Vice President of Operations

Description

Vice President of Operations

Serving the Dr. P. Phillips YMCA, Frank DeLuca YMCA, Osceola YMCA

Key Dates:

• Application Deadline: Friday, April 24, 2026
• Initial Virtual Interviews (selected candidates):  April 30 - May 7, 2026
• Final Panel Interviews: May 15 - May 18, 2026
• Desired Start Date: Mid-June 2026

About the YMCA of Central Florida

For more than 135 years, the YMCA of Central Florida has been part of the fabric of this community, supporting youth, families, and individuals through programs that focus on health, connection, and opportunity.

Today, we serve thousands of people across Central Florida, and we continue to grow. As our communities evolve, so does our work. We are focused on strengthening our operations, building strong teams, and expanding our impact in meaningful ways. Our Trust Tenets, Communicate with Candor, Include Me, Own It, and Consider Others, guide how we work together and lead each day.

The Opportunity

The Vice President of Operations is a senior leadership role responsible for supporting leaders, strengthening performance, and helping our Family Centers succeed.

This role oversees a group of diverse locations, including our flagship Dr. P. Phillips YMCA in Orlando, the growing Osceola County YMCA in Kissimmee, and the Frank DeLuca YMCA in Ocala. Each community is unique, and this role is about understanding those communities, cultivating local leaders, and helping each center reach its full potential.

A key part of this role is serving as the Executive Director of the Dr. P. Phillips YMCA Family Center, our flagship location, a large, state-of-the-art facility in one of Orlando’s most engaged and established communities, where strong partnerships and a culture of giving help expand access and deepen impact.  Here you will be supported by a strong on-site leadership team driving $6.1M in revenue, serving 5,000+ members annually, with robust [youth and adult] sports programs, youth development and health and wellness programming (over 115 group exercise classes per week!).

You will also support the Executive Director of  Osceola County YMCA   ($1.7M budget) in Kissimmee, serving one of the fastest growing and most diverse communities in Central Florida, where many families rely on the Y for childcare, youth programs, and opportunities that support working families. 

In addition, you will help lead the Executive Director of the Frank DeLuca YMCA ($2.9M budget) in Ocala, a trusted community hub where relationships run deep and the Y plays an important role in bringing people together through youth sports, wellness, and local partnerships.

The incumbent will directly drive the success of the Dr. P. Phillips Y, while also guiding leaders across the district ($10.8M total district budget).  The focus is clear: build great teams, strengthen operational systems, and create a culture of philanthropy, all in service of continuing to grow our impact in each community we serve. Together, these locations reflect the breadth of our impact, from highly engaged and philanthropic communities to rapidly growing and diverse populations across Central Florida.

Why This Role Matters

This role goes beyond operations. It is about people, community, and impact. It is about growing leaders, cultivating relationships, s strengthening operational systems and driving philanthropic success, you will ensure the YMCA  continues to be a place where everyone feels welcome and supported.

Why Central Florida

Central Florida continues to grow and attract people from across the country. It offers a strong sense of community, year-round outdoor living, great dining, and easy access to some of the best beaches in the country and major destinations. With highly rated schools and world-renowned theme parks, it is a place where you can build both a meaningful career and a great quality of life.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the Vice President of Operations oversees strategic operations for the assigned Family Centers, providing leadership in operational excellence, client cultivation, leadership development, community engagement, and philanthropic success at the site and district level. This role is accountable for the overall performance of all assigned Ys while aligning strategies with the YMCA’s mission of inclusion and impact.

The Vice President of Operations coordinates and unlocks resources for their assigned family centers by working through our matrixed network of content matter specialists in membership, programs, philanthropy, and association resources. This person is a strategic leader with a “get things done” operational focus who will achieve strategic goals, build lasting systems and develop the leaders who can build upon that work.

Our Culture

Our mission and core values are brought to life by our culture. In the Y, we strive to live our cause of strengthening communities with purpose and intentionality every day. We are welcoming: we are open to all. We are a place where you can belong and become. We are genuine: we value you and embrace your individuality. We are hopeful: we believe in you and your potential to become a catalyst in the world. We are nurturing: we support you in your journey to develop your full potential. We are determined: above all else, we are on a relentless quest to make our community stronger beginning with you. We are the Y.

Job Responsibilities

1. Achieves assigned Family Center goals and objectives in alignment with the Association’s strategic plan, including but not limited to financial sustainability, budget margin/EBITDA targets, revenue growth, employee engagement and retention, community impact, and expanding equitable access for all individuals and families.
2. Partners with Association membership leadership to ensure consistent execution of membership strategies and initiatives. Holds Family Centers and staff accountable to membership goals, retention targets, and service standards while reinforcing centralized policies, systems, and pricing models.
3. Drives member engagement and retention through strong activity usage, participation, and program quality across Wellness, Aquatics, Sports, Youth and Family Programs, Camp, and Volunteer engagement.
4. Builds, develops, and sustains a strong leadership bench by recruiting, selecting, developing, and retaining senior leadership and programmatic talent for assigned Family Centers. Actively owns succession planning, identifies leadership gaps, and ensures individualized development plans are in place to prepare future leaders and mitigate risk associated with leadership transitions.
5. Ensures leadership development and talent pipeline strength by establishing training, coaching, and career pathways that support readiness for next-level roles, with intentional focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and volunteer leadership development.
6. Leads philanthropic results within assigned Family Centers, ensuring annual Family Center campaign goals are achieved and supporting capital campaigns for the assigned Family Centers. Builds a culture of philanthropy by engaging staff, volunteers, and community leaders in advancing the Y’s cause.
7. Provides leadership and accountability to Family Center staff and Association subject matter experts through clear communication, goal setting, and performance expectations. Conducts regular performance assessments, annual evaluations, and facilitates staff meetings that reinforce accountability and continuous improvement.
8. Operates effectively within the Association’s matrix model, collaborating closely with centralized membership, philanthropy, HR, finance, and program teams. Ensures Family Center execution of association-wide strategies while holding local teams accountable for operationalizing goals, standards, and performance metrics.
9. Develops, implements, and evaluates high-quality programs and schedules that respond to member and community needs. Actively seeks and incorporates member feedback to continuously improve program quality and impact.
10. Collaborates with Association resource development teams to execute fundraising strategies, donor engagement, stewardship efforts, and volunteer-led fundraising activities aligned with Association priorities.
11. Cultivates key community relationships and partnerships that advance the YMCA mission, strengthen visibility, and respond to pressing community needs. Engages local partners, agencies, and civic leaders to generate support for sustainable, community-driven impact.
12. Identifies and applies best practices in systems, technology, and operations to support efficient and effective management of Family Centers. Leverages data, audits performance, and iterates for continuous improvement.
13. Maximizes facility and equipment utilization during operating hours by innovating space usage, expanding program capacity, and increasing access for members and prospective members.
14. Ensures implementation of all Association standards, policies, and best practices, including safety, risk management, certification compliance, emergency procedures, disciplinary processes, and child abuse prevention. Ensures accurate and timely reporting of all employee and member incidents and accidents.
15. Promotes a culture of safety and risk awareness, partnering with Association support teams to reduce claims, improve compliance, and safeguard the well-being of employees, members, and volunteers.
16. Supports Association-wide program quality and standardization efforts, including research, site visits, evaluations, data collection, and outcome tracking. Shares learning and best practices across membership, philanthropy, and program disciplines.
17. Represents and advances the YMCA of Central Florida mission and core values within the Family Center, across programs, and in the broader community.
18. Serves as a member of the Association Management Team, collaborating with senior leadership and executing initiatives that advance Association-wide objectives.
19. Leads special projects and Association initiatives as assigned, contributing to organizational growth, innovation, and strategic priorities.
20. Performs other related duties as assigned to support the mission and operational excellence of the YMCA of Central Florida.

Requirements

Qualifications

1. Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required; degree in business, management, nonprofit leadership, or a related field preferred.
2. Minimum of five to seven years of progressively responsible experience in operations management within health and wellness or a related field required; YMCA experience highly preferred.
3. Minimum of five years of experience in business operations, revenue growth and development, community engagement, relationship building, and program or business line development.
4. Minimum of five years of experience in staff selection, supervision, retention, and development required. Demonstrated experience establishing training and career succession plans to ensure a strong and diverse pipeline of staff and volunteer leaders is essential.
5. Supervision of large YMCA Family Center operations exceeding $3M in operating revenue, including at least $2M in membership revenue, preferred.
6. Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in fiscal management, achieving EBITDA/Net targets, and driving organizational performance. Demonstrated experience supporting fundraising and philanthropic efforts, including annual campaigns or donor engagement, along with a proven track record in membership growth, retention, and program management, is required.
7. Experience working closely with nonprofit Boards of Directors and volunteer leadership committees, including recruiting, leading, and retaining a high-performing and diverse volunteer leadership structure reflective of the community.
8. Proficiency in Microsoft Office required, with the ability to learn, adapt, and effectively utilize new technology and systems.
9. Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills with the ability to interpret and leverage data for planning, forecasting, and decision-making.
10. Demonstrated ability to effectively engage, adapt, and collaborate with diverse individuals, teams, perspectives, and cultures.
11. Ability to obtain and maintain required certifications within 60 days of employment, including CPR, First Aid, AED, and Oxygen Administration.

Working Conditions

1. Must be willing to work a flexible schedule, which may include weekends and holidays as needed.
2. Must be willing to work an on-call schedule rotation as required.
3. Must be willing to travel within Central Florida. Must have a valid Driver license. The employee is required to have visual acuity to operate motor vehicles.
4. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud.
5. The physical activities of this position include: stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, grasping, feeling, and repetitive motions. Talking is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word. Hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels, with or without correction.
6. Required to sit or stand for extended periods of time while demonstrating manual dexterity in order to accurately work on the phone, computer keyboard, and other equipment.
7. The employee must be able to perform light work: exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.
8. The employee is required to have close visual acuity, along with the visual acuity to determine the accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of the work assigned, preparing and analyzing data and figures, transcribing, viewing a computer screen, extensive reading, or to make general observations of facilities or structures.
9. Must possess auditory and verbal capabilities in order to adequately communicate via phone and in person.
10. The employee is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions.

Disclaimers

1. Must complete successful background screening, which includes criminal and drug screening.
2. All of the above duties and responsibilities are essential job functions subject to reasonable accommodation. The YMCA promotes an equal employment opportunity work place which includes reasonable accommodation of otherwise qualified disabled applicants and employees. Please see your manager should you have any questions about this policy or these job duties.

This job description may not be all-inclusive and employees are expected to perform all other duties as assigned and directed by management. Job descriptions and duties may be modified when deemed appropriate by management.

 Please note: The YMCA of Central Florida values direct connections with candidates and will not be accepting submissions or outreach from third-party recruiters or agencies.  Unsolicited resumes from external search firms will not be considered.