Manager of Children Services

Lutheran Settlement House (LSH) is a non-profit, community-based organization committed to serving children, adults, and families living in Philadelphia. At LSH’s Jane Addams Place emergency housing program, we are seeking a compassionate and experienced professional to serve as Manager of Children Services. This role is housed within our family shelter for individuals experiencing temporary homelessness.

Reporting to the Assistant Shelter Director, the Manager of Children Services leads the Children & Youth team to ensure that all school-aged residents have consistent access to education and that all children benefit from age-appropriate, enriching programming. The Manager of Children Services directly supervises the Education Coordinator, Teen Advocate, and intern staff to holistically support the developmental and emotional needs of children and youth residing at Jane Addams Place.

In order to ensure implementation of after-school programs and provision of comprehensive support, flexible scheduling is required to accommodate the needs of shelter residents, including evening and occasional weekend hours

This position also includes rotating week-long “On-Call” responsibilities.

Key Responsibilities:

• Supervises the Children and Youth team to ensure consistent implementation of programming and that the needs of youth residents are effectively met
• Designs and coordinates youth programming, including social-emotional learning initiatives, field trips, and holiday events
• Coordinates programs with external providers and agencies to take place at Jane Addams Place that benefit development and education of youth residents
• Provides management support to Education Coordinator to ensure school-aged children are attending school and any barriers to education are addressed
• Develops and maintains relationships with community partners, including local schools, child care programs, Early Intervention, CHOP, Early Head Start, etc.
• Provides support to new and expecting mothers by screening for any healthcare needs
• Ensures breastfeeding and baby supplies are stocked and available
• Coordinates Healthy Baby Protocol program to take place at Jane Addams Place for any mothers of infants 4 months and younger
• Attends weekly case management meetings and collaborates with team to provide comprehensive support to Jane Addams residents
• Manages Bright Spaces play space and notifies management about any needs related to this space
• Works with Donations Coordinator to ensure Donations room is stocked with necessary
• Supervises Children & Youth intern team and coordinates intern support for programming
• Cultivates and maintains partnerships with local colleges and universities to support intern recruitment, and represents the organization at intern-related meetings and events
• Adheres to Office of Homeless Services Emergency Housing Standards as it pertains to this role

Documentation and Support

• Generate reports as required by funding agencies, documenting outcomes, successes, and challenges in delivering services and programs to shelter residents
• Complete all assigned trainings and actively participate in required supervision in accordance with program and agency guidelines
• Support Residential Assistants on duty as needed, including monitoring cameras, front desk and clerical support

Qualifications:

• A Bachelor’s or Master's degree in Social Work, Education, or related field
• Previous experience working with individuals and families experiencing homelessness, trauma, mental health issues, and addiction a strong plus
• Expected to exhibit understanding of family dynamics and the impact of homelessness on family relationships
• Demonstrates a commitment to trauma-informed care
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to establish rapport and build trust with diverse populations
• Capacity to work collaboratively with a multidisciplinary team and external service providers
• Sensitivity to cultural, socioeconomic, and individual differences, with a commitment to promoting equity and inclusion
• Familiarity with McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act strongly preferred
• Familiarity with Philadelphia agencies/resources strongly preferred
• Proficiency in documentation and record-keeping, with attention to detail and confidentiality
• Completion of a state mandated 40-hour domestic violence training is required; can be completed upon hiring
• Candidates who are Bilingual Spanish/English are preferred and compensated commensurately

Working Conditions:

• This position operates primarily within a family homeless shelter environment
• Flexible scheduling is required to accommodate the needs of shelter residents, including evening and occasional weekend hours
• The role may involve exposure to challenging and emotionally intense situations

We value diversity and are committed to promoting it! We are an equal opportunity employer and applicants from all backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.

Benefits include:

• Our benefits include low cost medical, free dental and vision insurance, as well as agency-funded life and disability insurances.
• We offer 8-weeks paid parental leave for staff (eligible after one year of service) who give birth, adopt, or foster a new child in their home.
• Our paid time off package includes an annual 3-4 weeks of vacation, 12 days of paid sick time, and 5 personal days to use at your discretion.
• We observe 16 organization-wide holidays, and an early close on Fridays during the Summer.
• Our 401k retirement savings program offers a 1% match, and we offer pre-tax flexible spending accounts for health, travel, and dependent care.
• We value growth and learning, and offer trainings and conference participation whenever possible. We value the voices of our staff, and we offer mini-grants for staff to pilot new ideas in their work.
• We are offer flexibility for classes, internship possibilities within our organization, and the availability for social work licensure supervision.
• We understand that employees are people first and foremost, and are committed to an overall supportive and flexible organizational culture.
• Our work is critical but we know it’s not easy, so we aim to infuse joy wherever possible. Whether we are offering free yoga and exercise classes, ending all-staff meetings with Karaoke or Bingo, or committing steadfast to a snack-based meeting culture – we aim to balance the weight of our work with laughter and levity as often as we can.