Social Services Director

About the Role

The Director of Social Services (DSS) provides executive leadership and full accountability for all social services, case management, housing services, resident engagement, and program compliance within a 24-hour New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS) shelter. The DSS oversees the delivery of trauma-informed, culturally responsive, resident-centered services while ensuring full compliance with NYC DHS, Human Resources Administration (HRA), New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA), and Cherokee Federal policies and procedures.

The DSS serves as the senior leader for the Social Services Department and supervises Community Associate Supervisors (Case Management Supervisors), Housing Specialists, Recreational Specialists, Case Managers, and other assigned staff. The Director develops high-performing teams, establishes systems of accountability, monitors program performance, ensures documentation quality, and drives measurable resident outcomes through housing placement, independent living planning, and successful exits from shelter.

Responsibilities

• Leadership
  • Provide strategic leadership, direction, and accountability for all social service operations within the shelter.
  • Supervise Community Associate Supervisors, Housing Specialists, Recreational Specialists, Case Managers, and assigned social service personnel.
  • Conduct regular supervision, coaching, performance evaluations, corrective action, professional development planning, and succession planning.
  • Establish a culture of accountability, collaboration, professionalism, continuous improvement, and resident-centered service delivery.
  • Build and maintain strong interdisciplinary partnerships with Operations, Security, Facilities, Administration, and external providers.
• Program Management
  • Oversee all case management functions including intake, psychosocial assessments, Independent Living Plans (ILPs), progress notes, referrals, case conferences, housing planning, discharge planning, and aftercare.
  • Ensure all residents receive timely and comprehensive services in accordance with DHS standards and contractual requirements.
  • Ensure residents are actively engaged in service planning and housing readiness activities.
  • Monitor staff caseload distribution and workload management to ensure quality service delivery.
• Performance Management
  • Develop, monitor, and improve departmental performance through routine analysis of key performance indicators including:
    • Independent Living Plan (ILP) completion rates
    • Timeliness of psychosocial assessments
    • Progress note compliance
    • Housing placements/Housing package submission quality/Housing package return rates
    • CARES documentation compliance/HOME system compliance
    • HRA housing subsidy outcomes/HRA supportive housing referrals
    • CAPS/CAPCAP documentation
    • Client engagement
    • Length of stay/Recidivism
    • Resident exits/Audit findings
    • Staff productivity
  • Develop corrective action plans whenever performance indicators fall below DHS or Cherokee expectations.
• Housing Services
  • Oversee all housing placement initiatives and permanent housing strategies.
  • Supervise Housing Specialists and monitor housing productivity.
  • Ensure all housing packages are complete, accurate, and submitted timely.
  • Monitor CityFHEPS, supportive housing, NYCHA, HPD, SOTA (where applicable), and other housing subsidy applications.
  • Build collaborative relationships with brokers, landlords, supportive housing providers, HRA, HPD, and community partners to maximize housing opportunities.
• Documentation and Quality Assurance
  • Ensure all documentation meets DHS, HRA, OTDA, and agency standards.
  • Conduct routine chart audits.
  • Review ILPs, psychosocial assessments, progress notes, referrals, housing packages, CARES documentation, and case records.
  • Develop quality improvement initiatives based on audit findings.
  • Monitor documentation timeliness and accuracy through ongoing quality assurance reviews.
  • The DSS is accountable for achieving and sustaining DHS performance standards related to documentation quality, housing outcomes, subsidy approvals, audit readiness, and resident engagement.
• Community Partnerships
  • Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with:
    • Department of Homeless Services (DHS)
    • Human Resources Administration (HRA)
    • Administration for Children's Services (ACS)
    • Department of Education (DOE)
    • Office of Mental Health (OMH)
    • OASAS Hospitals
    • Behavioral Health Providers
    • Immigration Legal Services
    • Community-Based Organizations/Community Partners
    • Workforce Development Programs
    • Housing Providers
    • Faith-Based Organizations
• Incident Management/Follow-up
  • Ensure all social service-related incidents are documented and managed in accordance with DHS Incident Management Guidelines.
  • Coordinate incident follow-up with the DHS Serious Incident Unit (SIU).
  • Ensure required documentation, investigations, resident follow-up, and corrective actions are completed timely.
  • Participate in interdisciplinary incident reviews and quality improvement initiatives.
• Staff Development
  • Mentor emerging leaders within the department.
  • Develop training plans to improve documentation quality, housing outcomes, resident engagement, and regulatory compliance.
  • Ensure staff receive ongoing training in trauma-informed care, motivational interviewing, crisis intervention, housing systems, documentation standards, and DHS policy updates.
• Meetings
  • Lead or participate in case conferences, housing meetings, clinical supervision (where applicable), leadership meetings, DHS meetings, interdisciplinary meetings, resident case reviews, quality assurance meetings, and community provider meetings.
• Participate in the shelter leadership on-call rotation and provide after-hours consultation, incident response, operational decision-making, and emergency support as assigned.
• Other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Directly supervises:
  • Community Associate Supervisor (Case Management Supervisor)
  • Housing Specialist(s)
  • Recreational Specialist(s)
  • Case Managers (where applicable)
  • Interns and Volunteers (where applicable)
• Responsible for recruitment, onboarding, scheduling oversight, supervision, coaching, employee development, performance evaluation, corrective action, and recommendations regarding separation in collaboration with Human Resources and the Site Director.

Qualifications

• Education and Experience
  • Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Human Services, Psychology, Counseling, Public Administration, Sociology, or related field required.
  • Master's degree in Social Work (MSW) or related Human Services field strongly preferred.
  • Minimum five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in homeless services, emergency shelter, supportive housing, residential services, or human services.
  • Minimum three (3) years of supervisory or management experience overseeing social service professionals.
  • Demonstrated experience working within the NYC Department of Homeless Services shelter system.
  • Demonstrated experience with HRA housing subsidy programs and supportive housing.
  • Experience supervising multidisciplinary teams.
  • Experience with quality assurance, chart auditing, regulatory compliance, and performance improvement initiatives preferred.
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
  • Extensive knowledge of NYC DHS shelter operations.
  • Strong knowledge of HRA housing subsidy programs, supportive housing, and permanent housing placement strategies.
  • Working knowledge of OTDA regulations.
  • Strong understanding of Independent Living Plans, psychosocial assessments, housing planning, and case management best practices.
  • Advanced working knowledge of CARES, HOME, CAPS/CAPCAP, and related shelter management systems.
  • Strong understanding of trauma-informed care, crisis intervention, motivational interviewing, and strengths-based case management.
  • Exceptional leadership, coaching, accountability, and performance management skills.
  • Ability to analyze performance data, identify trends, implement corrective action plans, and achieve measurable outcomes.
  • Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.
  • Strong organizational and project management abilities.
  • Ability to prioritize multiple competing responsibilities within a fast-paced 24-hour shelter environment.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and shelter management systems.
  • Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.
  • CPR/First Aid certification, Mandated Reporter training, Naloxone certification, and other required certifications must be obtained within program-established timelines.