Description

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OST Site Director

McKinley Site | Philadelphia, PA

Position Overview

The OST Site Director is responsible for the overall leadership, administration, and daily management of the McKinley Out-of-School Time (OST) Program. This position provides strategic direction and operational oversight to ensure the delivery of high-quality youth development programming that promotes academic achievement, social-emotional growth, leadership development, and family engagement.

The Site Director serves as the primary leader at the site, overseeing all program operations, staff performance, participant engagement, compliance, safety, and community partnerships. This role ensures that all programming is implemented with fidelity to agency objectives, Department of Human Services (DHS) requirements, and OST best practices while fostering a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for youth, families, staff, and community stakeholders.

The ideal candidate is a strong leader with experience managing youth programs, supervising staff, maintaining compliance standards, and building positive relationships with youth, families, schools, and community partners. The Site Director must demonstrate excellent communication, organizational, problem-solving, and team-building skills while maintaining a commitment to positive youth development and trauma-informed practices.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Program Leadership & Management

• Provide overall leadership and strategic oversight of all OST programming and services at the McKinley site.
• Ensure programming aligns with agency goals, youth development principles, OST standards, and funder requirements.
• Develop and maintain a positive, safe, engaging, and inclusive environment that supports youth success and well-being.
• Monitor daily operations to ensure activities are implemented effectively, consistently, and on schedule.
• Evaluate program effectiveness and implement improvements that enhance participant engagement and outcomes.
• Ensure all program services are culturally responsive, youth-centered, and trauma-informed.

Staff Supervision & Professional Development

• Recruit, supervise, mentor, and evaluate program staff, including activity leaders, group supervisors, youth workers, and support personnel.
• Conduct regular staff meetings, supervision sessions, and performance evaluations.
• Provide coaching, guidance, and corrective action when needed to maintain program quality and professional standards.
• Develop staff training plans and support ongoing professional development opportunities.
• Ensure staff understand and adhere to agency policies, safety procedures, and reporting requirements.
• Foster a collaborative, respectful, and high-performing team culture.

Youth Development & Family Engagement

• Promote positive youth development practices that encourage leadership, responsibility, teamwork, and personal growth.
• Build meaningful relationships with participants and families to support engagement and retention.
• Address attendance concerns, behavioral challenges, and barriers to participation through proactive intervention strategies.
• Ensure youth receive appropriate services, referrals, academic support, and enrichment opportunities.
• Facilitate family engagement events, meetings, and communication efforts that strengthen family involvement in program activities.
• Support conflict resolution and behavior management using trauma-informed and restorative approaches.

Compliance, Documentation & Reporting

• Ensure all attendance records, participant files, incident reports, family communications, and program documentation are completed accurately and submitted on time.
• Monitor compliance with agency policies, Department of Human Services (DHS) requirements, licensing standards, and OST regulations.
• Maintain confidentiality and protect sensitive participant information.
• Conduct regular file reviews and quality assurance checks to ensure documentation accuracy and completeness.
• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual reports as required by agency leadership and funding sources.
• Monitor program performance metrics and implement corrective actions as needed.

Community Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as the primary liaison between the OST program, school administration, families, community organizations, and funding entities.
• Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with schools, community partners, service providers, and other stakeholders.
• Represent the agency at community meetings, school events, networking opportunities, and stakeholder engagements.
• Coordinate partnerships that expand access to educational, recreational, cultural, and workforce development opportunities for youth.
• Promote the OST program within the community to increase participation and visibility.

Site Operations & Administration

• Oversee daily site operations, including scheduling, staffing, facility management, transportation coordination, and program logistics.
• Ensure adequate staffing coverage during all program hours and activities.
• Maintain inventory of program supplies, equipment, and materials.
• Monitor site conditions to ensure safety, cleanliness, and compliance with all program standards.
• Assist with budget management, resource allocation, purchasing requests, and operational planning.
• Support program audits, monitoring visits, and site inspections.

Safety, Crisis Management & Risk Mitigation

• Ensure compliance with all safety procedures, emergency preparedness plans, and incident reporting requirements.
• Lead responses to emergencies, behavioral incidents, and crisis situations.
• Support staff in utilizing effective de-escalation, crisis intervention, and conflict-resolution techniques.
• Ensure all incidents are documented thoroughly and communicated according to agency policy.
• Maintain a physically and emotionally safe environment for all participants and staff.

Program Quality & Continuous Improvement

• Monitor program effectiveness through observation, participant feedback, performance metrics, and quality assessments.
• Identify areas for growth and implement improvement strategies that enhance program outcomes.
• Collaborate with leadership to develop and execute quality improvement initiatives.
• Support internal audits, evaluations, licensing reviews, and compliance monitoring activities.
• Utilize data and outcome measures to drive program decisions and improve service delivery.

Requirements

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree required in Education, Human Services, Social Work, Psychology, Youth Development, Public Administration, Recreation, or a related field.
• Master's Degree preferred.
• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience working in youth development, out-of-school-time programming, education, recreation, social services, or related fields.
• Minimum of 2 years of supervisory or management experience overseeing staff and program operations.
• Demonstrated experience managing youth programs, compliance requirements, and performance outcomes.
• Strong understanding of Positive Youth Development (PYD), trauma-informed care, restorative practices, and youth engagement strategies.
• Experience developing community partnerships and collaborating with schools, families, and service providers.
• Strong leadership, organizational, conflict-resolution, and decision-making skills.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and data management systems.
• Ability to work flexible hours when required, including occasional evenings and special events.

Required Clearances & Compliance Requirements

Candidates must be able to obtain, pass, and maintain all required clearances prior to employment and throughout the duration of employment:

• Pennsylvania State Police Criminal History Clearance
• Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance
• FBI Fingerprint-Based Criminal Background Check (when required)
• National Sex Offender Registry (NSOR) Clearance/Verification
• Current Health Assessment/Physical Examination as required by DHS and agency policy

This position is ideal for an experienced youth development professional who is committed to creating safe, engaging, and impactful opportunities for young people while leading a high-performing OST program that supports youth, families, and the broader Philadelphia community.