Program Director

The Program Director of the Low Threshold Permanent Housing Program is responsible for the oversight of property management, rent collection, leasing, delivery of case management services, and overall operations. This role plays a key leadership position in maintaining housing stability and service delivery for individuals with histories of chronic homelessness, substance use, and mental health challenges—many of whom experience multiple barriers to housing access. The Program Director ensures services are grounded in trauma-informed, client-centered, housing-first, and harm reduction practices.

Essential Functions:

• Act in accordance with Victory Programs, Inc.’s Standards of Excellence and Philosophy of Care, maintaining professional ethics, clear boundaries, and client confidentiality at all times while working from a strength-based and harm reduction-informed perspective.
• Ensure consistent application of the harm reduction model and housing first principles across all service sites and programming.
• Provide leadership in delivering services that prioritize client choice, dignity, and autonomy, and respond effectively to individuals at varying stages of recovery.
• Oversee the integration of harm reduction skillsets into daily operations and service delivery, including motivational interviewing, non-judgmental engagement, safer use education, and de-escalation techniques.
• Facilitate regular staff meetings and ensure all housing support staff receive weekly supervision and periodic performance reviews with emphasis on enhancing trauma-informed and harm reduction competencies.
• Support and train staff in de-escalation techniques, crisis prevention, and engagement strategies aligned with a harm reduction and trauma-informed framework.
• Coordinate all internal and external service linkages supportive of a comprehensive continuum of care.
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and municipal housing regulations and funding contracts.
• Coordinate tenant rent collections, lease-ups, move-outs, and all related lease enforcement activities in a supportive, transparent, and respectful manner.
• Ensure all program documentation, client records, and incident reports reflect adherence to harm reduction best practices and meet regulatory standards.
• Collaborate with the Deputy Director and Director of Housing on program development, policy updates, and service innovation to better meet the needs of the population served.
• Maintain the physical integrity of all housing sites and ensure they reflect a safe, clean, and welcoming environment for residents.
• Provide on-call emergency support as part of a rotating leadership schedule.
• Oversee budgets, financial reporting, and service contracts in coordination with finance and operations staff.
• Foster and strengthen partnerships with internal departments and external stakeholders to enhance the quality and continuity of services.
• Support new client screening and intake processes with an emphasis on equity, access, and individualized needs.
• Maintain strong documentation and reporting practices, support data collection and analysis for program evaluation and improvement.

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in counseling, Social Work, Rehabilitation Counseling or a related field, or a Bachelor’s degree with extensive management and/or clinical training.
• At least three years of supervisory and management experience.
• Access to a vehicle and valid driver’s license must meet insurance eligibility requirements.
• Minimum one year of direct care experience, preferably with vulnerable populations (e.g., individuals experiencing homelessness or substance use).
• Strong working knowledge of homelessness, substance use, mental health, HIV/AIDS, and harm reduction frameworks.
• Demonstrated understanding or commitment to harm reduction practices and philosophies, with the ability to apply these principles in a housing and behavioral health context.
• Proven ability to lead diverse teams and effectively manage programs in a dynamic, client-centered environment.
• Strong skills in program administration, organizational leadership, and service coordination.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and electronic record-keeping systems.
• CPR certification (or ability to obtain upon hire).
• TB screening (or ability to obtain upon hire).
• Three professional references, including two supervisory contacts.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with state and federal housing programs.
• Experience working with chronically homeless or marginalized populations.
• Previous training in nonviolent crisis intervention and de-escalation strategies.
• Ability to engage in open, affirming, and respectful communication around topics such as sex, substance use, and trauma.
• Bilingual or multilingual candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Salary Classification:

Victory Programs is committed to paying competitive wages. To increase equity, because we know that salary negotiations tend to have an unfair bias, we do not participate in a salary negotiation process for any candidate to an exempt position. We will make our best offer, and it will be the same regardless of the candidate. The annual starting salary for the Program Director is $87,600. This position meets the exemption requirements as defined by state and federal law. Exempt employees are paid on a salaried basis, and their salary is intended to constitute their entire regular compensation, regardless of the number of hours they work; therefore, exempt employees are not eligible for overtime pay.

Victory Programs values a diverse workforce, as we collectively seek to create welcoming, inclusive and accessible environments for our employees and the people we serve. We strive to sustain healthy, functioning communities that respect and celebrate different experiences, identities, cultures and ideas.

Victory Programs has helped individuals and families in crisis for over 45 years. Thousands turn to us yearly for shelter, sustenance, recovery, care, and professional, compassionate support. Most struggle with homelessness, substance use and mental health, and many live with HIV/AIDS. Our team of more than 300 staff across over 30 programs works with people to develop and execute creative, safe solutions to the very real challenges our clients face.

Our benefit program includes a 75% health and 25% dental employer premium contribution, 100% employer paid disability and life insurance. Victory Programs offers a generous paid time off package to all employees including vacation, sick, and personal time as well as holidays. Upon hire, all staff are entitled to up to: 4 personal days, 160 sick hours, 10 holidays and 3 1/2 weeks of vacation. These figures adjust based on full time or part time status and allocated vacation time increases with length of employment.