RecSports Ministry Director

ORGANIZATION SUMMARY:

Join a team that is passionately committed to a vision for Knoxville’s youth that ensures every child in every neighborhood has the opportunity for a full life. (John 10:10) Supporting this vision, Emerald Youth Foundation, a Christian organization, is engaging 3,000 youth and their families annually with faith, learning, and health related programs and initiatives; and, has engaged more than 30,000 children and young adults in a variety of community programs over nearly three decades. Emerald Charter Schools, a K-8 Knox County public school, was launched by Emerald Youth and remains a partner organization as well.

BENEFITS:  

• Medical, Dental, Life, Short-Term & Long-Term Disability insurance paid 100% for employee.
• Voluntary benefits available for family members
• Paid Vacation
• Paid Holidays

JOB SUMMARY:
To help instill life-long active lifestyles, the RecSports Ministry Director develops, plans, and manages neighborhood recreation programs for Emerald Youth Foundation and helps connect neighborhood participants to Emerald Youth's city-wide sports teams and leagues.  This role will recruit children and youth in an assigned neighborhood to participate in recreational and high-adventure activities as well as organized sports programming.  The RecSports Ministry Director will also recruit coaches and volunteers, ideally from the neighborhood, to help in all recreational and sports programming and assist with sports teams and leagues as assigned.  Lastly, this role will serve as the liaison for the urban FCA ministry in the neighborhood.  This position helps allow Emerald Youth to engage in the community and broaden its reach in the city, helping to enable a strategy for day-to-day recreational and sports ministry that helps young people become *comprehensively engaged, and achieve critical youth development outcomes.

 
ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES:

• Plan and implement recreational activities for neighborhood youth including offerings such as kickball, biking, hiking, field days, pickleball, gaga ball, frisbee golf, capture the flag, kayaking, snowboarding, water fun, etc.
• Help recruit neighborhood participants into Emerald Youth middle school and city-wide sports programming.  Be present at tryouts, evaluations, or other organizing events and visit teams during season getting to know the participants in assigned neighborhood.  
• Assist City-Wide Sports staff in managing sports teams for the assigned middle school(s), including player and coach recruitment, fee collection, uniform distribution, and organization of teams, parent meetings and celebrations.  Work with assigned school(s) to support the organizing of these teams.
• Oversee and manage any competitive sports teams representing the neighborhood, working closely with coaches to ensure teams are assembled, appropriately trained, compete in competitive leagues, and engage more long term.
• Coordinate, provide and/or arrange transportation for sporting events as needed ensuring all guidelines and safety procedures are followed.
• Support the implementation of recreational activities within EY's afterschool/summer program as assigned.
• Help connect participants to other EY programs and partnering organizations to help them be comprehensively engaged.  Ensure constraints or leakage are identified that could keep children, youth and young adults from being comprehensively engaged or meeting outcomes.  Seek solutions working collaboratively with others to attempt and resolve issues so youth can move forward in ministry initiatives.
• Develop relationships that lead to family engagement with Emerald Youth Foundation.  Help family members connect and enjoy recreational offerings as available.
• Identify coaches, volunteers, and FCA chaplains for teams.  Work with HR to ensure appropriate background screenings are conducted on coaches and other program volunteers and that their participation is tracked appropriately.  Create a culture for securing support from indigenous population in both volunteering and employment.  Instill and encourage spiritual disciplines for all members and help the team to grow and become better through high standards, discipleship, and modeling the teachings of Jesus Christ. 
• Be the liaison for the urban FCA ministry partnership in the neighborhood.  Develop huddles at identified schools and ensure coaches/chaplains are trained in and utilize FCA curriculum.  Work with program development to ensure FCA and Emerald Youth consistently align in themes and values.
• Value and uphold the Emerald Sports Philosophy.
• Coordinate with communications staff to promote programs and confirm standardization branding between all recreational programming and sports is cohesive and compliant with organizational standards. Ensure team and uniform branding is prevalent, including FCA where applies. Consult communications team in identifying and developing recruitment materials for participants and coaches.
• Ensure that sports and recreations programs for the neighborhood maintain sound fiscal management by ensuring compliance with organizational policies and procedures; and developing and maintaining sports related budgets for assigned area and ensure budget compliance with direct reports that have spending authority. Submit budget recommendations as required.  
• Track and report participation, BMI, and outcome data as required, provide measurements as needed, and create and analyze reports to create improvement plans. 
• Follow, implement, and ensure safety rules, regulations and procedures are followed by all participants and volunteers.
• Participate in area ministry network and organization events and internal and external sports meetings, including working outside normal schedule as needed. Identify, support, and engage in network activities (i.e. camps, etc.) as needed.
• Obtain a CDL and drive large vehicles/buses as needed.
• Be the liaison with other community sports programs as assigned by the Director of Area Ministry.
• Deliver effective and timely communication and ensure staff does the same.
• Manage additional projects and tasks as assigned, and participate with any assigned groups or committees.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Dedicated Christian with clear knowledge of the Gospel and a passion for the mission of Emerald Youth Foundation; connected to a church community; possesses a strong reputation for honesty, integrity, and high moral standards.
• Sports Management or related bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Experience as collegiate athlete preferred.
• 3-5 Years of Experience in a similar role.
• Experience working in business or non-profit management strongly preferred.
• Experience managing people.
• Proficient in using technology as a management reporting tool and communication tool.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and business acumen.
• Ability to achieve results under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Good driving record. Ability and willingness to obtain CDL with P endorsement and drive large vehicles/buses.
• Willingness to work extended hours.
• Ability to work efficiently in a collaborative setting.

*Comprehensive engagement = target youth engaged in faith, learning, and health activities.

It is the policy of Emerald Youth Foundation (EYF) to provide employment opportunities to all people without regard to race, color, sex, age, or national origin.

Section 702 of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 provides that the religious discrimination law will not apply to a religious corporation, association, educational institution or society with respect to the employment of individuals of a particular religion to perform work.