Director of Capacity Building & Learning

The Youth Development Resource Center (YDRC) has partnered with Mondo Unlimited to recruit its next Director of Capacity Building & Learning, a senior leadership role that will help strengthen the youth development ecosystem across Metro Detroit and Southeast Michigan.

YDRC supports youth-serving organizations through capacity building, professional learning, technical assistance, leadership development, and field-wide coordination. Working with more than 200 youth-serving organizations across Metro Detroit and Southeast Michigan, YDRC helps organizations improve program quality, strengthen leadership pipelines, and advance equitable opportunities for young people.

YDRC serves as a convener, capacity builder, steward of shared data, and champion of equitable policy and investment. Through learning cohorts, training workshops, coaching, and continuous quality improvement, YDRC helps youth-serving organizations strengthen their internal systems, improve practice, and expand their impact.

To learn more about YDRC, please visit the Youth Development Resource Center website. Candidates are also encouraged to review YDRC’s 2024-2025 Impact Report to better understand the organization’s work, reach, and impact across the youth development ecosystem.

About the Opportunity

The Director of Capacity Building & Learning will lead YDRC’s strategy and implementation of capacity-building initiatives that strengthen youth-serving organizations across the region. This role will oversee professional learning programs, organizational capacity support, and leadership development opportunities designed to improve organizational effectiveness, program quality, and youth outcomes.

The Director will design and manage learning initiatives that help organizations strengthen organizational systems, improve program quality practices, build leadership capacity, and better understand policy issues affecting out-of-school-time programs and youth development services. This position will also support the development of workshops, cohorts, and learning opportunities for youth-serving organizations and practitioners across Metro Detroit and Southeast Michigan.

The successful candidate will be an experienced facilitator, strategist, and capacity builder who can translate best practices in youth development, organizational learning, and equity-centered systems change into practical support for organizations. This role requires strong program leadership, excellent facilitation skills, and the ability to lead staff, consultants, trainers, and coaches in delivering high-quality capacity-building and professional learning opportunities.

Key Leadership Priorities

Capacity Building & Professional Learning

• Lead the design and implementation of YDRC’s capacity-building initiatives focused on organizational development, program quality improvement, and leadership development
• Facilitate and oversee learning cohorts, workshops, and professional learning opportunities for youth development leaders and practitioners
• Ensure YDRC’s capacity-building initiatives reflect best practices in youth development, organizational learning, and equity-centered systems change

Program Quality & Organizational Effectiveness

• Support youth-serving organizations in improving program quality practices, youth engagement strategies, and organizational systems
• Integrate research and best practices from the youth development field into training and technical assistance offerings
• Identify capacity-building needs across youth-serving organizations to inform learning initiatives and training opportunities

Leadership Development

• Partner with Program Consultants to design and implement leadership pipelines within youth-serving organizations, particularly for emerging and mid-career leaders
• Support professional development and peer learning opportunities that build management quality practices across the youth development workforce
• Facilitate communities of practice and learning environments that support leadership growth and organizational learning

Advocacy & Policy Learning

• Develop learning opportunities that strengthen understanding of policy issues affecting out-of-school-time programs and youth development systems
• Work with YDRC leadership to integrate policy awareness and advocacy capacity into capacity-building initiatives
• Support youth-serving organizations in understanding how local and regional policies influence program sustainability and youth access to opportunities

Workshop Design & Training Development

• Lead a team that designs and delivers workshops and training opportunities that contribute to YDRC’s contractual opportunities and professional learning strategy
• Support the development of professional learning opportunities that expand YDRC’s training and capacity-building offerings
• Ensure training offerings maintain high quality and relevance to the needs of youth-serving organizations

Program Oversight & Team Leadership

• Supervise program staff, consultants, trainers, and coaches supporting YDRC’s capacity-building initiatives
• Manage program budgets, timelines, deliverables, and outcomes
• Support evaluation and learning processes to continuously improve YDRC’s capacity-building work

Candidate Profile

YDRC seeks a strategic, collaborative, and equity-centered leader who understands how to strengthen organizations through capacity building, professional learning, and leadership development. The ideal candidate will bring experience working with youth-serving organizations or nonprofit partners and will be skilled at designing learning opportunities that move from ideas to practice.

The successful candidate will be an effective facilitator and relationship builder who can work across organizations, roles, and sectors. This individual will be comfortable leading programs, managing people and consultants, supporting complex initiatives, and helping organizations build the systems, practices, and leadership capacity needed to serve young people well.

Core Experience & Capabilities

• Minimum of 7-10 years of experience in youth development, nonprofit leadership, organizational development, or a related field
• Experience designing and facilitating professional learning, leadership development, or capacity-building initiatives
• Strong understanding of youth development best practices and program quality standards
• Strong facilitation, training, and group learning skills
• Experience managing programs, consultants, trainers, coaches, or cross-sector initiatives
• Ability to translate research, data, and best practices into practical tools, learning experiences, and organizational supports
• Demonstrated ability to manage budgets, timelines, deliverables, and program outcomes
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills

Preferred Background & Attributes

• Familiarity with out-of-school-time programs and the youth development ecosystem in Metro Detroit or Southeast Michigan
• Commitment to equity and strengthening opportunities for young people across the region
• Experience supporting organizational learning, continuous quality improvement, or systems change
• Ability to build trust with nonprofit leaders, practitioners, consultants, funders, and community partners
• Comfort working in a dynamic environment where priorities, partnerships, and learning needs may evolve
• Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to foster collaboration across diverse organizations and stakeholders

Compensation & Structure

• Salary range of $85,000-$95,000, commensurate with experience
• Competitive benefits package, including professional development and wellness benefits
• Full-time position based in Metro Detroit, Michigan
• Reports to the Executive Director
• Opportunity to help shape and strengthen the youth development ecosystem across Metro Detroit and Southeast Michigan