Manager of Violence Prevention Programs

The Worcester Youth Center seeks an experienced, collaborative, and mission-driven Program Manager to provide leadership for its Violence Prevention & Youth Development Program. Funded through the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Gun Violence Prevention (GVP) Program, this position serves as a key member of the Center's management team and plays an essential role in advancing the organization's mission of empowering young people to build safe, healthy, and successful futures.

Unlike traditional grant-funded positions, this role is fully integrated into the Center's comprehensive youth development model. The Program Manager works collaboratively across all Center programs to ensure participants receive coordinated services that address education, employment, behavioral health, mentoring, recreation, leadership development, and other support necessary to achieve long-term success.

The Program Manager provides direct supervision to a multidisciplinary team consisting of a Case Manager, Vocational Case Manager, Outreach Worker, and Behavioral Health Professional. The position is responsible for ensuring high-quality service delivery, staff development, participant engagement, grant compliance, community partnerships, and continuous program improvement.

The ideal candidate is a leader who is approachable, collaborative, emotionally intelligent, and committed to developing both staff and young people. They lead with integrity, remain calm under pressure, embrace accountability, and believe every young person has the capacity to grow, heal, and succeed when provided with meaningful opportunities and consistent support.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Organizational Leadership

The Program Manager contributes to the overall success of the organization by:

• • Participating in organizational planning and decision-making.
  • Collaborating with others to coordinate participant services.
  • Promoting a culture of teamwork, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Grant Administration

• • Ensure compliance with all grant and contractual requirements.
  • Monitor program expenditures.
  • Assist with budget management.
  • Attend grant meetings (monthly, quarterly and as scheduled).
  • Prepare required reports.
  • Monitor program performance measures.
  • Ensure accurate participant documentation (example: data, databases, and referrals).
  • Participate in program evaluation and continuous quality improvement activities.

Program Leadership

• • Manage the day-to-day operations of the Violence Prevention & Youth Development Program.
  • Ensure services align with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Gun Violence Prevention framework and other evidence-based practices.
  • Coordinate participant services across the Center's continuum of youth development programs.
  • Monitor participant enrollment, engagement, service utilization, and outcomes.
  • Promote trauma-informed, culturally responsive, participant-centered practices throughout the program.

Staff Supervision

Responsibilities include:

• • Individual supervision, Team meetings, Case Management, Case consultation, File Review, Professional development, Performance evaluations, Workload management, Staff recognition, Conflict resolution.

Promote staff wellness and help mitigate secondary traumatic stress through supportive supervision and professional development.

Participant Services

Provide leadership and oversight to ensure participants receive coordinated, individualized services that address:

• • Safety, Education, Employment, Behavioral health, Housing stability, Financial stability, Life skills, Family engagement, Positive community connections.

Participate in multidisciplinary case reviews and assist staff with complex participant situations.

Maintain a small direct caseload when operationally necessary to support service continuity or model best practices.

Community Partnerships

Develop and maintain productive working relationships with:

• • High schools and alternative programs, College and training providers, Employers, Workforce development agencies, Behavioral health providers, Hospitals, Housing providers, Probation and parole, Juvenile justice agencies, Community organizations, Law enforcement, Faith-based organizations

Represents the Youth Center on community coalitions and collaborative initiatives focused on youth development and violence prevention.

Required Qualifications

• • Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Human Services, Criminal Justice, Public Health, Psychology, or a related field. Master's degree preferred.
  • Minimum five years of experience working directly with justice-involved, violence-involved, gang-involved, or other high-risk youth or young adults.
  • Minimum three years of supervisory or management experience (preferred).
  • Minimum three years providing or supervising intensive case management services.
  • Demonstrated experience supervising multidisciplinary teams.
  • Experience managing grant-funded programs.
  • Strong written and verb communication skills for data reporting.
  • Proficient in use of technology such as computers and related applications.
  • Valid Massachusetts driver's license and reliable transportation.

2 Weeks’ vacation, 5 sick days, 3 personal days, 12 Holidays, 401K retirement plan with up to 4% employer match, 80% paid by employer health Insurance.