Chief Program Officer

Description

MIRIAM’S KITCHEN MISSION

Miriam’s Kitchen works to end chronic homelessness in Washington, DC.

* Accepting applications until April 18, 2025 

POSITION SUMMARY

The Chief Program Officer reports to the Deputy CEO & Chief Strategy Officer and they partner to set the vision, strategy, and outcomes for Miriam’s Kitchen’s programs. Responsibilities include ensuring that programs align with Miriam’s Kitchen’s strategic vision, fostering programs’ interdependence with mutually reinforcing goals, integrating programs successfully with all areas of the organization, and supporting program staff and stakeholders to achieve high-quality programs and positive outcomes for our guests.

The CPO oversees a direct services program portfolio that includes Bridge Housing, Meals, Outreach, Permanent Supportive Housing, and Social Services. The CPO and Deputy CEO & Chief Strategy Officer work together on key projects to improve the quality and performance of direct services teams, support the growth and sustainability of the programs, and integrate emerging strategies and programs such as Strategic Health Initiatives. The CPO and Deputy Director will regularly review division of program portfolio and projects.

The CPO is a member of the Executive Team and will contribute to organizational leadership: setting strategy, supporting organizational sustainability, maintaining a strong executive presence, and promoting a positive MK culture consistent with organizational values.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Programs

Supporting the operations and continued improvement of direct services programs - Bridge Housing, Meals, Outreach, Permanent Supportive Housing, and Social Services. For programs in the CPO’s portfolio:

• Set vision and strategy for programs.
• Supervise and support program directors. Supporting programs with staffing design, helping troubleshoot staffing issues, and assisting with future program design planning.
• Standardizing best practices, protocols, and expectations by programs and across programs. Ensuring that adequate training and processes are in place for effective implementation of standards.
• Providing programs with clinical crisis response support and clinical consulting on complex issues as needed.
• Establish quality assurance measures for how MK direct services train and maintain consistency among frontline staff on service delivery. Monitor quality assurance and compliance for programs.
• Promote, guide, and support initiatives for effective staffing and training across programs, including clinical onboarding and ongoing training for direct services staff. Create an environment for program staff with clear goals, a focus on strategic results, adequate training, and a supportive culture that promotes effective teamwork.
• Promote, guide, and support initiatives for effective management in program teams.
• Establish program evaluation and reporting mechanisms, using the feedback to improve programs and communicate with stakeholders.
• Help program directors develop and monitor program budgets.
• Ensure that programs align with strategic vision, foster programs’ interdependence with mutually reinforcing goals, and integrate programs successfully across the organization.
• Contribute to government relations for government-funded programs: maintaining strong relationships with program monitors and contracting staff, ensuring compliance with grant/contract provisions, budget development and other reporting requirements, etc.
• Help with private fundraising efforts to support programs and assist with reporting for grants.

Executive Team

As a member of the Executive Team, work toward the team’s common goals, including:

• Implementing Miriam’s Kitchen’s strategic plan and evaluating progress toward strategic goals.
• Being a leader who energizes the organization about the vision and facilitates communication across the organization.
• Contributing to designing staff/program policies with the frontline majority (and client experience) in mind
• Being a leadership presence in the community. Examples include active participation on the Interagency Council on Homelessness, visits to partner agencies and community allies, networking, and building connections with stakeholder institutions.
• Evaluating outcomes regularly across departments and programs.
• Developing budgets and monitoring revenue and fundraising progress.
• Supporting strong organizational culture and health.
• Assisting Miriam’s Kitchen’s advocacy, development, and communications efforts.

Requirements

NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: Functions that do not fundamentally alter the position.

COMPETENCIES: The knowledge, skills, and behavioral attributes necessary for satisfactory job performance

Competency: Vision and Strategy 

Key Action:  Set vision and strategy for programs, ensuring alignment with organizational goals. 

Competency:  Training Design and Implementation 

Key Action:  Ensure training and processes are in place for effective implementation of standards. Promote initiatives for effective staffing, training, clinical onboarding, and ongoing training for direct services staff. 

Competency: Clinical Support 

Key Action:  Establish and monitor quality improvement and quality assurance initiatives that lead to continuous program improvement and program compliance. 

Competency:  Management Support and Development 

Key Action:  Coaching and support for program directors. Support initiatives for effective management within and across program teams 

Competency:  Promoting Strong Culture 

Key Action:  Foster a supportive culture with clear goals, strategic focus, and effective teamwork among program staff 

Competency:  Program Evaluation 

Key Action:  Establish evaluation and reporting mechanisms to improve programs and communicate with stakeholders 

Competency:  Budget Oversight 

Key Action:  Assist program directors with budget development and monitoring 

Competency:  Government Relations 

Key Action:  Maintain relationships with program monitors, ensure compliance with grants/contracts, and oversee budget and reporting for government-funded programs 

Competency:  Fundraising Support 

Key Action:  Assist with private fundraising efforts and reporting for program-related grants. 

QUALIFICATIONS: Experience, education, certifications, skills, etc. the individual who holds or desires the position must have to perform the essential functions of the position.

• Licensed Social Worker (LICSW) or Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC).
• Minimum 7 years of progressive management experience supervising professionals in direct work with persons experiencing homelessness, with mental health disorders, substance use disorders, and/or trauma.
• Strong working knowledge of Housing First, harm reduction, motivational interviewing, housing and homelessness systems, and behavioral health systems.
• Understanding and ability to implement best practices for ending homeless at a program and system-wide level
• Ability to lead and manage in a fast-moving environment.
• Demonstrated capacity to lead the development of collaborative, cross-functional teams and build and inspire the leadership capacity of team members.
• Exceptional managerial experience, with an inclusive leadership style, skills in group process and talent for working with diverse staff using a strengths-based approach.
• Experience managing multiple direct reports towards high standards and fostering an open, trusting, collaborative and respectful team culture.
• Experience with the supervision/management of government contracts required.
• Familiarity with Medicaid billing preferred.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

PHYSICAL/MENTAL DEMANDS: Physical and mental capabilities required to perform the essential functions of the position.

Office environment

Physical Demands - Regularly required to sit; frequently required to talk or hear; occasionally required to reach with hands and arms, walk, stoop, kneel, or crouch; must be able to lift objects up to twenty-five (25) pounds.

Mental Demands- Ability to communicate (written and spoken) effectively in English is required.

TRAVEL DEMANDS: This position occasionally requires local travel between Miriam's Kitchen and partner sites. Where the need arises for business travel, appropriate compensation

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Hybrid (a blend of remote and onsite) work schedule. After-hours project work and representing Miriam’s Kitchen at community events is sometimes required. This position occasionally requires local travel between Miriam's Kitchen and partner sites.

Salary : $140,000 - $150,000