St. Michael's Veterans Center (SMVC) provides quality, affordable housing to veterans experiencing homelessness or living with a disability in the Kansas City area. Since 2014, St. Michael's Veterans Center has served over 225 formerly homeless men, women and children. Our 24-acre campus is designed to empower veterans to work toward healthy reintegration with their families and communities by providing safe, permanent housing. St. Michael’s connects veterans with the means and support necessary to achieve housing stability, long-term health and wellness, and financial stability. Our campus is a home and community where veterans can live their best lives and give back to their community.

St. Michael’s Veterans Center is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, color, sex, national origin, marital status or physical or mental disability. In compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, we will hire only U.S. citizens and aliens lawfully authorized to work in the United States (if the position is or will be one which is subject to U.S. law). 

Position Purpose:

The safety sensitive program and program and services manager is the lead position responsible for outreach, applicant assessment, education and social programming, household item management and volunteer coordination. With a focus on sustaining permanent housing and encouraging participants to live their best lives, the program and services manager will work within a solution-focused and strengths-based models of supportive program and services. The program and services manager will work within the NASW Code of Ethics and Fair Housing policies. The program and services manager will share leadership in delivering program and services. The program and services manager will play an active role in agency strategic planning, public awareness, relationship cultivation and fundraising.

Responsibilities (include but are not limited to): 

Develop strategically-focused program and services in collaboration with SMVC staff and volunteer leaders

1. Lead the development, implementation and oversight of education and social programs and co-lead services benefitting veterans living on the St. Michael’s Veterans Center campus. Common areas of work include pursuing employment and/or benefits, coordination of health care, identifying and supporting mental illness, trauma, addiction recovery, and aging in place, resolving conflict and encouraging behaviors to sustain housing and wellness.
2. Deliver customized services within the solutions-focused and strengths-based approach
3. Assess resident’s needs identifying factors that may compromise housing stability
4. Asses resident’s strengths as tools to address current or future needs; establish strengths-based goals, as indicated, to move toward achieving self-determined goals
5. Monitor resident needs and progress toward meeting self-determined goals; continuous cycles of crisis intervention, assessment, and goal setting to ensure residents receive/obtain necessary program and services and referrals
6. Knowledge of mainstream resources, community resources, medical services and programs specific to persons who are homeless and/or veterans
7. Recognize opportunities to pursue mainstream benefits (e.g., VA pension, HCBS, MO Rent Rebates and Medicaid) and support or direct application processes.
8. Promote a positive and supportive living environment for residents; organize and develop special program events, such as recreational and educational activities, and support groups as needed
9. Lead coordination of household items inventory, distribution, data entry and reporting
10. Support transactional program and services including the food pantry and dignity closet.
11. Assess veteran unmet needs and identify appropriate programs and services to address them

Be a part of building a vibrant community that takes care of our neighbors

1. Create a campus community culture that builds positive relationships and mutual support among residents.
2. Cultivate volunteers and encourage their deepening engagement at St. Michael’s, develop and implement volunteer management systems
3. Actively participate in the SMVC Leadership Council connecting the passion and commitment of these volunteer leaders with the needs and lives of the residents
4. Act with each resident/client in a way that demonstrates respect and honors their dignity

Lead outreach and applicant assessment efforts

1. Establish strong community connections with the Veterans Administration, organizations serving veterans and persons who are homeless; attend community meetings and fairs
2. Lead outreach efforts to attract qualified housing applicants
3. Lead efforts to assess veteran eligibility and support veterans through the application process
4. Support applicant approval, move-in and veteran assessments

Support the close working relationship with property management staff to assure resident safety and well-being

1. Maintain communication with management regarding resident daily living needs, as indicated
2. Assist management in defusing resident problems and offer appropriate social program and services assistance
3. Assist management and family members, when necessary, to respond to resident needs 

Establish and maintain administrative systems to efficiently run programs and program and services

1. Maintain and properly secure detailed client files including client assessments, goals, correspondence and progress notes. Support periodic and annual review of client files
2. Use Salesforce to document veteran information, services, program involvement and case management outcomes. Support periodic and annual quality of data
3. Obtain resident signatures for Release of Information sheets in order to communicate with all necessary medical personnel and social service agencies providing program and services to residents
4. Maintain detailed information on all education and social programs, and other activities. Support development of monthly calendar
5. Complete monthly, annual or grants reports as required

Participate in SMVC awareness and fundraising activities, as needed, including helping to articulate SMVC impact and to share compelling stories of residents/clients

Perform other duties as requested.

Essential Mental Alertness Requirements:

1. Work in a constant state of alertness and safe manner
2. Ability to perform tasks involving high levels of cognitive function and judgment
3. Not mentally or physically impaired from any cause that can adversely affect ability to safely and competently perform the duties of the position
4. Ability to take prompt and appropriate response to operating conditions
5. Ability to work in an unfatigued state
6. Ability to accurately gauge lengths of time and distance
7. Ability to quickly store and recall instructions in one’s short-term memory 
8. Ability to concentrate
9. Ability to cope with sudden changes in surrounding and/or emergency situations and/or alarms
10. Demonstrated caring, committed and concerned attitude about safety

Skills and Competencies Required

1. Ability to implement solutions-focused and strengths-based methods for supporting veterans
2. Strong knowledge of community resources for veterans and persons experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness
3. Skilled at assessing client needs, developing strengths-based goals and connecting individuals to resources
4. Excellent organizational skills, interpersonal skills, and ability to deal with individuals who are in crisis
5. Good oral and written communication skills
6. Experience in problem solving and demonstrated skills in conflict resolution
7. Actively demonstrate high level of discretion and autonomy in regard to program development, life skills coaching, and overall administrative tasks and duties as assigned

Position Requirements:

Education:       Master’s degree in social work or human program and services required; LCSW preferred

Experience:      At least 5 years of direct social work experience required;

Required skills: Motivational Interviewing, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Trauma Informed Care, Harm Reduction and extensive knowledge of chronic homelessness, serious mental illness, addictions, incarceration, health challenges and trauma

Preferred skills: experience working with persons experiencing homelessness, at-risk of homelessness, and/or veterans; program development and evaluation experience; Salesforce of other CRM experience

Physical:          Ability to walk or stand for 25% of the day; ability to lift, push and pull up to 40 pounds.

If job includes or may include driving for company business:

1. Driver must have a valid driver’s license and acceptable motor vehicle record with company insurance carrier
2. Driver must have reliable means of transportation
3. Driver must have the ability to be insurable at standard rates for driving.
4. Driver must provide proof of personal auto liability insurance when using vehicles for company business

To be hired, candidates will be required to successfully complete a background investigation and drug screen.