Director, Programs, Outreach

ABOUT US: - We believe that everyone deserves a home!

Breaking Ground operates nearly 4,000 units of housing across New York City, along with housing in upstate New York and Connecticut. Supportive housing - affordable housing paired with services designed to help people maintain their homes for the long-term - is widely recognized as a proven and cost-effective solution to chronic homelessness.

But we didn't stop at providing housing. Breaking Ground's programs and services help people experiencing street homelessness - especially those who have been on the streets the longest - to come indoors. Through our Street to Home outreach program and transitional housing resources, we help people get, and stay, on the path to a permanent home.


Breaking Ground’s Street to Home program makes regular contact with more than 2,000 street homeless individuals and connects more than 500 individuals to housing, medical and mental health services, substance abuse counseling, and other essential supports each year. The caring, individually tailored attention clients receive at each stage of their journey from street to home ensures that more than 95% of people who Breaking Ground places remain stably housed.
Reporting to the Senior Program Director, the Program Director, Brooklyn or Queens Outreach is responsible for 24/7 outreach and housing placement work in all of Brooklyn. With the goal of moving people off the street and into transitional and permanent housing, the Program Director collaborates with other outreach directors, city agencies, and a broad array of community stakeholders to help reduce street homelessness. The Director oversees all outreach activities and program operations including 311 responses, canvassing strategies, and managing encampments and hotspots. The Director is responsible for meeting performance targets including transitional and permanent housing placement goals and developing strategies to achieve those targets.
The Director supports Harm Reduction and Housing First strategies and other best-practice clinical interventions. The Director provides leadership to the program by informing decision making, implementing policies and procedures, and facilitating effective communication.
The Director works primarily during business hours Monday-Friday, with off hours availability in case of emergency or for special projects/initiatives. The position requires oversight of 24/7 operations and flexibility in work schedule as needed.
Program staff will be required to find and assist street homeless individuals under the most extreme weather situations and leadership presence during winter alerts will be required. Must be willing and able to engage with street homeless individuals and can handle multiple tasks in a fast paced, dynamic team environment and demonstrate a willingness to shift easily between various responsibilities with diverse populations.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Oversee a team of 50-60 staff in a 24/7 program and is responsible for outreach and housing placement activities including special operations and joint initiatives with city agencies and other stakeholders; targeted initiatives to expedite housing placement and other interventions; follow-up with clients placed in transitional housing as well as those remaining on the street
• Supervise Assistant Program Directors, Housing and Reporting Specialist, Operations Specialist, Housing Specialist, and Office Manager
• Develop outreach and engagement strategies to identify areas where individuals are staying on the street and provide services to support these individuals
• Ensure high quality service delivery by supporting best practice interventions with street homeless populations, collaborating with on-site psychiatric/street medicine team, and providing crisis intervention, including 958 removals and risk assessments
• Respond and engage with external partners including SHS, community boards, elected officials, and other community members
• Responsible for program outcome measures and performance targets and utilize management tools and data to create systems of accountability to ensure performance measures are achieved
• Collaborate with government agencies, community members, and other stakeholders to establish a shared understanding of street homelessness and develop solution-oriented strategies and responses
• Ensure positive communication and collaboration with partners in transitional and supportive housing, hospitals, and other service providers
• Responsible for managing the program’s budget
• Support professional growth and learning for program staff through regular, structured supervision, team meetings, in-service trainings, modeling, enhancing organizational awareness and ensuring thorough communication with internal and external partners
• Work closely with other DHS