Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Yoga Program Coordinator

🎯 Role Definition

The Yoga Program Coordinator is responsible for designing, implementing, and managing high-quality yoga programs across community centers, studios, corporate sites, and online platforms. This role combines program development, instructor recruitment and supervision, scheduling and registration management, marketing and outreach, budget stewardship, and participant experience optimization to grow engagement, ensure safety and inclusivity, and deliver measurable wellness outcomes. The ideal candidate holds a recognized yoga teaching certification (eg. RYT-200), demonstrates program management experience, and has strong communication skills for community engagement and cross-functional collaboration.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Yoga Instructor (RYT-200 / RYT-500) transitioning into program coordination
Program Assistant or Community Outreach Coordinator supporting wellness initiatives
Recreation or Wellness Specialist with event scheduling experience

Advancement To:

Program Manager / Senior Yoga Program Manager (oversight of multiple sites or programs)
Wellness Director / Director of Community Programs (strategic leadership across health & wellness)
Operations Manager for studio networks or nonprofit wellness organizations

Lateral Moves:

Events & Retreat Coordinator (yoga-focused events and workshops)
Volunteer & Instructor Relations Coordinator (community engagement and training)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop, design, and continuously refine a year-round yoga program curriculum that aligns with organizational goals, community needs, and evidence-based wellness practices, including beginner, intermediate, advanced, restorative, prenatal, and trauma-informed offerings.
Create and manage detailed class schedules across multiple sites and digital platforms, optimizing room allocation, instructor availability, and peak-time offerings to maximize attendance and revenue.
Recruit, vet, contract, onboard, and supervise a diverse roster of certified yoga instructors and substitute teachers, including conducting background checks, verifying certifications (RYT-200/RYT-500), and delivering orientation and ongoing training.
Coordinate instructor assignments, payroll, and contract management, ensuring timely submission of timesheets, compliance with labor policies, and accurate instructor compensation.
Implement and maintain safety protocols, risk assessments, and emergency response plans for in-person classes and special events, including ensuring instructors hold current CPR/AED certification and maintaining incident logs.
Manage participant registration, memberships, drop-in sales, class passes and waitlists using scheduling software (e.g., Mindbody, WellnessLiving, Zen Planner) while ensuring a seamless consumer experience from sign-up to follow-up.
Oversee program budgets including forecasting, expense management, vendor contracting, billing, and revenue reconciliation; prepare monthly and quarterly financial reports for leadership review.
Plan and execute marketing, outreach, and retention campaigns across email, social media, local partnerships and community events to increase class visibility, drive new participant acquisition, and improve retention metrics.
Build and maintain strategic partnerships with local clinics, community centers, schools, corporate wellness programs, and nonprofits to expand program reach and create referral pathways.
Design specialized outreach and inclusion strategies to serve priority populations (seniors, veterans, prenatal/postnatal participants, trauma survivors, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities), adapting class content and instructor training accordingly.
Track program KPIs such as attendance, retention, net promoter score (NPS), revenue per class, and participant outcomes; analyze data and deliver quarterly performance reports with actionable recommendations.
Lead curriculum updates and instructor development workshops focused on trauma-informed teaching, adaptive yoga, accessibility, and continuing education credits to elevate program quality.
Plan and coordinate workshops, retreats, pop-up events, teacher trainings, and community yoga days, including logistics, vendor sourcing, ticketing, and post-event evaluation.
Oversee supply, equipment and facility needs (mats, bolsters, cleaning supplies, AV), schedule maintenance and cleaning with facilities staff, and manage inventory and procurement processes.
Serve as primary point of contact for participant feedback, complaints, and conflict resolution—escalating issues when necessary and maintaining service excellence standards.
Create accessible digital content (class descriptions, instructor bios, blog posts, video snippets) to support SEO, community engagement, and online class growth.
Write and manage grant proposals, sponsorship packages, and donor communications when applicable to secure funding or in-kind support for free and subsidized programming.
Ensure compliance with all local regulations, insurance requirements, and organizational policies related to health, safety, and class delivery.
Maintain accurate records of attendance, participant health waivers, instructor credentials, and program documentation in compliance with privacy policies and data protection best practices.
Lead regular program meetings with instructors and cross-functional teams (marketing, operations, finance) to align on priorities, share insights, and resolve operational challenges.
Develop and implement a continuous improvement process by soliciting participant and instructor feedback, running pilot programs, and scaling successful initiatives.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc reporting requests and compile participant outcome summaries to inform grant reports and stakeholder updates.
Assist in cross-functional projects such as studio renovations, software migrations, and community health initiatives as a subject-matter expert for yoga programming.
Contribute to the organization's strategic planning for wellness offerings by providing input on trends, competitor analysis, and participant needs assessments.
Participate in staff training sessions on customer service, inclusivity, and facility safety to ensure a consistent participant experience.
Help maintain the program calendar, email templates, and marketing assets to ensure timely communication and promotion of new classes and events.
Provide substitute teaching coverage or step in as a lead instructor when needed to maintain class continuity and quality.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Certified Yoga Teacher (RYT-200 required; RYT-500 preferred) with demonstrated teaching experience across multiple modalities (Hatha, Vinyasa, Restorative, Prenatal, Adaptive).
Program management and curriculum development experience, including building progressive class sequences and multi-week series.
Proficiency with scheduling and studio management software (e.g., Mindbody, WellnessLiving, Zen Planner, Vagaro) for registration, billing, and reporting.
Budgeting and basic financial management skills: forecasting, reconciliation, invoicing, and expense tracking.
Experience managing instructor contracts, payroll processes, and human-resources-related documentation.
Familiarity with digital marketing tools and analytics (email platforms like Mailchimp or Constant Contact, social media scheduling tools, basic SEO best practices).
Strong competency in Microsoft Office and Google Workspace for reporting, presentation, and document management.
Basic grant writing and sponsorship development skills, including preparing program narratives and budget justifications.
Knowledge of health & safety compliance standards, emergency response protocols, and participant risk management.
Ability to create accessible program materials and modify classes for special populations (seniors, prenatal, trauma-informed practices).
Experience with CRM systems or participant databases to manage communications and track engagement metrics.
Basic audiovisual and online class delivery skills (Zoom, Vimeo, OBS) to support hybrid or virtual class offerings.

Soft Skills

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships with instructors, participants, community partners, and leadership.
Strong organizational and project management capabilities with attention to detail and the ability to manage competing deadlines.
Customer-service orientation and conflict-resolution skills to handle participant concerns professionally and compassionately.
Leadership and coaching skills to inspire instructors, foster professional development, and build a collaborative team culture.
Creative problem-solving and adaptability to iterate on programming in response to participant feedback and changing public health conditions.
Cultural competency and empathy to design inclusive programming that respects diverse backgrounds and physical abilities.
Time management and prioritization skills to balance program growth initiatives with day-to-day operations.
Data-informed decision making—comfortable interpreting attendance and retention metrics to drive improvements.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or equivalent; completion of a recognized yoga teacher training (RYT-200) is required.

Preferred Education:

Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology, Exercise Science, Public Health, Recreation Management, Education, Nonprofit Management, or a related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Kinesiology / Exercise Science
Public Health / Community Health
Recreation, Leisure & Tourism Management
Education / Adult Learning
Nonprofit Management / Program Administration

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2–5 years of combined experience teaching yoga and coordinating wellness or community programs.

Preferred:

3+ years of program coordination or management experience in a studio, community center, nonprofit, corporate wellness, or healthcare setting.
Demonstrated experience recruiting, supervising, and training instructors; managing budgets; and executing marketing/outreach campaigns.
Experience with trauma-informed yoga, adaptive yoga, or therapeutic yoga programs is highly desirable.
Current CPR/AED certification and willingness to complete additional safety training as required.