the development of programs, practices, and approaches that enhance delivery of community-based services.
• Develop new tools, methods, processes, and catalogue leading practices that enable integration of learnings into YMCA support systems and the YMCA Movement.

Guide Continuous Quality Improvement:

• Foster a continuous growth strategy for the Leading Practice area.
• Identify areas for continued efficiencies.
• Gather data and trends to utilize for continuous quality improvement of practices.
• Identify opportunities for introduction back into the Innovation Process.

Support National Partnerships, Advocacy and Policy:

• Partner with governmental and private non-profit or for-profit. organizations, local YMCAs, academic institutions, foundations, and other individuals or organizations that are supportive of Y-USA’s mission, goals, and objectives.
• Collaborate with the Y-USA Government Relations Office to support advocacy and policy strategy.
• Leverage the expertise of partners to advance the work of the Y.
• Utilize signals and insights in the industry for growth.

This position will advance the overall strategic direction of YMCA of the USA through efficient and effective development and deployment of assigned services. This will enhance the ability of the organization to serve the needs of the YMCA Movement and its constituent parts.