The Group Leader provides direct supervision of a group of children in an after-school program with the YMCA of Springfield. This role provides a quality experience to children and parents focused on YMCA core values of honesty, respect, responsibility, and caring. The Group Leader will ensure all kids have a high-quality experience, lead structured activities, and follow proper safety procedures.

This position is for a Group Leader for After School Care at St. John church for the 2026 - 2027 school year. 

Essential Functions of a Group Leader: 

• Always demonstrates responsibility for the safety and well-being of all kids in the program. Follows all policies for emergencies, incident reporting, child abuse prevention and YMCA procedures. 
• Provides a high level of customer service while dealing with YMCA members, guests, and staff. 
• Implements assigned program activities and ensures they are delivered in a high-quality manner. 
• Assists in maintaining program areas and reports on any maintenance issues. Maintains cleanliness of program areas. 
• Participates in daily huddle with team. 
• Is a positive role model for kids in program. 
• Actively engages with kids in all activities.
• Other duties may be assigned according to the needs of the program

OUR SERVICE EXPECTATIONS: 

• Display a friendly, helpful, and positive disposition. 
• Provide customer service that is thorough, timely, organized, and accurate. 
• Help ensure the Y is meeting member and participant needs by utilizing good listening skills, attentiveness, objectivity, and patience in all situations. 
• Place members and participants as the first and highest priority, always showing kindness and compassion. 
• Demonstrates the Y core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility through all daily activities and responsibilities. 

Child Abuse Policies & Prevention: The YMCA enforces policies to prevent child abuse. Allegations or suspicions are taken seriously and reported to authorities. Procedures include unscheduled visits, open doors for parents, and a code of conduct for staff. We screen carefully to prevent abusers from being hired and provide child abuse prevention training to staff. Employees who fail to support these policies will be subject to discipline, up to termination. 

• Must be at least 16 years of age; preference for 18+ 
• Two years of previous childcare experience or equivalent education preferred. 
• Complete onboarding process within designated time. 
• Have leadership competencies in the identified key areas. 
• Ability to learn quickly. 
• Ability to work with integrity, discretion, and a professional approach. 
• Prefer knowledge of, and previous experience with, diverse populations (language, culture, race, physical ability, sexual orientation, social, economics, etc.). 
• Ability to complete all required trainings within 60 days of employment, including but not limited to CPR, first aid, Living Our Cause, DCFS Mandated Report, IL Gateway Registry Modules and to maintain these certifications as current as outlined by regulations or requirements. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL DEMANDS: 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

• Ability to speak concisely and effectively communicate. Be able to communicate using a computer and phone/smart device. 
• Visual and auditory ability to respond to critical situations ability to act swiftly in an emergency. 
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust. 
• May require physical effort and cardiac endurance while reaching with hands and arms, stooping, kneeling, crouching, standing, walking, balancing, bending, leaning, kneeling, walking, and climbing. 
• Specifically, 
  • Travel between multiple work sites within one workday. 
  • Walk extensively both within the YMCA facility and the programs supervised. It would not be unusual to walk 10,000 steps during a workday. 
  • Walking up and down stairs multiple times a day. 
  • Carrying supplies to and from work locations, normally lifting less than 25lbs. 
  • Playing large motor games with youth. 
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud. 

Full-Time: 

• Free Family Membership
• Discounted Programming
• 8% Retirement for Vested Employees
• Optional Insurance plans including Health, Dental, Vision, and more
• Paid Leave for All

Part-Time

• Free 1 Parent Family Membership
• 8% Retirement for Vested Employees
• Paid Leave for All

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.