Program Director

About the Role

You Matter 2 is seeking a full-time Program Director to provide strategic, operational, and hands‑on leadership for our youth development programs serving middle and high school students across the South Suburban region. This role is responsible for ensuring programs are high‑quality, consistent, youth‑centered, trauma‑informed, culturally responsive, and aligned with You Matter 2’s mission to foster leadership and personal growth in youth.

The Program Director will oversee program planning, implementation, staff supervision, program quality, partnerships, family engagement, data tracking, grant compliance, and continuous improvement. This position is ideal for a strong youth development leader who can build systems, support staff, manage details, and work directly with youth, families, schools, and community partners.

• Provide overall leadership for You Matter 2’s youth programs, including IGNITE, Discover U, Expressions Unleashed, Teen Night, Study Break on Us, Service Saturday, summer programs, youth leadership experiences, and community‑based initiatives.
• Lead program planning, implementation, monitoring, and continuous improvement to ensure consistent, high‑quality delivery.
• Develop, refine, and oversee program models, curricula, schedules, session plans, staffing structures, and participant outcomes.
• Ensure programs are aligned with You Matter 2’s mission, strategic goals, youth needs, best practices in youth development, and grant requirements.
• Support program expansion into schools, community sites, partner organizations, and new service areas.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen program quality, deepen youth engagement, and improve participant outcomes.

• Supervise and support Program Leads, facilitators, outreach staff, contractors, interns, and volunteers connected to youth programming.
• Support hiring, onboarding, training, coaching, scheduling, and performance management of program staff and contractors.
• Provide ongoing coaching and feedback to strengthen program delivery, classroom/group management, youth engagement, and facilitation quality.
• Lead or support regular program team meetings, check‑ins, and planning sessions.
• Foster a positive, supportive, accountable, and collaborative team culture grounded in You Matter 2’s values.
• Ensure appropriate staffing coverage for programs, events, field trips, workshops, and special initiatives.

• Oversee day‑to‑day program operations, including calendars, schedules, staffing plans, materials, supplies, transportation coordination, meals/snacks, space needs, and logistics.
• Ensure programs begin and end on time, are properly staffed, and are delivered in a safe and organized manner.
• Support the creation and maintenance of program systems, including lesson plan templates, attendance tracking, supply requests, field trip planning, permission forms, parent communication, and internal workflows.
• Monitor program environments to ensure they are safe, welcoming, structured, and supportive for youth.
• Support special initiatives such as college tours, service projects, youth showcases, community events, leadership retreats, and field trips.
• Ensure program materials, technology, curriculum resources, and equipment are properly managed and available as needed.

• Ensure all programs reflect strong youth development practices, including relationship‑building, leadership development, social‑emotional learning, academic support, enrichment, identity development, and community engagement.
• Review and support the development of lesson plans, workshops, discussion guides, activities, and program experiences.
• Observe program sessions regularly and provide feedback to staff and facilitators.
• Ensure programming is engaging, relevant, age‑appropriate, culturally responsive, trauma‑informed, and grounded in youth voice.
• Support behavior management approaches that are restorative, trauma‑informed, and aligned with You Matter 2’s policies.
• Help create pathways for youth to stay engaged with You…