What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Community Support position at Easterseals Redwood?
Position Summary : Easterseals Redwood empowers individuals with disabilities and disadvantages to more fully live, learn, work and play in our communities. In alignment with the strategic goals of the agency, a director supervises a program(s) or function(s) and is responsible for its performance. A director is accountable for a function or program, and unlike a manager, is responsible for maintaining strategic external relationships, especially with key customer decision makers. A director provides resources toward the effective and efficient pursuit of objectives that are defined in coordination with the vice president(s). They make related personnel decisions for the department.
- Director oversees all aspects of assigned programs.
- Works with the Managers, Vice President, County Leadership, workforce investment boards and advisory councils to ensure Easterseals Redwood Community Support programs are premier and innovative.
- Responsible for all program performance elements as outlined in the contracted Scope of Work and Budget.
- Responsible for developing a workforce system that meets the needs of local industry and elevates the income and learning capacity of the individuals participating in services.
- Director creates strategies for goals set forth by program funders and lead agencies and will create goals with internal managers and vice presidents when applicable.
- Director is responsible for making personnel decisions.
Essential and Primary Responsibilities:
Drives program or function results through managing service performance and program outcomes to support strategic agency goals,
- maintains commitment to goals in the face of obstacles and frustrations and consistently overcomes obstacles
- has a strong sense of urgency about solving problems and getting work done
- steadfastly pushes self and others to achieve desired results aligned with strategic goals
- ability to visualize, articulate, conceptualize, or solve problems by making sensible decision given the available information
- maintains or increases program revenue in alignment with the program budget
- controls expenses in alignment with program budget
With creativity, assesses program or function performance and makes changes
- changes processes, procedures, or resources for continuous improvement
- ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships
- ability to create meaningful new ideas, methods, and interpretations
- identifies, analyzes, and improves existing processes at the program or function level to meet the agency’s strategic goals and objectives, such as increasing performance, reducing costs, or accelerating schedules
Cross program analysis
- ability to visualize, articulate, conceptualize, or solve problems across programs by making sensible decisions given the available information
- proactively anticipates potential departmental silos and coordinates with other leaders to prevent or remove them
Solves Problems
- uses creativity and rigorous logic and methods to solve difficult problems with effective solutions
- probes all fruitful sources for answers
- can see hidden problems
- is excellent at honest analysis
- looks beyond the obvious and doesn’t stop at the first answers
Stays current on all Federal, State and Local WIOA policies as well as assist in creating and developing local policy in alignment with Scope of Work that result in successful community employment training and planning.
Expectations for Professional Skills:
- Manages change in a well-planned manner consistent with Easterseals Redwood culture and capability to respond to change.
- Possesses critical thinking and problem solving skills with attention to detail.
- Communicates effectively with individuals and/or groups in both private and public environments.
- Makes timely and effective decisions in the absence of perfect information.
- Demonstrates flexibility when seeking solutions.
- Demonstrates appropriate culture in alignment with the Easterseals Redwood mission, vision, philosophy, values and standards.
- Values cultural diversity and best recognizes and utilizes individual abilities, skills, and characteristics when collaborating with others to complete work tasks.
- Employs active listening skills and effective time management skills.
- Demonstrates effective interpersonal communication skills to foster positive working relationships with others.
- Seeks agreement between internal and external stakeholders to meet the interests of all parties.
- Promotes effective business and public relations for the agency by representing Redwood on request.
Competencies:
With creativity, assesses program or function performance and makes changes
- changes processes, procedures, or resources for continuous improvement
- ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships
- ability to create meaningful new ideas, methods, and interpretations
- identifies, analyzes, and improves existing processes at the program or function level to meet the agency’s strategic goals and objectives, such as increasing performance, reducing costs, or accelerating schedules
Budget and financial acumen
- understands how decisions and actions impact the agency’s financial health
- a deep understanding of how program or function performance impacts the agency’s finances
- expertise at understanding and implementing initiatives with a high return on investment (ROI)
- proactively initiates program or functional changes to improve the agency’s financial performance
Change agent
- embraces, initiates, and leads change
- helps the agency transform itself by focusing on organizational effectiveness, continuous improvement, and leadership development
- future orientation
- ability to identify the key ingredients for team success and support team by removing road blocks
Cross program analytical skills
- ability to visualize, articulate, conceptualize, or solve problems across programs by making sensible decisions given the available information
- proactively anticipates potential departmental silos and coordinates with other leaders to prevent or remove them
Interpersonal and Communication Skills
- measure of competency in such areas as self-awareness, empathy, and dealing sensitively with other people including the ability to give and receive effective feedback
- Builds constructive and effective relationships
- Uses diplomacy and tact
- practices attentive and active listening and has the patience to hear people out
- can get messages across that have the desired effect
Project management
- the ability to plan and execute a project
- the ability to organize, motivate, and control resources to achieve specific goals and meet specific success criteria on a project basis
Required Education and Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Human Services, or related field with 3 to 5 years’ experience in staffing or workforce development.
- Two to three years of Supervisory experience with a mobile or community based work team.
- Knowledge of government assistance and/or workforce policy, a plus.
- Ability to document identity and employment eligibility within three (3) days of original appointment as a condition of employment in compliance with Immigration Reform and Control Act requirements.
- Ability to meet background check requirements and supply required documentation as outlined by Easterseals Redwood policies.
Physical Requirements
- While performing duties of this job, the employee regularly exhibits digital dexterity when entering data into computer. The employee regularly sits, stands and walks for extended periods of time.
- Employee occasionally uses hands and arms to reach and operate job tools and equipment.
- Employee may occasionally stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, taste or smell.
- Employee converses verbally with others in person and by telephone.
- Vision demands include close, relatively detailed vision when focusing on a computer screen, distance or peripheral vision when driving a motor vehicle.
- Occasionally vision demands include color vision when working with a individuals served.
- Employee occasionally lifts varying weights up to 10 pounds or more when moving files, boxes, equipment or supplies, or when assisting individuals served with walkers or wheelchairs etc.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
These essential functions require visual/hearing acuity, sufficient strength, and the ability to bend, reach, grasp, manipulate objects, pull/push, stoop, kneel, crouch, twist, and lift and and/or carry up to 50 pounds or exert up to 50 pounds of force frequently to move human bodies or objects, with or without the use of adaptive equipment. Lifting forces vary with adult weight and level of ability to assist in the movement.
Individuals holding this position are required to attend initial orientation and periodic training offered by Easterseals Redwood, and to complete all training required by Easterseals Redwood or regulation, including CPR/First Aid (on or off site). Staff members demonstrate accuracy, timeliness, and a commitment to quality, safety, and a healthy, clean, and orderly environment in compliance with applicable policies, procedures, regulations, licensing, certification, accreditation, and business integrity standards.
Work is performed with and for adults with multiple and severe disabilities, who may display disruptive behavior, in activity and care rooms in at Easterseals Redwood sites, on the grounds, and in the community. Easterseals Redwood sites are climate controlled with standard lighting. When conducting duties outside of the building, lighting and temperature reflect seasonal conditions. Noise levels are moderate. There is minimal-to-no exposure to hazardous chemicals with some exposure to contagious conditions, such as the common cold and bodily fluids.
Other Duties:
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
This job description reflects Easterseals Redwood assignment of essential functions; describes the general content of and the requirements for the performance of this job and is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties requirements or responsibilities. Easterseals Redwood reserves the right to change any part of this job description, to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job description as circumstances require.
Established DATE; Last Revised/Reviewed: 1/2025
