Night Program Manager

Night Program Manager (2 hires)

Full-Time: 40 hrs/week

Temporary/Seasonal: part time from October 1st – December 1st (approx 10 hrs/week), Full-time December 1st – April 15th.

Pay: $35/hour

Number of Positions: 2

Schedule: Overnight; 3, 12-hour shifts between 6:00 PM and 7:30 AM

Reports to: Executive Director

Applications accepted on a rolling basis

Location: On-site at 16 Felton Street in Waltham, MA

About the Night Program

The Community Day Center of Waltham (CDCW) operates Waltham’s seasonal Night Program from December 1st – April 15th each year, providing a safe, warm place to sleep for adults experiencing homelessness. The program is an essential part of Waltham’s winter safety net, particularly for individuals who may face barriers to accessing traditional shelters.

Our guests may be navigating substance use disorder, mental health challenges, trauma, and the significant fear and anxiety that come with living outside during a New England winter. We strive to create an environment that is safe, predictable, and compassionate while maintaining clear expectations for everyone in the program.

This is a “damp” shelter, meaning guests are not allowed to use drugs or alcohol on site but are allowed inside in any condition, so long as they are safe for themselves and others.

The Position

We are hiring two Night Program Managers to lead the program throughout the upcoming winter season. This is a full-time, overnight, 100 percent in-person position. Ideally, each Manager works 3, 12-hour shifts and is on-call for one additional shift (waiting to be engaged, paid). The Night Program Manager is responsible for the safety and well-being of guests and staff during their shifts, supervising seasonal employees, responding to challenging situations, enforcing program policies, and ensuring the program operates consistently and safely each night. The Managers can expect to deal with mental health crises and medical emergencies on a regular basis.

Reliability is one of the most important requirements of this position. This is a long winter season, and candidates should be prepared to consistently work their scheduled shifts. Because the program requires management coverage to operate safely, an unexpected absence without coverage may mean that the Night Program cannot open that evening. It is especially important that Managers are able to work during snow emergencies. Candidates should consider commuting distance during snowstorms before accepting this position.

Job duties include:

• Manage the Night Program during your shifts and make sure guests and staff are safe.
• Manage a team of 3-4 Night Program staff, including training, scheduling, ensuring they meet program expectations, and tracking hours
• Respond to emergencies, including medical emergencies, mental health crises, fights, or other safety concerns.
• Manage guest behavior, de-escalate difficult situations, and enforce program rules fairly and consistently.
• Make decisions about when a guest needs to be temporarily or permanently banned because of their behavior.
• Manage the wait list for beds, contact people when beds open up, and keep track of who is entering the program.
• Meet with new guests when they first join the Night Program to explain how the program works, go over the rules, and answer questions.
• Listen to complaints or concerns from guests and staff and make sure they are followed up on.
• Keep track of Night Program supplies and let the appropriate person know when things need to be ordered.
• Communicate regularly with the other Night Program Manager and Executive Director about incidents, guest concerns, staffing issues, and anything else that needs follow-up.
• Handle basic administrative tasks such as schedules, emails, and incident reports.

What We're Looking For

We are looking for someone who can remain calm when situations become tense and approach challenging behavior through a trauma-informed lens. De-escalation should begin with patience, respect, and an understanding of what our guests may be experiencing. At the same time, the Night Program Managers must be comfortable setting boundaries and enforcing rules fairly and consistently for every guest.

This is also a staff management position. Each Manager will supervise seasonal Night Program staff and is expected to support their well-being and safety in what can sometimes be a challenging work environment, while also setting expectations and holding employees accountable.

The two Night Program Managers will work as peers and must communicate closely to ensure consistency between shifts. Managers must also be able to clearly explain rules, expectations, and decisions to guests.

Basic computer skills are required, including the ability to use email and manage staff schedules.

Ideal Candidate

We are especially interested in candidates who:

• Remain calm and make sound decisions in tense or unpredictable situations – previous work experience in this type of environment is strongly preferred.
• Have experience working with people experiencing homelessness or other vulnerable populations.
• Have experience supervising and leading a team.
• Are skilled in trauma-informed communication, conflict resolution, and de-escalation.
• Are dependable and understand the importance of consistent attendance in a 24/7 safety-focused program.
• Can work collaboratively with another manager and maintain consistent policies across shifts.
• Are comfortable working overnight throughout the winter season.
• Bilingual Spanish/English is strongly valued but is not required.
• Current or former EMTs, nurses, social workers, medics, human-services professionals and others with relevant experience are encouraged to apply, although candidates are not limited to these professional backgrounds.

If interested, please send a cover letter and resume to director@communitydaycenter.org. In your cover letter, please include an example of a time when de-escalated a sensitive situation safely.

Health insurance reimbursement stipend up to $300/month for 5 months (December 1st -- April 30th).

English fluency is required, Spanish fluency is strongly desired