Program Director, New York

Program Director, New York

Wediko New York

New York, NY

About Wediko-At The Home for Little Wanderers

Wediko Children’s Services is committed to restoring hope to children and their families when facing life’s challenges. Established in 1934, Wediko partners with schools and families to promote the mental health and success of children and adolescents who face multiple barriers to learning. Wediko’s continuum of mental health and educational programs helps children build skills, develop mastery, and make positive connections for happier and healthier lives. Through their four main programs – Wediko School, Community-Based Programs, School-Based Programs, and Summer Program, Wediko has consistently demonstrated a commitment to helping each child achieve sustained improvement, which Wediko families call “Wediko magic.” For more information about our work, visit www.wediko.org.

In April of 2020, Wediko successfully merged with The Home for Little Wanderers, bringing together two organizations with long and rich histories of service to vulnerable children and families. The Wediko programs are strengthened by the relationship with The Home and the Wediko legacy continues. Learn more about the merger here. 

The Opportunity

Wediko NY is seeking a dynamic leader with a commitment to service quality and excellence to serve as Program Director for the New York Program Office. Under the direction of the Vice President, Wediko Programs, the Program Director will plan, direct, and manage all aspects of the operations and staff within the program(s), ensuring that best practice standards in school-based mental health are followed. The Program Director will serve as both an internal leader, mentor, and coach as well as an external spokesperson, partnership-builder, and fundraiser. This is an exciting opportunity to leverage Wediko’s strong reputation and results in New York, and the recent merger, to grow the program and its impact. 

The primary responsibilities of the Program Director will include: 

Organizational Leadership

• Oversee all New York programs, ensuring high level of program quality, integration of best practices, strong infrastructure support, and sustainable funding sources
• Serve as external face of the organization to build new partnerships, develop new business opportunities, maintain healthy relationships with schools and Central DOE, and build visibility of Wediko in the ecosystem
• Cultivate a supportive and high-performing team culture that leverages the strengths and opportunities of the merger and available resources
• Plan the delivery of the overall program services in accordance with The Home’s mission and strategic goals; develop long-term goals and new initiatives to support the strategic direction of the organization
• Ensure that programs, policies, and procedures utilize existing and emerging best practices in the field and meet all applicable laws, licensure guidelines, and contractual requirements 
• Collaborate with external partners and referral sources to develop new work/business opportunities
• In collaboration with the Finance Department, develop an annual budget and conduct ongoing monitoring and analysis of financial performance
• In partnership with the Development team, create and execute against a strategic development plan, with an eye towards diversifying revenue to include more private philanthropy
• In collaboration with the Evaluation & Research Team, participate in the oversight and implementation of research, evaluation, and assessment measures according to contract and research protocols, and use of data to inform programming
• Partner with the HR department to facilitate the hiring, orientation, development, support, and evaluation of staff

Program Leadership

• Provide general oversight of the services provided to our students and families to ensure they are high quality and are consistent with the goals of the program(s) and provide a safe learning environment for students and their families
• Respond to and guide team members during crises, sign off on Critical Incident Reports and liaise with VP of Wediko Programs and Compliance department as needed
• Provide initial consultation and creation of school-based work plans to address individual new school needs
• Track trends and remain current regarding developments in the areas of mental health, SEL, and trauma-informed approaches to education and after-school
• Oversee adherence to HIPAA regulations of client information and privacy laws
• Availability to support 24 hours on call crisis support

Candidate Profile

You will be a strong candidate for the Program Director, New York position with Wediko if you exhibit many, if not all, of the following professional and personal qualities, skills, and characteristics: 

• Commitment to providing best in class services and support to children and families; familiarity with the benefits and challenges of school-based services
• Masters or Doctoral Degree in Psychology, Social Work, Education, or related field; NY license in field of practice required, if applicable
• 7+ years of leadership experience in a clinical and/or educational setting; experience partnering with NYC public schools preferred
• 7+ years of experience providing direct service to children, adolescents, and families
• Experience with the philanthropic and non-profit sectors in New York City; familiarity with Coalition for Community School Excellence strongly preferred
• Experience effectively navigating relationships with government agencies including NYC Department of Education, Office of Mental Health, NYC Department of Health, and New York State Education Department 
• Commitment to the values of diversity, equity and inclusion 
• Strong communication & crisis management skills
• Flexible approach to schedule and responsibilities; adaptive to organizational needs
• Ability to approach challenges in a supportive and creative manner
• Excellent organizational skills
• Knowledge of best practices in School-Based Mental Health, PBIS, Trauma-Informed Schools & treatment, Community Schools Model
• Willingness to travel to schools throughout the 5 boroughs and occasionally to The Home’s Boston headquarters
• Computer literate including Microsoft Office with the ability to learn new software applications

Compensation 

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience.

Contact

Wediko, at The Home for Little Wanderers, has engaged Koya Partners to lead this search. Please submit a compelling cover letter, outlining your interest in the role and the contributions you could make to the organization, and resume here.

The Home for Little Wanderers seeks to build a team that reflects the diversity we celebrate in our nation and community. We welcome and encourage all qualified applicants who share our vision, as we want to engage all those who can contribute to our work and this mission. We encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply for this position, and we do not discriminate on any basis prohibited by applicable law.

About Koya Partners

Koya Partners, a part of the Diversified Search Group, is a leading executive search and strategic advising firm dedicated to connecting exceptionally talented people with mission-driven clients. Our founding philosophy—The Right Person in the Right Place Can Change the World—guides our work as we partner with nonprofits & NGOs, institutions of higher education, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world. For more information about Koya Partners, visit www.koyapartners.com.