Vice President, Operations

How you Will Power our Purpose (Job Summary)

The Vice President of Operations is a dynamic, mission-driven leader dedicated to strategic and operational excellence, responsible for overseeing and enhancing the performance of several YMCA Centers. In this role, you will manage a group of four to six centers, leading a diverse team of Associate Center Executives and Executive Directors, and work collaboratively with the Program Group, Facilities Group, and Enterprise Hub Departments in a matrixed environment. You will be accountable for ensuring the Centers deliver exceptional experiences and maintain top-tier facilities, focusing on safety, cleanliness, customer service, and both fiscal and facility management. Your responsibilities will include driving board engagement, philanthropy, innovation, product development, and community partnerships, as well as implementing best practices and high-quality service delivery. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, you will play a key role in fostering a transformative YMCA experience by energizing employees and volunteers, collaborating with partners, inspiring donors, and driving growth and innovation

How you Will Power our Purpose (Job Summary)

Y Experience Leadership & Results (60%)

• Performance Achievement & Results

• Fosters a culture that builds trust and treats all team members and colleagues with respect; constructively and immediately deals with conflict; gains commitment and provides clarity; holds team members accountable and cultivates peer accountability; and achieves results to meet strategic and operational goals.

• Accountable for leading a communicative, inclusive and transparent internal staff culture across the operations group where best practices, high outcomes and shared accountability are the norm

• Build trusting, strong and collaborative relationships with operations team members and across the enterprise

• Responsible for attracting and retaining team members with a focus on high performance, expectations, accountability, and inclusion

• Provide team members feedback, coaching, mentoring, and employee development opportunities

• Hold team accountable for achieving at high levels to meet strategic goals and objectives

• Model inclusive leadership behaviors and embraces all dimensions of diversity - building strong teams that apply their diverse skills and perspectives to our mission

• Responsible for hiring, coaching and managing all direct reports and ensuring alignment with association people practices for all positions within their organizational structure

• Along with the COO, develop OKRs and strategies related to performance achievement and DEI to meet organizational strategic imperatives

• Implement a goal-based leadership approach (OKR methodology) and ensures the operations group is actively working towards supporting organizational level objectives and key results

• Conduct Cycle Check-ins and the Annual Check-In with direct reports to ensure progress with OKRs, provide ongoing coaching and feedback, and discuss development opportunities

• Lead and serve on project teams for assigned innovation projects designed to incubate new services, and/or improve systems and processes

• Serve on Association-level impact teams, task forces, and/or committees as needed

• Operational Leadership

• Along with the COO and CEO, set a vision for YMCA Operations to focus on being Greater Austin's best-in-class service provider and operations management, committed to the highest outcomes

• Along with the COO, implement a matrix management structure and system (select positions having dual reporting to the center and association lead) to ensure alignment among operations, program expertise and association hub leadership with a high degree of accountability

• Supervise and coach assigned Executive Directors, Associate Executive Director and Business Managers to ensure sound operations

• Provide overall direction to the Community Advisory Boards

• Collaborate with and take the lead from the centralized departments (Metro) to create and improve experiences; and to design and pilot new programs and experiences.

• Through thoughtful leadership, advance YMCA operations strategy with a focus on driving programmatic quality, consistency, growth and innovation

• Establish and implement quality assurance controls and improvement systems and processes

• Oversees membership and program enrollment growth while ensuring a high-quality and transformative Y Experience as demonstrated by net-promoter scores and other experience metrics

• Provide leadership to assigned program area(s). Program area subject to change based on organizational needs.

• Assist in developing and fostering a culture of innovation across the organization

• Represent YMCA in industry-group conferences, professional associations, and other agencies

• Develop, manage, and monitor the overall operating budget to meet or exceed budgeted targets, which includes reviewing monthly finance reports, identifying variances and making appropriate adjustments

• Ensure successful collaboration on all aspects of association marketing strategies and campaigns

• Ensure Associate Center Executives are keeping facilities and equipment well maintained, safe and clean, following association guidelines and practices.

• Conducts a monthly walkthrough of centers with Executive Directors and bi-annual walkthrough with Chief Operations Officer and association facilities lead

Fiscal Management (20%)

• Implement strategic fiscal management in partnership with Vice President of Finance and the Chief Operations Officer

• In alignment with the Vice President of Finance, responsible for leading the budgeting process with the operational group and holding Executive Directors accountable for managing and monitoring center budgets

• Develops and reviews monthly variance reports with the Chief Operations Officer, implementing action plans to stay on plan with the annual budget

• Ensures centers meet revenue targets, control expenses, identify growth opportunities, conduct monthly forecasting, and correct financial deficiencies on a timely basis

• Develops reporting systems and ensures Center financial reports are provided for all Advisory Board meetings

Board, Community Development & Philanthropy (20%)

• Enhances the Y's reputation in the community by coaching Executive Directors to engage with partners, businesses, school districts, and other non-profit organizations that are invested in strengthening the community (e.g., serving on the local chamber, building relationships with local, city, and county officials and representatives)
• Assess community landscape by developing a deep understanding of each community-area demographics, keeping a pulse on demographic and external environmental shifts, and local economic trends
• Stay current on trend identification and implications for their communities and centers in the following areas: Membership, Health and Wellness, Youth and Family Programs, and other programs and initiatives operated by their assigned centers.
• Drives Executive Directors to cultivate and implement community partnerships for assigned centers and the association
• Partner with youth development leaders (Extend-A-Care) to build strong partnerships with school districts
• Recruit, develop, and maintain highly effective Advisory Boards, following the by-laws of the YMCA of Greater Austin
• Support board chairs in facilitating an engaging and productive board meeting experience
• Regularly attend board meetings for assigned centers and meet at least bi-annually with board chairs
• Drive successful fund-raising and financial development with assigned Centers, working with the association Development Team, to meet cycle and annual objectives
• Manage a portfolio of major gift prospects and donors, growing contributed revenue annually
• Meet monthly with Development team to ensure successful meeting of Center fundraising goals
• Ensure strong board and volunteer leadership and participation in annual fundraising
• Partner with the Development team to ensure a compelling philanthropic case and center connection to YMCA youth development programs in the service area
• Work with the Advancement department, identify partnership and funding opportunities for programs
• Other duties as assigned

What You Bring to the Community Enterprise

• A bachelor's degree in business management or equivalent field with a minimum of 15 years of progressive leadership experience in operations management in a non-profit or YMCA environment. Proven track record in overseeing multiple locations or centers and leading diverse teams.
• Ability to lead and inspire teams, with a strong focus on strategic planning, performance management, and employee development.
• Extensive experience in managing operations, including facility management, fiscal oversight, and program development. Ability to drive high standards of safety, cleanliness, and customer service.
• Proficient in budgeting, financial analysis, and managing revenue and expenses. Experience in developing and implementing strategies for financial growth and sustainability
• Entrepreneurial spirit with the ability to lead strategically but also perform hands-on work in a "roll up your sleeves" culture.
• You're a Cause-Driven Leader - You are effective at:
  • Advancing our mission and cause - providing visionary leadership to ensure resources are mobilized to adapt to new challenges and needs in the community
  • Building relationships - connecting people to the Y's cause by developing inclusive relationships, partnerships, and collaborations to co-create solutions to pressing social needs
  • Leading operations - ensuring relevance, effectiveness, and sustainability of the organization so we can continue to fulfill our promise to the community
  • Developing and inspiring people - supporting the holistic development of self and others so everyone can embrace the Y's cause, sustain our culture, and inspire others to action
• You're a self-starter - You are able to lead through ambiguity, work independently and be a self-starter as well as a strong team player with a commitment to collaboration within and outside your home department and/or center.
• You lead by influence - You are able to have an impact on the behavior, attitudes, and choices of others. You are a force for change who is open to new insights, accepts challenges and leads with positive energy.
• You possess a high EQ - You have a high degree of emotional intelligence and the ability to quickly access and compose oneself in stressful or tense situations.
• You Drive an Engaged Team to Results - You help teams prioritize work to meet ambitious goals. You can foresee and mitigate challenges. You create a climate where your team is motivated to do their best work and help the Y achieve its objectives. You can consistently lead and/or guide a team to results, even under tough circumstances.
• You Ensure Accountability - You hold yourself and others accountable to meet commitments.
• You Cultivate Innovation - You are adept at creating new and better ways and experiences for the organization to be successful.
• You're an Exceptional Communicator - You're an expert at developing and delivering multi-mode communications with a wide variety of types of audiences that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different constituents.
• You are Organized & Productive - You are a master at planning your day and not letting distractions come in between meeting your goals.
• You Possess Organizational Savvy - You know how to maneuver comfortably through complex policy, process, and people-related organizational dynamics.

Physical Requirements

This role requires the ability to sit for extended periods, stand, walk, and occasionally lift up to 25 pounds. Candidates should be capable of using standard office equipment, including computers, phones, and printers. Reasonable accommodations will be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.