Sr. Director of Community Programs

Description

JOB TITLE: Sr. Director of Community Programs

REPORTS TO: Chief Programs Officer

SCHEDULE: Monday-Friday (9:00am-5:30pm)

LOCATION: Venice, CA

STATUS: Full-Time, 40 hrs/wk, Exempt 

CELL PHONE: Reimbursement for use

DRIVER POSITION: Yes [if yes, please reference driving policy] 

SALARY RANGE: $100000-$105,000 Annually

ABOUT US:

Safe Place for Youth (SPY) is the leading service provider for youth experiencing or at-risk of homelessness in West Los Angeles. Founded in 2011, our agency offers trauma-informed, low barrier programs that support young people in exiting the streets and achieving stability so that they can thrive, not just survive. Our robust continuum of care includes street outreach, drop-in services, health and wellness programming, case management, education and employment services, and housing programs. 

SPY is a unique social impact agency that is committed to overcoming structural barriers to equity, community collaboration, and innovative youth-focused programming. If you have the skills, passion and collaborative spirit, join our growing team of over 100 employees.

SPY strives to attract and develop individuals who reflect a broad spectrum of diversity, including (but by no means limited to) racial, ethnic, gender identity and socioeconomic dimensions. We believe that inclusion of diverse perspectives is essential to achieving long-term, systemic change. We explicitly seek applications from those who self-identify as coming from historically marginalized populations to enrich and elevate our equity-centered approach to problem-solving.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

The Sr. Director of Community Programs is responsible for planning, managing, and overseeing SPY’s

empowerment-focused programming, including the Community Garden, Access and Engagement

Programs, Education & Employment, Healing Arts, and Social Enterprise initiatives. This role ensures the

integration of a youth-centered, trauma-informed approach across all services, with a strong emphasis

on healing, creativity, and empowerment throughout the agency.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

• Provide trauma- and resilience-informed leadership to SPY’s street outreach, Access Center, and case management teams (including General Access, Problem Solving, YCES, Probation, and Prevention).
• Establish and maintain clear program structures, policies, and procedures to ensure high-quality services and safety for staff and youth.
• Supervise and support program staff using trauma-informed, culturally responsive practices, including onboarding, training, coaching, and performance feedback.
• Ensure consistent access to meals, basic needs, housing navigation, and enrichment services for youth 7 days a week.
• Oversee the Social Enterprise program, ensuring sales goals are met and developing creative strategies for marketing, visibility, and product expansion.
• Ensure garden and healing arts programming is implemented consistently across the agency.
• Support outreach teams in maximizing engagement with unhoused youth and facilitating connections to SPY services.
• Monitor and track Problem Solving and diversion services, including timely and appropriate use of financial assistance funds.
• Participate in the Performance and Quality Improvement (PQI) team and support a culture of continuous improvement across all programs.
• Ensure programs operate in compliance with legal, ethical, and professional best practices.
• Monitor and ensure compliance with all contracts, funder requirements, and internal program objectives.
• Manage program budgets and ensure expenditures align with approved allocations.
• Support grant proposals by contributing to program narratives, identifying goals, and informing staffing plans.
• Prepare and submit reports on program outcomes for internal monitoring and external funders.
• Lead quality assurance efforts, including preparation for program audits and regular review of standards.
• Provide crisis intervention support and debrief staff following critical incidents, as needed.
• Ensure accurate and timely data entry and documentation in client records, including HMIS and internal databases.
• Maintain staff training records, including tracking completed trainings and attendance.
• Collaborate with a wide range of partners, stakeholders, and community members to strengthen program design, implementation, and evaluation.
• Represent SPY at community events, coalitions, conferences, and training sessions.
• Identify and assess risks related to program operations and implem