The YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas, established in 1885, consists of 16 branches and 1 destination camp - all dedicated to building healthy, confident, connected, and secure children, adults, families, and communities. We are seeking a Regional Director of Safety Around Water (SAW) & School Partnerships to join our team.
The Regional Director of Safety Around Water (SAW) & School Partnerships provides leadership and oversight for the YMCA’s Safety Around Water programming and school-based partnerships. This position expands access to life-saving water safety education, ensures high-quality program delivery, develops staff, strengthens partnerships, and measures program impact.
A primary focus of this role is leading and sustaining the YMCA’s established partnership with Dallas ISD, including continuing to expand the 2nd Grade SAW initiative with the goal of providing program access to all Dallas ISD elementary schools by May 2028. The Regional Director will ensure the partnership remains strong and sustainable beyond the initial expansion.
The Regional Director also leads the YMCA’s community-based drowning-prevention efforts, currently serving more than 20 community partner organizations through summer Safety Around Water programming. This role will focus on growing that reach by developing new partnerships and bringing additional youth-serving organizations into the program.
The Regional Director supervises the Safety Around Water Director and collaborates with Aquatics leadership, branch leadership, Development, school districts, and community partners to advance the YMCA’s drowning-prevention mission and expand access to water safety education throughout the communities we serve.
Essential Functions
Program Leadership & Growth
- Provide association-wide leadership and oversight for Safety Around Water programming.
- Execute established SAW growth strategies and ensure programs meet YMCA safety, curriculum, and quality standards.
- Partner with Aquatics and branch leaders to ensure appropriate staffing, pool capacity, scheduling, equipment, and operational support.
- Use participation and skill-progression data to evaluate program effectiveness and identify opportunities for improvement.
- Conduct site visits and program reviews to ensure consistent, high-quality delivery.
School Partnerships
- Lead execution of the established Dallas ISD SAW expansion plan with the goal of serving all Dallas ISD elementary schools by May 31, 2028.
- Lead the growth of community-based drowning-prevention initiatives by strengthening partnerships with the 20+ organizations currently served and developing new partnerships to expand Safety Around Water access to more children and communities.
- Serve as the primary YMCA relationship leader, developing new school partner relationships.
- Coordinate with district leaders, campus administrators, transportation teams, YMCA Aquatics leadership, and pool locations to ensure successful program delivery.
- Identify and resolve barriers that could impact scheduled growth or program participation.
- Provide regular progress updates to YMCA leadership on participation, outcomes, milestones, risks, and resource needs.
- Develop and strengthen additional school and community partnerships that expand access to water-safety education.
Staff Leadership
- Supervise, coach, and develop the Safety Around Water Director and support the development of SAW instructional staff.
- Lead the recruitment, onboarding, training, and ongoing development of SAW staff, building a strong pipeline of qualified instructors and leaders to support program growth and ensure consistent, high-quality program delivery.
- Establish clear performance expectations and hold the SAW team accountable for program quality, growth, and results.
Financial Management & Development
- Develop and manage the SAW operating budget and monitor program expenses.
- Partner with Development to support grants, fundraising, reporting, and funder stewardship.
- Ensure grant requirements, deadlines, program commitments, and outcome reporting are met.
Community Impact & Advocacy
- Represent the YMCA and Safety Around Water with schools, community organizations, funders, and drowning-prevention partners.
- Partner with Marketing and Communications to share program outcomes, participant stories, and community impact.
- Advocate for equitable access to water-safety education and drowning-prevention resources.
Key Performance Expectations
Success in this role includes:
- Progress toward providing SAW access to all Dallas ISD elementary schools by May 2028.
- Successfully recruiting, developing, and retaining qualified SAW staff to support program growth and maintain consistent, high-quality delivery.
- Increasing the number of school district and community partnerships, expanding the reach of drowning-prevention programming to more children throughout the YMCA’s service area.
- Achievement of established semester and annual targets for schools and students served.
- Measurable participant water-safety skill progression.
- Consistent program quality, safety, and data accuracy across SAW locations.
- Development of a strong SAW leadership and instructional team.
- Responsible budget, grant, and resource management.
- Bachelor’s degree in recreation, education, nonprofit management, business, aquatics, or related field preferred.
- Three or more years of leadership experience in aquatics, youth programming, education partnerships, or nonprofit program management preferred.
- Experience managing staff, programs, and community or school partnerships.
- Strong relationship-building, communication, organization, project-management, and data-management skills.
- YMCA Lifeguard and YMCA Swim Lessons Instructor certifications required or obtained within an established timeframe.
- YMCA Lifeguard Instructor and YMCA Swim Lessons Instructor Trainer certifications preferred.
- Certified Pool Operator (CPO) or equivalent preferred.
- Ability to travel throughout the service area and work occasional evenings and weekends.
