Manager OPWDD- Housing Services

POSITION SUMMARY
The primary role of the Residential Manager is to ensure that all of the needs of the people supported in the program are met while working in partnership with them. These needs include, but are not limited to ensuring their rights are both promoted and respected, supporting their health and safety and working with them to identify and realize their personal outcomes. In order to accomplish this, the Residential Manager leads a team of Direct Support Professionals or Community Support Specialists and in conjunction with clinical providers works alongside the people they support to develop plans to meet the individuals’ needs. The Residential Manager is also responsible for ensuring that these plans are both followed and documented in an appropriate and timely manner.
DUTIES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Works in partnership with the people we support to ensure that their rights, health, safety and personal outcomes are being supported at all times.
• Advocates with the people we support in a variety of situations.
• Works with the people we support to teach them new life skills.
• Assists the people we support to overcome barriers and challenges to establish and maintain a network of relationships and valued social roles.
• Maintains ongoing communication with the individual, family members and other collateral providers involved with the program and individuals served.
• Possesses and uses general business operations knowledge to guide the team and the program and ensure successful servicing of people we support.
• Exercises discretion and independent judgement with respect to matters of significance to ensure smooth running of operations.
• Manages personnel by supervising, training, evaluating, and observing assigned team

members.

• Interviews, hires, develops and retains high quality staff.
• Ensures that all required documentation is completed appropriately and in a timely manner.
• Works in partnership with external providers (employers, day services, etc.) to ensure that all

supports and services provided are in alignment and designed to meet the needs of the people
living in the residence.

• Prevents, recognizes and reports abuse toward the people we support.
• Ensures residence and individual finances are balanced and in compliance.
• Fulfills on-call responsibility and covers DSP/CSS responsibilities.
• Ensures all team members in the residence are fulfilling the roles and responsibilities of their

positions. Provides supervision and guidance to all team members working in the residence on
an ongoing basis. Addresses performance issues through performance improvement or
corrective action measures.

• Manages and approves team members’ time worked in the residence while ensuring there are

sufficient team members to meet the needs of the people living in the residence at all times.

• Ensures that the residence, including the external property, is clean, safe and attractive at all

times.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Responsibilities of All FREE Employees

• Always communicate in a respectful manner with all people including the people we support,

supervisors, other valued team members, and members of the community.

• Complies fully with FREE’s confidentiality policies by holding in strictest confidence all

information pertaining to members, residents, the people we support and their families, clients,
providers, contractors, and employees.

• Meets all safety training requirements; adheres to all safety policies and reports any and all

unsafe conditions; takes measures to prevent accidents and/or eliminate conditions that pose a
safety or health risk.

• Coordinates, supports, attends and participates in all required events/ meetings/ reviews/

committees, including ones outside of standard working hours.

• Meets all job requirements and stays in compliance.
• Adheres to FREE’s standard of ethical behavior as outlined in the Employee Handbook and

Code of Conduct as well as applicable laws and regulations.
Responsibilities of FREE Employees in Leadership/Management Positions:

• Ensures compliance with FREE policies, procedures, and operating standards.
• Implements a continuous quality improvement process for department services and

administrative functions.

• Assists in the development, implementation and administration of Human Resources policies

and programs including compliance with Equal Employment Opportunities and Affirmative
Action Programs.
Please note the above duties, responsibilities, and essential functions are a non-exhaustive list, and
may be changed by FREE at any time, with or without notice to the employee.
QUALIFICATIONS

• Education:

o High School Diploma or equivalent required

• Experience:

o Minimum one year of supervisory experience required for both OPWDD and OMH

• If internal candidate does not have 1 year of supervisory experience, they can qualify

if they successfully passed their probation period, have a recommendation from their
current supervisor and Vice President; this candidate would need to successfully
complete internal management training within 120 days in the manager role
o For OPWDD, minimum one year of experience working with individuals with disabilities
and/or mental health disorders
o For OMH, the following years of experience are required for each education level:
➢ High School diploma or equivalent and a minimum of five years’ experience working
with individuals with disabilities and/or mental health disorders
➢ Associate’s degree in a human service related field and a minimum of three years’
experience working with individuals with disabilities and/or mental health disorders
➢ A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a human service related field and a minimum of
one years’ experience working with individuals with disabilities and/or mental health
disorders

• Specialized Training, Licenses, Certifications:

o Not required, training will be provided upon hire as needed

• Knowledge, Skills, Competencies, and Abilities:

o Proficient computer skills strongly preferred
o Proficient writing skills with grasp of basic grammar and spelling
o Must be efficient, well organized, and have excellent communication skills
o Demonstrated ability to work in a team environment with flexibility, keeping others informed
and anticipating needs is essential

• Other Requirements:

o 18 years of age or older
o Valid NYS Driver’s License and satisfy criteria to be a driver for the organization strongly
preferred
WORK ENVIRONMENT
This role is performed in-person, some travel in an agency vehicle might be required from agency
drivers.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Employee is required to sit, walk and stand for prolonged period of time (at least 8 hours)
• Employee is required to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing
• Employee is required to operate standard office equipment such as computers, phones,

photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines

• Employee is required to bend, stoop, kneel, crouch or stand on a stool as needed
• Employee is required to be able to lift 50 pounds at a time

Notwithstanding the above listed physical requirements of this position, FREE will provide
reasonable accommodations to allow employees to perform the essential functions of the position,
provided such reasonable accommodations do not cause undue hardship on FREE.