Director of Family Services
About the role
The Director of Family Services is a senior leader responsible for the strategic leadership and operational oversight of all family-facing functions at Ronald McDonald House Jacksonville.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
People Leadership & Team Management: Directly leads, mentors and manages the Guest Relations department, including recruitment, onboarding, training, performance management and professional development while fostering accountability and a culture of excellence.
Serves as a member of the Operations leadership team, contributing to strategic planning and organizational decision-making.
Facilitates regular team meetings to drive communication, accountability, alignment and continuous improvement across the Guest Relations team.
Represents the organization as a key ambassador with families, volunteers, healthcare partners and community stakeholders.
Supports organizational events, including occasional evenings, weekends and off-site engagement.
Attends required meetings and training and performs other duties as assigned.
Policies and Operational Standards
Leads the development, implementation and enforcement of policies, procedures and operational standards governing guest services, family programs and House operations, including supporting materials and guidelines necessary for consistent execution.
Affords assessments of evolving family needs and presents policy and procedural enhancements to senior leadership to ensure service delivery remains responsive and effective.
Ensures consistent adherence to House policies and procedures by families, staff and volunteers; maintains updated materials and structured activity calendars.
Manages and maintains family communication systems and processes, ensuring timely, consistent and professional communication throughout a family's stay.
Aligns guest experience policies and initiatives with organizational goals in partnership with senior leadership.
Program Oversight, Evaluation & Reporting
Develops, implements and evaluates programs that support family needs, including recreational activities, support groups and educational workshops.
Led the development and enforcement of standard operating procedures for program delivery and data documentation, ensuring accurate, consistent and timely collection of program activity, family interactions and outcomes across the Guest Relations team.
Analyzes program performance data and family feedback to assess program effectiveness, identify opportunities for enhancement and present evidence-informed recommendations to leadership.
Oversees all program-related data, reporting and outcomes measurement to support evaluation, compliance and continuous improvement; ensures timely preparation of reports for leadership and stakeholders.
Family Experience & House Operations
Maintains overall accountability for the daily operation and quality of the family experience and programs.
Leads response to complex family dynamics, occupancy challenges and family concerns with professionalism, empathy and sound judgment.
Ensures the highest standards of hospitality, compassion and support for families residing at the House.
Provides leadership during safety, security, medical or weather-related emergencies, ensuring clear direction for families, staff and volunteers.
Identifies and communicates maintenance, repair and safety concerns to the Facilities team in a timely manner.
Partners with the Volunteer Manager to support volunteer engagement strategies, address volunteer related challenges and implement program improvements.
Hospital Programs & Medical Partnerships
Serves as the primary organizational liaison to hospital partners at the provider level, driving and managing healthcare partnerships to ensure effective communication, referral coordination and service delivery.
Develops and implements strategies to expand referral pathways, deepen healthcare collaboration and grow family support opportunities across partner systems.
Oversees hospital programs to ensure operational effectiveness, appropriate resources and quality.
Proactively assesses partner needs and leads initiatives that strengthen collaboration and expand organizational impact.
Education and Experience Requirements
Bachelor’s degree in human services, nonprofit or hospitality management, social work or a related field.
Minimum of five years of progressive leadership experience in guest services, family services or program management, preferably in nonprofit or healthcare settings.
Minimum of three years of direct people management experience including hiring, coaching, performance management and staff development.
Preferred knowledge of trauma-informed care and/or family-centered care principles, with the ability to apply both in program design, staff guidance and direct family interactions.
Experience working with children, teens and families in a supportive or community-based environment.
Demonstrated success developing and managing relationships with healthcare providers and external partners.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office and data tracking or reporting systems.
Must maintain a safe driving record and remain eligible for vehicle insurance coverage.
Must pass background check and drug screening.
Commitment to the mission and core values of Ronald McDonald House Jacksonville.
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities
Leadership & Decision-Making: Leads teams, manages change, prioritizes effectively and makes sound decisions in complex, fast-moving situations.
Policy & Process Management: Develops, implements and enforces operational standards and SOPs while maintaining a family-centered approach.
Healthcare Partnership Development: Drives and advances relationships with healthcare systems to expand referrals, services and organizational reach.
Family Engagement: Maintains professionalism, empathy and composure in high-stress situations; models exceptional hospitality for the team.
Results Orientation: Sets and pursues measurable goals, holds the team accountable to outcomes and uses data to drive continuous improvement.
Communication: Communicates effectively in verbal, written and presentation formats across internal and external audiences.
Organization & Time Management: Manages multiple high-priority functions independently with strong attention to detail and consistent follow-through.
Collaboration: Builds effective cross-functional partnerships internally and maintains strong external relationships to achieve shared outcomes.
Flexibility: Ronald McDonald House Jacksonville operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This role participates in on-call coverage, responds to urgent operational needs and provides leadership during emergencies or staffing shortages. Evening, weekend and extended-hour availability is required.