Assistant Unit Director

TX-HHSC-DSHS-DFPS • Denton, TX

21d • Onsite

About The Position

Come work in an environment where we truly value and respect those we serve and believe in the mission that all people can achieve a higher level of wellness and independence. The state supported living centers serve people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are medically fragile or who have behavioral problems. The centers provide campus-based direct services and supports at 13 centers located throughout the state. Learn About Our State Supported Living Centers If you are looking for a place to work where you can establish a career that is filled with purpose, this is the job for you! The Assistant Unit Director (AUD) works under the direct supervision of the Unit Director and has the primary responsibility for providing leadership and direction to other unit staff to assure the delivery of quality care, support, active treatment and leisure activities to the individuals served.  The AUD provides support to the Unit Director in planning, implementing, directing, and evaluating unit operations and goals.  The AUD is responsible for working cooperatively with other divisions and departments and ensuring harmonious working relationships within the unit among staff, family members and other facility employees.  The AUD is responsible for supervisory, consultative and administrative duties in addition to Administrative Assistant tasks.  The AUD acts as the additional duty safety officer for the unit which assures safety drills are completed correctly, timely and efficiently and any identified safety and/or resident concerns are addressed through the Facility Safety Department or the Interdisciplinary Team process.  This position assures the unit meets regulations established by Life Safety Code. Additionally, the AUD will serve as the first line supervisor for Unit Supervisors for consultation concerning personnel issues and maintaining training compliance.  The AUD monitors staff deployment and minimums, leave approval, overtime utilization, etc.  The AUD serves as the Administrative Officer on Duty (AOD) dealing with campus-wide issues and as the acting Unit Director as needed.  The AUD ensures that the unit provides protection of the individuals by reducing abuse, neglect, exploitation, injuries, accidents and restraints.

Requirements

• Three (3) years of work experience in health care or business administration, social work, or public health.
• Two (2) years of experience in a management position in a residential program area/home/unit in an ICF/IID residential facility serving more than 50 individuals.
• Applicants must pass a fingerprint criminal background check, pre-employment drug screen, and registry checks including the Client Abuse/Neglect Reporting System (CANRS), Nurse Aide, Medication Aide and Employee Misconduct and HHS List of Excluded Individuals/Entities (LEIE).
• Males between the ages of 18 – 25 must be registered with the Selective Service.
• All applicants must be at least 18 years of age to be considered for employment at a state-operated facility.

Nice To Haves

• Prefer bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university with major course work in health care administration, social work, public health, business administration, human resources, education or a related field.
• Direct supervisory experience in a program area/home/unit in an ICF/IID residential facility may substitute for the bachelor’s degree on a year for year basis with a maximum substitution of four (4) years.

Responsibilities

• Attends work on a regular basis and may be required to work a specific shift schedule or, at times, even a rotating schedule, extended shift and/or overtime in accordance with agency leave policy and performs other duties as assigned.  May serve in an on-call status on a rotating schedule as required to meet operational needs of the facility.
• Establishes and maintains positive, supportive relationships with employees, individuals served, family members and visitors in order to create an environment of caring, dignity and respect.
• Provides formal/informal supervision and support to unit staff in accordance with facility procedures to ensure the effective delivery of needed services (health, safety, individual support planning, etc.).  Implements Positive Performance Management system per facility guidelines in order to improve staff performance, attendance and work behavior.  Assists Unit Director in conducting performance evaluations of assigned staff in order to give employees timely feedback on their performance.
• Monitors the implementation of unit staff management systems (staff schedules, staff assignment sheets, deployment, leave approval, overtime utilization, etc.) in order to ensure adequate staff coverage to meet minimums.  Monitors the utilization of staffing resources to maintain fair distribution of overtime.  Follows facility procedures when granting/approving leave requests to ensure fairness.
• Makes regular rounds/visits as required throughout the unit to monitor scheduled activities to ensure safety and implementation of levels of supervision, positive behavior support plans, physical/nutritional management plans, documentation of injuries, restraint documentation, cleanliness and appropriate staff to resident interactions.
• Monitors and enforces unit compliance with internal and external audits and plans of correction to ensure safe environments that promote dignity and respect of individuals served.
• Monitors the reduction of abuse, neglect and exploitation, unusual incidents, injuries and restraints through implementation of applicable facility procedures to ensure the health and safety of individuals served.
• Serves as the Acting Unit Director as needed.
• Ensures that assigned staff participates in mandatory training in order to ensure staff competence and development.
• Ensures compliance with all ICF/IID conditions of participation, Life Safety Code regulations and continued progress toward the requirements of the Settlement Agreement.
• Takes action in regard to financial responsibilities such as annual budget planning, activity fund monitoring, trust fund oversight and property inventory.
• Other duties as assigned include but are not limited to actively participating and/or serving in a supporting role to meet the agency’s obligations for disaster response and/or recovery or Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation.  Such participation may require an alternate shift pattern assignment and/or location.

Benefits

• Our comprehensive benefits package includes 100% paid employee health insurance for full-time eligible employees, a defined benefit pension plan, generous time off benefits, numerous opportunities for career advancement and more.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees