Senior Director of Healthy Living & Membership – Embarcadero Y

Careers by Empowering Futures, Building Communities
Imagine going to work each day knowing that your efforts positively impact individuals and communities. As a global movement and the nation’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility, the YMCA of Greater San Francisco offers more than just a job—we offer a career with a future and the opportunity to make a lasting difference in your community.

Our Organizational Culture
At the YMCA of Greater San Francisco, we are committed to demonstrating values that build strong communities where you can Be, Belong, and Become. With Truth & Courage, we strive to understand and act on individual and societal truths. Through Authenticity & Accessibility, we ensure a safe and inclusive environment for all. We are Dependable & Creative, responding to community needs through strong partnerships. Above all, we lead with Dignity & Empathy, recognizing the inherent worth of every individual.

Position Summary
The Senior Healthy Living & Membership Director is responsible for leadership and strategic oversight of the Embarcadero YMCA’s health, wellness, and member engagement operations. In partnership with the Associate Executive Director, this position oversees the operations and staff for Membership, Group Exercise, Small Group Training, Personal Training, Wellness Floors, Sports, Health Education, and other member engagement initiatives.
This role provides direct leadership over Membership operations, ensuring excellence in acquisition, onboarding, retention, service delivery, and revenue growth. The Senior Director oversees all related operations including budget management, staff supervision, and team development, and ensures alignment with YMCA member engagement principles: Welcome, Connect, Support, and Invite.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Planning

• Develop annual department plans, budgets, and forecasts; proactively adjust strategies to meet revenue, engagement, and retention targets.
• Track and analyze metrics related to membership acquisition, retention, participation, and satisfaction; design data-informed strategies to enhance the member experience.
• Regularly evaluate program and membership offerings and develop new initiatives that respond to community needs and organizational priorities.
• Participate in Association Member Experience PODs and other cross-functional workgroups.

Staff & Department Oversight

• Supervise Membership, Wellness, and Group Exercise teams, ensuring operational excellence, strong customer service, and alignment with YMCA values.
• Lead hiring, onboarding, training, scheduling, and performance management for supervised departments.
• Develop and implement comprehensive staff training and coaching plans focused on hospitality, sales fundamentals, relationship-building, safety, and service excellence.
• Facilitate regular staff meetings to foster communication, accountability, and a positive team culture.

Membership Growth, Retention and Engagement

• Oversee all aspects of Membership operations, including sales, onboarding, orientation, retention strategies, and service recovery.
• Develop and manage a schedule of wellness and engagement offerings—including orientations, group exercise classes, sports, personal training, and other programs—that meet the needs of a diverse and evolving membership base.
• Collaborate cross-departmentally to ensure seamless member handoffs and consistent service standards across Membership, Healthy Living, and Youth & Family programs.
• Partner with Marketing & Communications and Member Experience teams to promote programs, campaigns, and engagement opportunities.

Operational Excellence

• Work collaboratively with Facilities to address equipment needs, preventative maintenance, and space planning to enhance safety and member experience.
• Manage wellness floor equipment leasing and purchasing; intentionally design wellness spaces to support inclusive, accessible, and effective use.
• Proactively ensure all supervised spaces are safe, welcoming, clean, and accessible.
• Ability to substitute in Group Exercise classes, personal training, orientations, or other direct service roles as needed.

Community & Philanthropy

• Lead Annual Community Campaign efforts for Wellness, Group Exercise, and Aquatics Departments.
• Cultivate partnerships with local organizations, businesses, and schools.
• Represent the YMCA at community and networking events to strengthen visibility and engagement.

Qualifications

Required

• Minimum 21 years of age
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience in leadership, customer service, operations, well-being, or healthcare
• 4+ years of supervisory experience
• 2+ years of experience in membership operations, wellness programming, personal training, group exercise, or related fields
• Experience building and managing budgets
• Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Proven ability to work with diverse populations and community stakeholders
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office; willingness to learn internal systems
• Availability of working flexible hours including early mornings, evenings, and weekends

Preferred

• Supervisor-level experience in Healthy Living and/or Membership operations
• Experience leading sales, retention, and customer service teams
• Bi-lingual (Spanish)
• Experience with CRM systems such as Salesforce and tools such as Adobe
• Supervisor-level experience in Healthy Living and/or Membership operations

Work Environment & Physical Demands

• Work is performed in a combination of office, fitness center, pool, and community settings.
• Regular interaction with staff, members, and community partners in a fast-paced, service-oriented environment.
• Must be able to move about the facility, stand for extended periods, and occasionally lift up to 40 pounds.
• Ability to demonstrate and/or assist with physical fitness activities, including exercise equipment setup, group exercise, or aquatics programming as needed.
• Noise levels can vary from quiet office settings to loud gymnasium or pool environments.
• Requires flexibility to work early mornings, evenings, weekends, and occasional holidays.

Disclaimers

• Must successfully complete a background screening, including criminal and employment verification. Some positions may also require a credit check.
• All duties and responsibilities are essential job functions subject to reasonable accommodation. The YMCA of Greater San Francisco promotes an equal employment opportunity workplace, which includes reasonable accommodation for otherwise qualified disabled applicants and employees. Please contact your manager if 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 other duties as assigned by management. Job descriptions and duties may be modified by management as needed.
• Job offers are conditional and contingent upon background clearance. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance and CA Fair Chance Act, we will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment.

Salary Description

The Senior Healthy Living & Membership Director position offers a Salary of $75,849 – $92,000 per year. Based on experience, qualifications, and alignment with salary benchmarks for similar roles.