Associate Director of Residential Services

Brief Description

Position Summary

The Associate Director of Residential Services is responsible for HRM's Emergency Shelter programs, one of the agency's most visible and requested services. This role ensures that our residential program is a safe and supportive environment for survivors at the highest risk of severe harm to engage in the services needed to attain independence and stability.

In coordination with the Director of Stability Services, this position sets the direction and goals for all activities of the Residential Services department which includes an 84-bed emergency shelter, health suite, a team of resident advocates, food service, donation management, and housekeeping. The Associate Director ensures practice standards reflect trauma-informed care, advance agency mission, meet program goals, and comply with HUD, VAWA, and OVW legal and best-practice requirements.

The Associate Director maintains excellent working relationships with other HRM programs and community partners to ensure high-quality, timely, effective, and seamless service provision. As a member of HRM’s 24-hour crisis operations, this position participates in a leadership on-call rotation and will require response to urgent operational or safety matters outside regular business hours. The Associate Director is not expected to provide routine night and weekend shift coverage but must be available for consultation with staff when significant concerns arise.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

Program Leadership and Service Quality

• Establishes, implements, and maintains program standards, policies, procedures, and quality assurance.
• In collaboration with the Director of Stability Services, develops and implements program goals and objectives
• Coordinates with Associate Director of Supportive Services to coordinate resident service implementation, client team meetings and resident transition review with participation from all residential and supportive service programs.
• Establishes and monitors best-practice standards for client engagement, including trauma-informed care, voluntary services, and harm reduction models.
• Develops and maintains processes for client feedback to inform programming; receives and investigates client grievances and community concerns.
• Uses the agency information system and other methods to monitor and report on program quality and key performance indicators, including client service data integrity, success measures, and occupancy/utilization rates.
• Investigates client complaints and directs corrective action plans.
• Determines participant length of stay and termination from programs.
  
  

People Leadership

• Meets weekly with direct reports in one-on-one and/or team meetings to provide feedback and direction.
• Oversees work assignment, training, supervision, and performance evaluation of staff.
• Organizes staffing plans and 24/7 coverage of the Emergency Shelter; supports and encourages staff participation in agency-wide functions such as back-up coverage of the 24-hour hotline.
• Serves as primary hiring manager for residential program staffing needs.
• Coordinates intern and volunteer recruitment and utilization
• Designs and implements performance improvement plans and disciplinary action for staff, in consultation with Human Resources.
• Establishes and approves staff work schedules; assigns work to direct reports and related staff.
  
  

Operations, Safety, and Compliance

• Oversees resource management, including allocation and utilization of operations and personnel budgets.
• Manages daily operations of Residential programs, including food service, operations, and administration.
• Ensures the collection and integrity of client service data in accordance with funding and regulatory compliance.
• Serves as safety coordinator for residential facilities, including fire, health, and safety; establishes program standards consistent with codes, regulations, and best practices; ensures necessary posting of signs, licenses, inspection certificates, and notices; monitors facilities for safety risks and initiates repairs.
• Manages the key control system, including procurement, distribution, record keeping, and quality control; maintains purchasing records, furniture and equipment inventory, warranty/service-contract records, and resident records.
• Coordinates 24/7 access to Leadership through an on-call system designed to support decision-making on emergent situations, emergency support and relief coverage as needed.
• Approves department expenditures, modifies the program budget, and oversees distribution of material goods (e.g., clothing, bus tokens) to program participants.
  
  

Strategy, Finance, and Partnerships

• Manages implementation of contractual and partnership agreements, including monitoring and ensuring compliance with the terms of contracts and grants.
• Represents HRM on local and statewide coalitions, committees, and boards, and provides professional presentations for educational and marketing purposes.
• Maintains relationships with housing, healthcare, behavioral health, legal, law-enforcement, government, and other community partners.
• Engages and develops policy and procedures to address the needs of all residents, including survivor accessibility and cultural relevance.
• Prepares letters of support and MOUs for Director signature.
  
  

Experience, Education, Certifications/Licenses

• Bachelor's degree in Human Services, Social Work, Psychology, or a related field, and at least three years of progressively responsible human-services experience; or an Associate's degree in a related field and two years of relevant experience; or five years of relevant experience in lieu of a degree.
• At least 2 years of supervisory or program management experience; including leading managers, supervisors or multi-disciplinary teams.
• Experience in at least two of the following areas: crisis response, hotline services, emergency shelter, housing, service coordination, case management, or victim services.
• Demonstrated success managing multiple program areas or service lines within a social services, shelter, or crisis response organization.
• Demonstrated success supervising and developing managers, with a focus on coaching staff to lead their own teams effectively.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with a strong ability to relate to a diverse range of individuals, including survivors, children, donors, and community professionals.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with demonstrated ability to juggle multiple competing tasks and demands.
• Skilled at project planning and organizing, managing budgets, and program operations.
• Experience with conflict resolution/mediation.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 20 pounds.
• Demonstrated competence with computer systems, including Microsoft Suite and data collection/analysis.
• Ability to pass a criminal background check.
  
  

Highly Preferred Skills

• Fluency in English and another language (Spanish, highly preferred).
• Experience with 24/7 or residential services to vulnerable populations.
• Strong preference for candidates with experience working with gender-based-violence populations.
• Thorough understanding of working with a non-native population and the cultural issues that affect immigrants.
• Licensure or license-eligibility in a clinical field (e.g., LMSW, LGSW, LCSW-C, LCPC) is a plus, though not required for this role.