Program Director - Youth Shelter & Project Excel/C&CRS - Internal Applicants only

Job Summary

Responsible for the successful management of the Shelter Care and Project Excel (PE) programs and services. Responsible for coordinating services to meet the needs of youth while in placement. All work is required and performed on-site in the workplace at Shelter Care, Rashid and Bahiya, and at Project Excel. Directs and collaborates with the WCS Shelter Care and PE Team. Conducts weekly team meetings to review the progress of youth, Service Plans, schedules and the requirements of the program including QA and reports. Assists with supervision services in the shelter, as well as school and community along with collaborating with the Shelter Care and PE Team to monitor and ensure compliance with the program and contract compliance. Completes Shelter scheduling, provides on call crisis management, and remains in regular contact with the Vice President and Milwaukee County Children, Youth & Family Services (CYFS) to provide routine updates.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Ensures successful management of Shelter Care and Project Excel programs and services, according to agency, funder, and licensing guidelines. Oversees all program components under the Vice President (VP). ENSURE SUPERVISION OF YOUTH AT ALL TIMES AT ALL PROGRAMS, including that all offices, group rooms, kitchens, and keys are secure at all times.
2. Ensures that all policies of the program are being followed, which requires a high level of integrity and familiarity with the programs policies and procedures manual and expectations of both Milwaukee County and the State of Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF 59).
3. Maintains the Shelter Care Policy & Procedure Manual updates according to changes in policy of the agency or CYFS and send to the VP for review.
4. Work with the Supervisors to hire new employees. Ensure vacant positions are filled according to the staffing/hiring to budget guidelines and complete the email form and send to the VP each time someone new is hired and when employees leave.
5. After final approval and prior to orientation, complete the new employee and exit employee form each time a new staff is hired, or when staff leave the agency, and send to the new or exit employee email group, and copy the VP.
6. Work with the VP to complete all Salary Forms in Teams.
7. Adhere to and embrace all agency policies and procedures (Power DMS and Employee Handbook), the agency goals, the agency mission, visions and core values (respect, integrity, justice & the pursuit of excellence). Model these values for all staff in the Shelter and PE programs.
8. Ensure professional conduct at all times with the funder and funder personnel, and WCS agency staff and leadership.
9. Ensure timely processing of referrals and all required agency, funder, and State-Licensing paperwork with accuracy. Ensure ongoing updates by Shelter and Project Excel staff to HSWs.
10. Attend all agency and funder required trainings and meetings (Site visits, Provider Forums, Townhalls, Culture & Belonging, Leadership meetings, staff meetings, EBP Committee, CYFS Unit Meetings, etc.).
11. Ensure fidelity of all staff in the programs to the agency and funder required Evidence Based Practices. Coach and develop staff as necessary.
12. Handle all purchases for the operation of the program under the direction of the budget guidelines and Vice President, following all agency required guidelines for timely submission of coded receipts and credit card reconciliation.
13. Attend budget meetings when requested by the Vice President and adhere to the programs' budgets at all times.
14. Provide consistent and reflective supervision and leadership of all staff, using active listening, Motivational Interviewing, and conflict management skills. Provides the vision for the programs and staff under the direction of the VP.
15. Perform unannounced drop-ins on all shifts and alternative shifts to ensure consistency and complete the Leadership Drop-In Report to send to the VP.
16. Creates and manages the staff schedule with feedback and support from the Supervisors.
17. Must be available to work some weekends and staggered shifts to provide supervision and guidance to all staff, as well as to ensure coverage when required.
18. Provide coverage for shifts as needed.
19. Reply to phone calls and text messages that relate to the program after hours (on call).
20. Ensure timely and accurate completion of the daily census reports and the Desk Review document for Shelter and daily and weekly census reports and Desk Review for Project Excel with the support of the Program & Quality Assurance Specialist (P&QAS). All Desk Review documents will be sent to the VP by the P&QAS and/or Program Director.
21. Maintain consistent and reliable communication with Milwaukee County staff, youth, approved family members, program and agency staff, schools, services provide, and other parties.
22. Maintain strict confidentiality within all written and verbal communications in compliance with program and agency policies and the law.
23. Uphold the agency's Transportation & Safety policy with all staff in the Shelter and PE programs. Ensure the P&QAS turns in transportation logs monthly to facilities, and reflect accurate and required information.
24. Interact with youth in a positive and therapeutic manner according to policy, procedure, training, and agency values.
25. Serve as positive role model and mentor for youth placed in Shelter Care.
26. Ensure that all staff are engaging in active supervision of youth within assigned staffing ratios.
27. Redirect staff behavior that is not contributing to a positive work environment. Discuss personnel-related concerns with the Vice President, and HR in a timely manner. Work with the Vice President and HR for all personnel matters that rise to corrective action. All personnel matters requiring coaching must be followed up to in email as "follow up to conversation".
28. Ensure that all youth and visitors, including providers, are accurately checked in and scanned for safety.
29. Ensure that staff and program environments are trauma-informed and emotionally safe at all times.
30. Verify accuracy of all intake documents, including the strength-based assessments and inventory of personal belongings.
31. Ensure that all Communication and Supervision Logs and Shift Responsibilities Checklist are accurate and are emailed at the conclusion of each assigned shift through an electronic verification within 8 hours of the end of the shift.
32. Ensure that all required reports for the County and WCS relating to incidents are completed according to policy and within 24 hours, and approve all Critical Incident Reports, send to the Vice President,ensure submission to the HSW in a timely manner (excluding children who are Missing from Care, which is emailed immediately to the child's HSW).
33. Draft all Serious Incident Reports for review and approval by the Program Director, and VP when required, within 48 hours, the required timeframe.
34. Complete the monthly Continuous Quality Improvement tracking spreadsheet, enter all agency demographics in AWARDS including new intakes and discharges, and other agency reporting requirements in a timely fashion. Ensures timely and accurate Utilization Reports, and making changes where required in the link provided by the VP for agency reporting.
35. Ensure that all staff complete all required trainings per license and agency requirements and update their personal ("shadow") files, the W drive, accordingly.
36. Responsible for training all new staff at Shelter Care and Project Excel in the Healthy Youth and Substance Use Education Curriculums, ensuring fidelity to the model.
    
    
37. Work with the Supervisors at each Shelter to complete annual performance reviews of all staff in a timely fashion per the license requirement.Complete annual performance reviews for PE staff.
38. Arrange a monthly calendar of programming and activities and facilitate daily activities of youth to include group outings and specific programming in conjunction with the Program Director.
39. Arrangefamily engagement events and Culture Nights at both program locations.
40. Maintain physical location to agency and licensing standards, including completing weekly physical plant license checks, including the inside and outside of the buildings and vehicles (license checks conducted by Supervisors and APD). Van logs are submitted to Facilities monthly.
41. Verify accuracy of Medication Administration Record (MARs) through a weekly audit review (as conducted by Supervisors).
42. Verify that all child records meet license requirements through a weekly audit review.
43. Ensure all 30 (CYFS) and 45-60 (Licensing) day extensions are submitted according to protocol to state licensing.
44. Ensure that accurate and complete information is communicated from shift to shift during the verbal shift exchanges on assigned shifts.
45. Approve all group outings in advance to ensure that all safety measures and court orders are consulted.
46. Oversee all emergency drills on schedule, including maintaining the license documents for fire drills, and maintain the logs.
47. Work with the Supervisors at Shelter and PE staff for quarterly performance outcome tracking and enter all required data into AVATAR (Milwaukee County database). Turn into the VP for review.
48. Works with the VP to create the Annual Action Plan and Logic Model, and responsible for tracking all activities for reporting to the funder. Send drafts for review and submission to the VP.
49. Responsible for updates no later than the 5^th of each month to the Department of Children and Families PIE System to ensure new staff are added and old staff are removed, and other required documents requested in PIE.
50. Follow the food service contract under the direction of the VP, ensuring proper food counts and report any concerns to both the VP and the caterer in a timely and professional manner.
51. Work with the Supervisors to hold routine monthly staff meetings to review policies (WCS and funder), team build, and conduct Culture & Belonging Dialog Sessions and follow up survey, with guidance from the VP.
52. Maintain strong rapport with neighbors around the facility.
53. Works with the VP and Vice President of Operations for time and accurate annual or as needed reviews of the Emergency Operations Plan and Business Continuity Plan.
54. Manage, check for accuracy and approve all staff timecards. Ensure all staff are using the agency's timeclocks, and fob in and out of the building each time they enter and leave. Model for staff.
55. Responsible for accurate and timely review and approval in Papersave.
56. Support weekly QA at Shelter and Project Excel Sites, and monthly review of Shadow files at Administration.
57. Ensure all county program and Healthy Youth Surveys are complete for Shelter and PE, and turned into the P&QAS.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree required in social work, criminal justice, psychology or related field.

• Certifications in Vistelar Safety or similar training preferred.
• At least two years of supervisory experience, three years preferred.
• Experience working in a 24/7/365 residential facility; 4 to 5 years preferred and 2 to 3 years mandatory.
• Experience working with youth, five years or more preferred and no less than three years.
• Technical skills required specific to familiarity and skill with database systems and tracking information in a timely accurate manner, skilled with Excel for required spreadsheet management, use of the Teams platform and other systems for leadership responsibilities.
• Valid driver's license, automobile, and insurance sufficient to meet agency requirements.
• Meet all the employee requirements including references, criminal background check, drug test, and driver's license check.
• Program specific knowledge
  
  
  
  • Thorough knowledge and experience handling basic and complex matters with unusual situations to guide and manage youth with significant needs, and direct service staff.
  
  
  
  

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Communication - ability to provide information effectively with a diverse population - the persons we serve, supervisor, colleagues, and program partners in writing and oral communications.
• Technological Aptitude - Ability to use general technological skills throughout daily job i.e., Email, Internet, company specified systems, (ex. Microsoft 365, Windows, Word, Excel).
• Managing Priorities/Deadlines - Ability to maintain schedules, meet deadlines and manage multiple projects.
• Problem-Solving Skills - Ability to think critically and be solution-oriented in a fast-paced environment and adapt to program changes and challenges.
• Adaptability - Ability to manage change, deal with situations as they arise and work independently or as part of a team.
• Teamwork - Ability to work as a team participate productively while also managing independent contributing duties and responsibilities.
• Motivation - Possess a commitment to the assigned job, mission and core values of the organization while also supporting a respectful and harmonious work setting.
• Professionalism - Ability to conduct oneself with a high level of integrity, ethics and boundaries.
• Multicultural Sensitivity - The role involves working in the community and interacting directly with diverse populations, including persons served, partners, and service providers. As such, the employee must demonstrate professionalism, cultural sensitivity, and strong interpersonal skills while representing the organization in a variety of settings.
• Program Specific Knowledge, Skills and Abilities - KSA's that would serve as a benefit to the role and agency.
• Person Centered and Trauma Informed Approach - Put the youth we serve first and the forefront of all activities and interactions, practice patience, ensure their safety, and show empathy and work to understand "what happened to them" and implement services and interactions based on their goals and abilities.
• Conflict resolution - The ability to interact with escalating youth and/or caregivers in a calm and professional manner in the most trying circumstances, and the ability to resolve interpersonal conflict professionally and objectively and to ask for support from the VP and HR when needed.
• Response to coaching and direction - The ability to listen, accept and respond to coaching and direction from agency leadership (VP and President &CEO), and to follow oral and written instruction.
• Organization and multi-tasking - the ability to manage lots of information for agency and funder required reporting, and to multi-task and work as a team when several priorities present themselves to meet deadlines in a timely and accurate fashion.
• Crisis intervention and response - the ability to respond appropriately to crisis, notification to agency and funders following policies, and accurate timely reporting according to agency and funder requirements.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Duties require possible activity while monitoring or interacting with youth in the program. Staff may be required to use physical intervention in extremely rare situations if there is immediate physical harm posed to clients or staff. Ability to lift 30 pounds. Ability to sit for long periods of time, and good computer and keyboard skills. Driving an agency vehicle is required.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Work is performed in a confidential, secure location at two State-Licensed Shelter Care facilities, Rashid (boys) and Bahiya (girls). The position does not allow for remote work. The position has an office at Rashid House for focused work and must interact and "walk around" supporting youth and staff. The environment is fast paced, with a lot of required activity. Travel is required. A flexible work schedule is required to supervise and meet the needs of staff on all shifts, including coverage, and the youth being served.

Wisconsin Community Services, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.