Program Director - Brooklyn

Program Director

Organizational Role: We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Program Director to oversee a supportive housing program in Brooklyn. The building serves formerly homeless, single adults living with chronic illnesses including HIV and AIDS, mental health issues, and/or substance abuse. The Program Director will lead a team to assist this population in stabilizing their lives, maintaining their housing stability and advancing towards their individualized goals. The Program Director is also expected to work collaboratively with the Leasing and Compliance Department and Property Management staff.

The ideal candidate will have a Master's Degree in Social Work, demonstrated leadership skills and keen judgment essential for planning and accomplishing goals, navigating challenging bureaucratic systems and providing strong staff supervision. He or she will also have experience working with the chronically homeless population that has been impacted by mental illness, substance use, legal and medical issues. The Program Directors will have very strong administrative skills and operational expertise.

Classification: Exempt

Reports to: Assistant Vice President

Location: Brooklyn, NY

Position Type: This is a full-time position with a regular schedule of Monday through Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm. Lantern staff may be asked to change work schedule and hours depending on the operational needs of the site and the agency.

This position regularly requires availability outside of the standard workday, and as such must be ready and available to direct and support staff either by phone or in-person if needed during the evenings, weekends and holidays.

Essential Functions:

• Hire, train, supervise and develop a program team with a strong sense of accountability for achieving outcomes for residents and complying with Lantern and funder regulations and requirements.
• Ensure all case records (electronic and paper) are accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date for all residents. The Program Director is responsible for monitoring staff compliance and providing training and support resources.
• In conjunction with staff, oversee the development and implementation of program services, including groups, community/tenant meetings, activities and celebrations, etc. to meet tenant and program needs.
• Provide regular, ongoing supervision of staff as appropriate and facilitate weekly staff and clinical meetings. Provide case management support to staff as needed.
• Identify and meet training needs for staff.
• In collaboration with Leasing and Compliance staff, screen potential clients for the program and assist with the move-in and program orientation process.
• Assist with rent collection and ensure all staff members support housing stability through a proactive active approach to working with tenants around budgeting and money management.
• Assess serious incidents, review appropriateness of incident management and make corrections as needed.
• Utilize data to ensure program goals are met and to address trends (both positive and challenging).
• Actively engage in training that promotes the Program Director's professional development and identifies trainings to support Program staff.
• Provide monthly written reports to Senior Management as requested.
• Develop linkages with community organizations as well as NYPD to support the work of the program.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Required Education and Experience:

• Master's Degree in Social Work required, License preferred; SIFI preferred.
• Minimum of three years supervisory experience.
• At least three to five years of progressive experience in implementing a direct service program.
• Knowledge of HIV/AIDS, mental health, substance use and chronic homelessness is preferred.
• Bilingual Spanish/English preferred.
• Experience with electronic case management systems, and demonstrated ability to utilize and review data to inform best practices in service provision
• Ability to work well under pressure, including crisis situations, and be flexible with work schedule when necessary.
• Experience working with evidence-based models, specifically Motivational Interviewing, Individual Placement and Support (IPS) and Illness Management and Recovery (IMR) preferred.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience working in residential services such as affordable, transitional or low-income housing preferred.

Supervisory Responsibility: Oversees Social Services Team

Work Environment: This job operates in a supportive housing site and works with a population who experiences mental illness, addiction, disability, HIV, and other chronic illnesses.

Physical Demands:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, stoop, climb stairs and/ or kneel. They must also use hands to type, handle, or feel. The employee is frequently required to talk or hear and must occasionally lift and/or move up to 5 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Some positions at Lantern Community Services have work responsibilities at more than one work site as well as fieldwork in the community. These employees are required to travel between sites during the workday with physical demands that could include walking up to .25 miles, climbing stairs and carrying work materials that could weigh up to 8 lbs.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Other Duties:

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.