Deputy Director, Programs

Best Buddies International•Houston, TX

26d

About The Position

Best Buddies International is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, inclusive living, and family support for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Best Buddies is the largest organization dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of the 200 million people worldwide with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Our programs empower people with IDD to form meaningful friendships with their peers, secure jobs, improve communication and advocacy skills, and live independently, while also offering support for their families. Position Overview: The deputy director, programs is responsible for overseeing the friendship and jobs programs in their state. They are responsible for supporting the field staff in their state in implementing programs and programmatic initiatives in alignment with organizational best practices as well as working with the state leadership team to hire and manage jobs staff and are responsible for oversight of the contractual agreements for the jobs program. This is accomplished by training and coaching field staff and volunteers, developing benchmarks for success, establishing and utilizing tracking methods, and working with the state director to hold field staff accountable for meeting their programmatic goals. They serve as the point of contact for all jobs contractors, manage all timelines for reporting to contractors, and support the jobs staff as required. The deputy director is responsible for creating awareness of the jobs program including leveraging current business relationships across regions as well as attending networking opportunities to establish new relationships.

Requirements

Bachelor s degree or at least 4 years relevant experience in addition to above experience
Strong project management skills - including planning, analysis, decision making, and problem solving - and willingness to multitask
Strong presentation, facilitation, and written communication skills
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, especially Excel, and basic understanding of accounting principals
Shows initiative, dependability, drive for results, and self-assessment skills
Must be adaptable and able to quickly and effectively develop and balance multiple relationships, and get results from a variety of people
Ability to effectively gain information and insight through questioning/probing and observation of staff in the field, analyze information, and provide meaningful feedback
Must be comfortable engaging with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and working with them in a supporting role
Must be comfortable with frequent travel throughout the state, use personal cell phone, and work evenings and weekends as necessary in order to accomplish job responsibilities
Strong initiative, drive for results, and self-assessment skills
Ability to work independently and as part of a team

Responsibilities

Works to ensure appropriate implementation of programs in their state, including coaching field staff and volunteers, tracking progress toward benchmarks for success, and establishing and utilizing tracking methods
Works to hold field staff accountable for meeting their programmatic goals, hitting benchmarks, and following best practices and guidelines
Executes the rollout of new programmatic initiatives and changes to current initiatives
Directly manages programs during field staff vacancies as needed
Develops relationships with parents, communities, schools, government and other agencies to educate them about Best Buddies Jobs, identify potential participants and obtain participant referrals
Performs job development for unemployed participants, including new and current employer relationships; effectively assesses employers needs and works with them to create positions that are valuable to their enterprise and in alignment with participant s goals and support needs
Oversees the job development efforts including setting goals regarding employer outreach and an overall development strategy for the region
Maintains communication with employers/supervisors and advocates for participants' rights to equal treatment and pay from employers while also encouraging self-advocacy and maintaining positive employer-employee relations
Directly manages a caseload of Jobs participants and assumes and/or supports duties of an Employment Consultant or a Jobs Supervisor as needed, including but not limited to performing intakes, conducting Individual Written Program Plans, monitoring progress, and providing job coaching
Makes sound decisions about participants' welfare on the job site, and follows all established health and safety guidelines to ensure the health and safety of all participants
Provides participants and their families assistance and resources in dealing with social security issues, including explanation of work incentives
Attends trainings as needed to maintain required certifications per state regulating agency
Develops employer relationships that can be leveraged regionally for job placements
Works with State/Area Director to track prospective individual, corporate, and foundation donors
Works with State/Area Director to ensure that program participants and staff are appropriately integrated into fundraising efforts, and that grant proposals reflect realistic programmatic goals
Researches grant opportunities, maintains accurate records and submits reports as required by funders with support from BBI Grants Department
As appropriate, works with State/Area Director to create a strong presence for Best Buddies programs in the state through public speaking, community involvement, public service announcements, and other media initiatives
Develops job and expansion opportunities including leveraging current business relationships across regions as well as attending networking opportunities to establish new relationships
Oversee deliverables for private funding sources, including grants, and stewards relationships with existing funders
Execution of 1-2 jobs related events on an annual basis to encourage awareness and employer recognition and work with supervisor(s) on additional fundraising events as directed
Providing information regarding potential donors/supporters to supervisor(s) as appropriate
Engages Jobs program participants in local Best Buddies activities
Serves as primary contact and lead for state contractors and works with Program Supervisors, Jobs to manage contractual agreements including trainings, file management, timeliness of billing and audits
Serves as lead for all financials in the Jobs program including: ensuring that all required billing is completed accurately and in a timely manner by all staff; tracking of all billing submitted, received and denied; tracking the authorizations for each participant; tracking of all internal accounts payable and accounts receivable transactions; and utilizes Raiser s Edge to track Jobs revenue and update proposal deliverables
Provides accountability for all Jobs staff regarding maintenance of organized filing system for all relevant paperwork and the use of Sphere and Raiser s Edge databases effectively and appropriately to manage Jobs contacts
Ensure that the SetWorks database is properly utilized and updated routinely by the Jobs team
Collaborates with State/Area/Operations and Programs Directors to ensure all daily infrastructure needs are met, including supplies, postage, IT, telecommunications, equipment and utilities
Ensures the state offices are compliant with standards from auditing agencies including but not limited to CARF, Regional Centers, Social Security Administration s Ticket to Work Program.
Maintains communication with State/Area Director with timely reports, quarterly goals, and other information as directed
Directly supervises staff- responsible for staff development, oversight, and providing meaningful performance feedback, as well as holding them accountable for meeting all development and operational goals, hitting benchmarks, and following best practices and guidelines.
Inspires and motivates staff by demonstrating personal commitment and integrity and providing proactive training, support and recognition.
Responsible for all human resources related activities within the team. Understands, follows and reinforces human resources policies in a consistent manner.