Regional Director Of Programs (ACSF/SCC)

About First Place for Youth

We’re a leading non-profit organization dedicated to supporting foster youth in their transition to adulthood, with a focus on education, employment, and housing. We believe that all young people deserve the opportunity to thrive and lead successful, independent lives. Our comprehensive programs empower foster youth to overcome the unique challenges they face and build the skills, confidence, and connections they need to succeed.

Why Work At First Place For Youth

• Meaningful Impact: Help to transform the lives of foster youth on the cusp of adulthood. Your role will support them in their journey to conquer challenges, achieve independence, and fulfill their aspirations.
• Innovative Approach: We thrive on innovation, pushing the boundaries of foster care support. Your voice here matters, and you’ll contribute to programs that redefine the futures of these young lives.
• Collaborative and Supportive Environment: Embrace a dynamic and supportive workplace, where every team member is valued. Together, we're a force dedicated to uplifting youth. Expect professional growth, fueled by teamwork and collaboration.
• Comprehensive Benefits: We value the well-being of our employees and offer a comprehensive benefits package. From health and wellness benefits to retirement plans, we ensure that our team members are taken care of so they can focus on their important work supporting foster youth.
• Culture of Diversity and Inclusion: We celebrate diversity in every form. At First Place for Youth, inclusivity reigns, creating a workplace where all voices are heard, respected, and empowered.

About the Role

The Regional Director of Programs is responsible for ensuring high-quality services and effective daily operations of all aspects of the My First Place Program. Duties include managing budgets and contracts, multi-site supervision, services and human resource management including hiring, evaluation, coaching, and training. The Regional Director of Programs ensures program outcomes, manages external relationships, and develops and promotes the reputation of First Place for Youth. This role provides leadership congruent with agency policy, values, and mission, delivers required management reports, and leads significant program committees or functions as assigned. The position oversees operational success, ensuring seamless team management and development, program delivery, quality control, and evaluation across multiple sites and programs.

Responsibilities

Program Operations

• Leads projects and program implementation ensuring quality, productivity, and service delivery standards.
• Resolves problems, completes audits, identifies trends, and recommends, determines, and implements system improvements.
• Achieves or exceeds operational objectives by contributing information and recommendations to strategic plans and reviews, preparing and completing actions, and managing assigned projects.
• Leads and manages improvement and change efforts.
• Participates in agency-wide workgroups and projects as assigned.
• Responsible for all aspects of the program including physical plant, safety, compliance, service delivery, program enhancements, growth, reputation, and stakeholder relationships.

Human Resources

• Recruits, selects, orients, trains, assigns, schedules, coaches, and counsels assigned employees to achieve program results and the highest quality services.
• Enforces policy, communicates job expectations, plans, monitors, and appraises performance.
• Reviews and recommends compensation actions.
• Provides clinical and programmatic supervision and leadership to the ACSF and Santa Clara MFP/TLP Clinical Program Managers.
• May include direct clinical supervision of staff as needed.

Fiscal/Budget Management

• Meets financial objectives by forecasting requirements, preparing and recommending annual budget, scheduling expenditures, analyzing variances, and initiating corrective actions.
• Includes keen attention to vacant, census, staffing, and other metrics to ensure the fiscal health of the program.

Community Development

• Represents agency interest and advances agency reputation with external stakeholders including partners, sub-contractors, county agencies, and others.
• Collaboratively explores and recommends program and contract improvements and changes.

Leadership

• Collaborates and communicates effectively throughout the organization.
• Exemplifies and promotes a standard of high achievement.
• Recommends strategic and program improvements through participation on assigned program leadership teams.

Training and Compliance

• Ensures the program meets or exceeds all regulatory and contract requirements, including the development of a formal training program for staff.
• Facilitates Litmos training and other onboarding trainings as needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• MA or MSW required; LCSW or LMFT with two or more years of post-licensure experience preferred.
• Five years of progressively responsible program management experience, preferably in a high-growth, youth-serving organization with five years of supervisory experience leading multi-level teams.
• Direct service experience — at least five years working with youth facing systemic barriers, preferably youth currently or formerly in foster care. Milieu or wraparound experience preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to lead across multiple sites and manage a geographically distributed team.
• Demonstrated success designing, evaluating, and operationalizing innovative program models.
• Working knowledge of community resources and referral networks that meet the needs of youth in the My First Place program.
• Strong understanding of social service systems, with particular depth in the foster care system and services for young adults and young parents.
• Strong project management skills, with a record of leading complex, multifaceted projects to measurable results and program growth.
• Program budget management experience required.
• Strength in recruiting, hiring, coaching, developing, and performance management.
• Demonstrated commitment to cultural competency, removing barriers, and building a sense of belonging for youth and staff.
• A car, a valid driver's license, and proof of insurance required; regular travel to program sites and occasional evening and weekend availability as needed.

Benefits

• 15 days of vacation time in the first year
• 12 days of sick time
• 2 floating holidays
• 15 paid holidays
• Employee’s choice of Kaiser or UCH HMO/PPO with up to 90% of the premium covered by First Place on certain plans
• Principal dental and vision coverage with up to 90% of the premium covered by First Place
• Healthcare and Dependent care FSA plans
• Principal basic life and voluntary life insurance coverage
• Employee Assistance Program
• 401(k) retirement savings plan
• Paid sabbatical

*We do not offer relocation assistance. Local candidates preferred.

Pay

$100,975–$127,400 yearly salary, determined based on education and experience.