How to hire a youth leader

How to hire a youth leader, step by step

Here's a step-by-step youth leader hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a youth leader job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new youth leader
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a youth leader do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your youth leader job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a youth leader for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A youth leader's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, youth leaders from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of youth leaders and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Youth Leader	Description	Hourly rate
   Youth Leader	Social and community service managers coordinate and supervise social service programs and community organizations. They manage staff who provide social services to the public.	$11-17
   Director Of Social Services	A director of social services or social services director is an individual who works with the community to identify the suitable programs and services. Social services directors provide overall leadership for certain departments within organizations... Show more	$19-38
   Residential Manager	A residential manager coordinates and oversees all activities that happen in a residential building. They work with their employers to market their apartments and ensure all the occupants qualify to be in the building... Show more	$13-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CPR
   • Fine Arts
   • Academic Enrichment
   • Homework Assistance
   • Youth Development
   • Core Values
   • Leadership
   • Crisis Intervention
   • Community Outreach
   • Youth Program
   • at-Risk Youth
   • Role Model
   • After-School Program
   • Mathematics

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead a range of activities from science, mathematics, art, physical education, technology and language arts.
   • Assist in achieving and maintaining DoD certification and national accreditation or equivalent compliance.
   • Focuse on community outreach and discovering their passion as well as teaching effective communication skills and leadership development.
   • Develop and teach lessons plans, multimedia and meeting notes using PowerPoint.
   • Bring together skits and PowerPoint presentations to better display the teachings of the mission
   • Supervise and assist FRG volunteers at activity find raisers and family day events.

   More youth leader duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your youth leader job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A youth leader salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, youth leaders' average salary in nebraska is 37% less than in pennsylvania.
   • Seniority. Entry-level youth leaders earn 38% less than senior-level youth leaders.
   • Certifications. A youth leader with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a youth leader's salary.

   Average youth leader salary

   $14.17hourly

   $29,481 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level youth leader salary

   $23,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average youth leader salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$31,257	$15
   2	Ohio	$31,019	$15
   3	California	$30,327	$15
   4	Illinois	$30,261	$15
   5	Massachusetts	$29,724	$14
   6	Michigan	$28,105	$14
   7	Maryland	$27,892	$13
   8	Oregon	$27,294	$13
   9	Wisconsin	$26,241	$13
   10	Virginia	$25,771	$12
   11	Utah	$24,893	$12
   12	Georgia	$24,029	$12
   13	Tennessee	$23,310	$11
   14	Texas	$23,217	$11
   15	Missouri	$22,505	$11
   16	Kansas	$22,381	$11
   17	Colorado	$22,306	$11
   18	Iowa	$21,540	$10

   Average youth leader salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	First Book	$40,258	$19.35	2
   2	New York University	$39,999	$19.23	1
   3	Southwest Key Programs	$34,627	$16.65
   4	Chicago Public Schools	$32,451	$15.60
   5	Salt Lake County	$32,152	$15.46	7
   6	McLeod Health	$31,949	$15.36
   7	Campbell Union High School District	$31,597	$15.19	4
   8	Pasadena Unified School District	$30,124	$14.48	1
   9	Harmonium Inc	$29,958	$14.40	2
   10	City of Worcester	$29,905	$14.38
   11	Think Together	$29,806	$14.33	17
   12	Right At School	$29,717	$14.29
   13	COMMUNITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION INC	$29,594	$14.23
   14	The GEO Group	$29,494	$14.18
   15	State of Georgia: Teachers Retirement System of Georgia	$29,481	$14.17	3
   16	EJE Academies	$29,409	$14.14
   17	Chautauqua Institution	$29,132	$14.01	1
   18	Supportive Concepts for Families	$29,070	$13.98
   19	Metropolitan State University of Denver	$29,028	$13.96
   20	State of Ohio	$29,005	$13.94	6

4. Writing a youth leader job description

   A youth leader job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a youth leader job description:

   Youth leader job description example

   Older Youth LeaderStatus: Part-Time
   Pay Rate: $21.50
   
   Older Youth Leaders (OYLS) work directly with an assigned class of approximately 20-25 students, acting as a positive adult role model, coach, and mentor. Older youth Leaders must have a genuine interest in the growth, development, and provision of a safe and nurturing environment for the students they teach. An older youth Leader's ability to establish authority through leadership, communication, and most importantly patience, will be required in giving our students the stability and nurturing atmosphere they need to succeed. Ensuring that Think Together students reach their potential takes a tremendous amount of hard work, flexibility, and commitment.
   
   Responsibilities:
   
   * Serve as a positive adult role model for older youth in the program through appropriate dress, speech, and attitude.
   * Provide homework assistance, academic enrichment and physical activity, using curriculum and materials provided by the program.
   * Create an engaging environment that fosters a sense of belonging that older youth want to be in.
   * Support older youth in making positive behavior choices and take disciplinary measures when appropriate.
   * Engage older youth by following, implementing, and assisting in creating lesson plans.
   
   Requirements:
   
   * 48 college semester or 60 college quarter units OR a Bachelor's Degree are required
   * Ability to speak and write Standard English appropriate in a public school setting
   * Minimum age of 22
   * At least six months experience working with a group of 10 or more students in a classroom, afterschool, or recreation environment
   * Advanced Math and English skills (6 - 12 grade)
   * Excellent communication skills (Written and Verbal)
   * Support our English-learner population by being bi-literate (Spanish preferred)
   
   Background Checks/Testing:
   
   * Must pass Live Scan (criminal background check via fingerprinting)
   * Provide a clear TB test
   * Pass Advanced Math and English skills (K -8) testing
   
   Think Together is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, religious creed, physical disability, mental disability, age for individuals age 40 and over, medical condition (as defined by state law (for example, cancer or genetic characteristics or HIV/AIDS), marital status, military and veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, citizenship status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. Our management team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities and general treatment during employment.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right youth leader for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with youth leaders they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit youth leaders who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your youth leader job on Zippia to find and recruit youth leader candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting youth leaders requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new youth leader

   Once you've decided on a perfect youth leader candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new youth leader. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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