Program Director - TPS & ACTS (Bilingual Required)

Lifeworks • Austin, TX

13d • $79,135 - $86,478

About The Position

LifeWorks of Austin, TX is looking for a Program Director to lead our Teen Parent Services (TPS) and After Care Transitional Services (ACTS) team! The Program Director provides strategic leadership and oversight of two prevention-based programs: Teen Parent Services (TPS) and After Care Transition Services (ACTS) , serving youth and young adults ages 11–20. These programs offer holistic, client-centered support to expectant and parenting youth and young adults and their chosen family, as well as those who have aged out of foster care. Services include intensive case management, parenting groups and life skills classes, crisis intervention, family planning and sexual/reproductive health education. The programs also help youth navigate foster care benefits, access community resources, and connect with internal LifeWorks services. Both serve high-need populations who may face mental health challenges, substance use, domestic violence, and a lack of basic needs. The Program Director ensures strong outcomes through staff supervision, training, data oversight, and community engagement, and must bring a high level of adaptability, responsiveness, and a trauma-informed approach to the work. This full time, exempt position earns a competitive rate ranging from $79,135.41-$86,477.87depending upon experience. Benefits are also included, which consist of 24 PTO days per year (accrued); 11 paid holidays per year; a premium-free employee medical plan with $100 per month HSA contribution (plus other affordable employee or family medical, dental, and vision options!); a retirement savings plan with 50% match on the first 6% of contributions, and much more!

Requirements

• Requires Bachelor’s degree in social work or a related field and minimum (7) years’ related experience with program’s client population; or Equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Bilingual Required
• Experience with databases; proficient level experience with Microsoft Office including, Word, Excel, and Outlook.

Nice To Haves

• Preferred minimum (2) years of management experience including supervising and leading teams.
• Training in trauma-informed practice/ trauma-informed care preferred.

Responsibilities

• Leads the operations and strategies for the assigned program(s) with a focus on implementing a healing-centered and data-informed service delivery environment.
• Responsible for the design, development, and implementation of the assigned program(s) and associated initiatives.
• Promotes a healing- and person-centered culture that uplifts the dignity and strengths of clients at all times.
• Manages highly complex and nuanced contracts with diverse stakeholders and contract compliance requirements.
• Responsible for the compilation, analysis, and reporting of program outcomes to program funders and other stakeholders.
• Ensures that funder reports and other deliverables are completed and submitted accurately within the designated timeframes to meet contractual regulations and deadlines.
• Oversees program use of and compliance with evidence-based models and/or program curricula to ensure high-quality service delivery.
• Builds team’s strength in de-escalation and mediation to effectively manage highly complex crisis situations.
• Continuously identifies and implements emerging and established best practices in partnership with the Research & Evaluation team to ensure continual quality improvement and high impact outcomes.
• Regularly utilizes agency and/or funder database(s) to manage, analyze, interpret, and assess program performance; uses data to make decisions and course-correct as necessary.
• Manages the assigned program budget(s), approves program expense reports, and makes budgeting recommendations for each program.
• Updates training materials, assists with delivery of training, and tracks all staff training records and due dates.
• M aintains current knowledge of best practices in a range of philosophies and modalities, for example housing first approaches, harm reduction, and positive youth development .
• Enforces and complies with all requirements outlined by funding sources, licensure and accrediting bodies, the program, and the agency, including requirements pertaining to data, paperwork, training, processes, and procedures, among other things.
• Responsible for the hiring, orientation, training, supervision, evaluation, and dismissal of direct reports in accordance with Agency policies and procedures.
• Holds staff accountable for meeting individual and program performance objectives, such as data quality and contract compliance requirements, by coaching, planning, monitoring, and appraising job results.
• Responsible for developing and maintaining program training materials.
• Delivers training to staff on an ongoing and as-needed basis to ensure excellence in service delivery.
• Provides guidance and support to direct reports managing complex crisis situations involving high-acuity clients with histories of chronic trauma and neglect, homelessness, and/or systems involvement, as applicable.
• Serves as the program’s primary point of contact for contract officers, program evaluators, and subcontractors; coordinates client files and other materials for funders, monitoring visits, and internal and/or external audits
• Represents the program at leadership meetings and communicates agency and leadership decisions to their team.
• Ensures the integration of program services with other agency services to support clients in a holistic manner.
• Participates in community committees, working groups, and initiatives, and provides community trainings, presentations, and outreach activities, as appropriate.
• Functions as the program liaison between the Agency, funding sources, contractors, universities, governmental organizations, schools, and community stakeholders.
• Respond when able to onsite crisis situations to provide de-escalation and navigation services to promote client, staff and community safety.
• Prepares for and actively participates in supervision meetings and all other required meetings or trainings.
• Develops service implementation strategies that encompass a holistic approach to basic needs support, parenting education, early childhood development, and enhanced natural support systems.
• Supports team in community-based service delivery by regularly staffing cases, conducting ride-alongs, responding to grievances, and co-responding to incidents to support case managers.
• Provides temporary coverage and direct client services during staffing transitions or outages.
• Provides individual supervision for direct reports including office-based sessions, as well as working side-by-side to provide field mentoring.
•    Collects client outcomes and reviews individual outcomes with direct reports during supervision; helps team set program goals, client goals, and focus on housing stability.  
• Maintains current knowledge of best practices in housing-first approach with youth.

Benefits

• 24 PTO days per year (accrued)
• 11 paid holidays per year
• a premium-free employee medical plan with $100 per month HSA contribution (plus other affordable employee or family medical, dental, and vision options!)
• a retirement savings plan with 50% match on the first 6% of contributions

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director