Assistant Director, Programs, Safe Options Support (SOS), The Rockaways

Breaking Ground • New York, NY

7d • $75,000 - $82,000

About The Position

The Assistant Director, Programs, Safe Options Support (SOS), oversees the SOS contract serving The Rockaways. Using Critical Time Intervention (CTI), Harm Reduction, Recovery Orientation, Motivational Interviewing, and Peer Support, the role oversees a time-limited street-homelessness intervention program that supports clients’ transitions from homelessness to housing.

Reporting to the Director, Programs, the Assistant Director supervises Clinical Coordinators and a Community Health Specialist, manages daily outreach activities and operations, and partners with a registered nurse, Street to Home programs, external outreach providers, city agencies, and community stakeholders. The role supports Harm Reduction and Housing First strategies and other evidence-based clinical interventions, while providing leadership through informed decision-making, policy and procedure implementation, and effective communication.

The position primarily works business hours, Monday through Friday, with availability outside those hours for emergencies or special projects and initiatives. It requires oversight of 24/7 operations and flexibility in the work schedule as needed.

Requirements

• NYS Licensed Masters Social Worker (LMSW).
• At least 2 years of supervisory experience.
• Thorough clinical understanding of service delivery concepts and structures, including Housing First, client-centered Motivational Interviewing, Harm Reduction, and behavioral and medical health systems; ability to access and negotiate the full range of services for recipients.
• Experience with crisis intervention, including risk assessments and incident management.
• Ability to work successfully with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced environment with multiple priorities.
• Ability to delegate and motivate staff to achieve deliverables.
• Verbal and written communication skills for working with diverse populations and stakeholders.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office programs, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and Microsoft Teams; familiarity with Access-based databases and ability to learn new programs.

Nice To Haves

• Valid driver’s license from NY, NJ, CT, or PA and a good driving record, as defined by Breaking Ground.
• Bilingual Spanish/English.

Responsibilities

• Manage daily SOS program components in The Rockaways, including outreach and housing placement, special operations, and joint initiatives with city agencies and other stakeholders.
• Use outreach and engagement strategies to identify where people are staying on the street, especially around transit hubs, and provide services to support them.
• Supervise Clinical Coordinators and the Community Health Specialist, including holding regular, structured supervision meetings.
• Support high-quality service delivery and best-practice interventions with people experiencing street homelessness; collaborate with the on-site psychiatric/street medicine team; and provide crisis intervention, including 958 removals and risk assessments.
• Promote effective outreach, case management, and client placement strategies based on Housing First, Harm Reduction, Critical Time Intervention, Motivational Interviewing, and trauma-informed care.
• Guide front-line staff in managing difficult situations and de-escalating conflict.
• Guide incident management, crisis interventions, and risk assessments, and ensure documentation is submitted to appropriate oversight entities on time.
• Under the Director’s guidance, engage external partners—including service partners, government representatives, community stakeholders, hospital personnel, and other agencies—to support responsive service planning and effective program operations.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager