Company Description

Rocket Youth owns and operates a growing portfolio of youth sports, enrichment, and after-school businesses across the United States. Our platform is intentionally multi-brand and multi-location, with each business maintaining its unique identity and local market focus.

We are highly acquisitive, completing approximately 10–15 acquisitions per year. Most of our companies are founder-led, with experienced local operators managing day-to-day operations.

Rocket Youth provides operational leadership and support services to improve performance and scale. These services span marketing, CRM, analytics, M&A/de-novo expansion, accounting, finance, HR, capital, and more.

Role Description

This role is for an operator who has run multi-unit service businesses and knows how to grow and manage such businesses on the ground.

As Director, Business Operations, you will own the performance of a portfolio of recreational businesses, initially focused on gymnastics and swim schools, with the opportunity to expand into other divisions based on your performance.

You will not manage daily operations at the individual locations. You will set direction, diagnose issues, drive execution through local leaders, and be accountable for results.

You will have authority to make changes, but that authority should be used with judgment, because many of our local operators are founders and partners in their respective businesses – a core tenant of our partnership model.

Position Responsibilities

Own Business Performance

Full P&L responsibility across your portfolio
Set priorities, roadmap with local leaders and portfolio-wide, and ensure execution
Identify underperformance early and address it directly
Identify business risks and implement necessary actions to mitigate said risks
Run monthly operating reviews with partners and executive team

Grow Enrollment and Volume

These are class-based, capacity-constrained businesses. Growth comes from increased enrollment and better utilization, not infinite inventory.

You will:

Increase enrollment volume without compromising safety or experience
Improve class fill and schedule efficiency
Own pricing decisions and promotional strategy
Introduce new programs, formats, and SKUs where appropriate
Lead new location launches from planning through opening and post-opening performance
Interact weekly with marketing department to ensure on-time and effective execution of marketing activities and broader roadmap

Improve Leads-to-Enrollment Conversion

You will focus on execution at the front of the funnel:

Improve speed-to-lead and follow-up discipline
Increase lead → trial → enrollment conversion
Tighten local sales processes and accountability
Ensure marketing demand turns into enrollments

Reduce Churn and Extend Customer Lifespan

Identify why families leave and where experience breaks down
Improve onboarding and early-engagement
Implement practical retention and save plays
Reactivate churned families
Cross-sell into additional programs

Labor and Organization

Labor is both the cost base and the product.

You will:

Redesign org structures where needed
Clarify roles across coaches, admin, and leadership
Align staffing to schedules and enrollment patterns
Improve productivity without eroding culture, employee-experience or safety
Hire, replace, or upgrade local leadership when required

Lead Turnarounds

When a business underperforms, you own the outcome.

You will:

Diagnose root causes (leadership, labor, pricing, funnel, schedule, etc.)
Build a clear turnaround plan
Drive execution through local leaders
Step in firmly when needed, without taking over daily operations

Integration, Safety, and Corporate Interface

Support initial M&A integration of newly acquired companies you will manage as the point of contact with Rocket Youth’s corporate team
Take full ownership post-integration, including implementation and usage of HQ systems and processes across portfolio (e.g. UKG, Ramp, GHL, etc.)
Enforce safety standards and compliance for your businesses
Act as the primary link between operators and HQ teams
Manage relationships with vendors and landlords
Manage relationships with class-management-system (CMS) providers and continuously improve CMS usage and standardization for better operations at unit-level

The Reality

Many partners are founders with strong opinions and influence over local culture, staff, and daily processes
Systems are imperfect and not standardized
Peak demand is after school, evenings, and weekends
Safety and experience are non-negotiable
Execution matters more than decks or recommendations

Who This Role Is For

You have:

Led multi-unit, brick-and-mortar businesses
Ideally operated gymnastics businesses (rare, but highly valued).
Otherwise, preferred experience running service-based, family or youth-oriented retail, sports, education, or entertainment businesses. Experience with membership, subscription, or class-based businesses is a plus
Personally driven growth through volume, not just pricing
Comfort operating without pristine systems and with SMBs
High EQ, strong judgment, and a bias for action
You are not an advisor. You do not wait on other teams to do the work for you.
You know how to get things done through people.

Measurements:

Primary:

Enrollment growth
Revenue growth
EBITDA growth

Key drivers:

Lead conversion
Retention and churn
Reactivation
Class utilization and schedule efficiency
Labor productivity

Why Join Rocket Youth

· Play a central role in a high-growth company transforming the youth sports and enrichment industry.

· Work directly with passionate operators and leaders shaping the next generation of athletes.

· Be part of a collaborative, entrepreneurial team where your ideas and leadership drive results.

· Receive hands-on mentorship from experienced business leaders with clear opportunities for advancement.

· Competitive compensation, benefits, and growth opportunities within a national platform.

RY is an equal opportunity employer, considering all applicants for employment regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, physical disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by state of federal law.

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