Director of Social Services - Laurel Hall

Classification: Full-time, Exempt

Reports to: Shelter Director

Location: Queens, NY

Status & Hours: Full-time, Mon - Fri 9 am to 5 pm. Hours may vary and include on-call responsibilities. Lantern staff may be asked to change work schedule and hours depending on the operational needs of the site and the agency.

 
Who We Are: Lantern Community Services helps New Yorkers impacted by homelessness move from surviving to thriving by pairing safe, supportive housing with wraparound services that build lasting stability and independence. If you believe a steady home can be the start of everything else, you’ll fit right in with our mission-first team. Lantern was also recognized as a Top 2025 Workplace by City & State New York - a great place to do meaningful work with people who care!

Where You Will Work: Ozone Park, Queens.

About The Role: We are seeking an experienced and progressive Director of Social Services for our single adult male shelter in Queens. This position oversees the Clinical and Social Services functions to optimize the quality of care to residents in accordance with DHS regulatory and accreditation requirements. The ideal candidate will develop and supervise the Social Services team, consisting of Social Workers, Case Managers, Housing Specialists, and Peer Engagement Specialists. The DSS will be responsible for implementing best practices to meet the physical, emotional, and social needs of residents, ensuring their ability to gain and maintain housing stability, and will work closely with the Shelter Director to develop, implement, track, report, and evaluate measurable outcomes.
 

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

• Hire, train, and supervise Social Workers, Case Managers, Housing Coordinators, and Peer Specialists to ensure timely completion of program goals, deliverables, and benchmarks.
• Provide leadership through regular supervision, performance evaluations, disciplinary support as needed, and facilitation of staff and clinical meetings.
• Attend all mandatory DHS trainings and meetings to maintain program compliance and best practices.
• Ensure adherence to DHS, OTDA, and Lantern standards for client intake, assessments, service delivery, and documentation within required timeframes.
• Support staff in developing individualized Independent Living Plans and Housing Plans that promote long-term stability and successful transitions to permanent housing.
• Coordinate access to necessary medical, mental health, and substance use services, including referrals for psychiatric assessment, treatment, and community-based care.
• Develop counseling approaches, programming, and referral resources that support residents in achieving harm reduction, wellness, and housing readiness goals.
• Implement crisis prevention and intervention strategies to maintain a safe and secure shelter environment.
• Provide follow-up on critical incidents, assist with safety planning, and ensure residents are connected to appropriate supports during times of crisis.
• Maintain strong relationships with community partners and ensure the shelter upholds a Good Neighbor policy by connecting residents with daytime resources, supportive services, and constructive community-based activities.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience:

• Master’s degree in Social Work (MSW), Mental Health Counseling (MHC), or Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) from an accredited institution required; licensure (LMSW/LMHC/LMFT) must be obtained within one year of hire.
• Minimum of 8 years of social service experience, including at least 2 years of supervisory experience within a DHS shelter or similar human services setting.
• Experience using electronic case management systems and applying data to inform best practices and improve service delivery.
• Strong knowledge of mental health, substance use, HIV/AIDS, and issues impacting individuals experiencing chronic homelessness preferred.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure, respond to crisis situations, and maintain flexibility with scheduling as needed.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with strong organizational and problem-solving abilities.

Work Environment: This job operates in a shelter site and works with the male population who experience 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. Occasionally, the employee will have to lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.

Note: Lantern Community Services provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment. Lantern Community Services (Lantern) values the diversity of all our clients, staff, Board of Directors, and partners. By bringing diverse individuals and viewpoints together, we create more vibrant, healthy, and just communities.