Program Director

Overview

The Center for Urban Community Services (CUCS) is an acclaimed human services organization and one of the nation’s largest providers of housing and social services. CUCS provides integrated programs that link housing, health, and social services for individuals and families who are homeless, low-income, living with mental illness, or have other special needs in New York City.

CUCS invites applications for a Program Director position at Prospect Place
, an 84-bed mental health homeless shelter located in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. The program provides services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to individuals experiencing homelessness. Services include on-site social services to support mental health and substance use recovery, case management, housing placement, medical and psychiatric care.

The Program Director is a key leader at CUCS, responsible for the strategic, operational, and clinical oversight of a client-centered program serving New Yorkers impacted by homelessness, mental illness, substance use, and financial hardship. Grounded in CUCS’s mission and values, the Program Director ensures the delivery of high-quality, trauma-informed, person-centered, and culturally responsive services.

This role requires a dynamic, equity-driven leader with strong clinical and operational expertise, exceptional emotional intelligence, and a commitment to accountability and collaboration. The Program Director builds and supports high-performing teams, ensures regulatory compliance, manages program budgets, and cultivates partnerships with funders, community organizations, and government agencies.

As a member of CUCS’s agency leadership team, the Program Director drives program outcomes, staff development, and service innovation, while contributing to agency-wide initiatives, promoting a culture of inclusion, and leveraging data for continuous improvement and impact.

• Program Oversight and Development
• Oversight of clinical/ case management services
• Team Oversight and Development
• Effective People Management
• Collaborate with internal departments
• Compliance, Quality, and Risk Management
• Budget Management
• External Stakeholder and Community Engagement
• Crisis & Incident Response Management
• Manage Metrics and Outcomes
• Oversight of Program Space

Required:

• Master’s degree in social work, mental health counseling, public administration, public health, human services, psychology, or related field
• Minimum of 5 years applicable experience with related populations in human services organization.
• Minimum of 3 years of supervisory/management in human services, public health, or social services

Preferred:

• Experience working in or knowledge of Department of Homeless Services facilities:
  Shelter and Safe Havens
• LMSW, LCSW, or LMHC.

• Strong leadership and supervisory skills with experience managing multidisciplinary teams.
• Clinical and operational expertise in behavioral health, homelessness, and supportive housing.
• Proven ability to implement evidence-based models (e.g., Housing First, harm reduction, trauma-informed care).
• Skilled in staff development, coaching, and performance management in unionized settings.
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and culturally responsive supervision.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to engage diverse stakeholders.
• Proficient in data analysis and using outcomes to inform program improvements.
• Experienced in managing program budgets and aligning resources to goals.
• Knowledge of regulatory requirements and compliance in human services.
• Effective in crisis response, risk management, and incident handling.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and service-related databases (e.g., TMS, MAVEN).
• Multilingual abilities a plus.
• Ability to manage a 24/7 operation.