Director of Programs, On The Rise

Eos Transitions • Cambridge, MA

10d • Onsite

About The Position

On The Rise, Inc. (OTR) is a non-profit organization based in Cambridge, MA, founded in 1995. It serves women, trans, and non-binary individuals experiencing or formerly experiencing homelessness through two programs: Safe Haven, a day program offering practical needs and one-on-one advocacy, and Keep The Keys, which supports participants transitioning into stable housing. OTR emphasizes an innovative approach that supports participants' initiative and strengths, fostering safety and new possibilities. The organization is committed to social justice, dismantling oppression, and being an anti-racist entity. OTR focuses on building authentic, long-term relationships to foster trust and belonging, empowering participants as they navigate challenges like homelessness, domestic violence, health issues, trauma, legal system involvement, systemic oppression, and intergenerational trauma. The organization aims to meet participants where they are, following their self-determined visions of success while addressing structural barriers. OTR provides a low-threshold environment where individuals can be themselves while being held accountable to the community. The team consists of 17 staff members and 2 interns, supported by a 10-member Board of Directors, with an annual budget of approximately $2.4 million. OTR serves over 450 participants annually, has helped over 600 people secure housing, with a 92% retention rate. The organization is currently at a pivotal moment, facing increased demand for services due to rising discrimination and reduced social supports. OTR has recently revised its programming based on staff and participant feedback, including reinstating Saturday hours and adjusting drop-in hours to focus on staff well-being and deepen individualized services. The organization is also working to codify its program model for future growth. The Director of Programs will play a key role in shaping the future of OTR's programs and impact, managing a team of 6 Community Advocates, serving on the organizational leadership team, and collaborating with the Senior Training and Practice Specialist/Clinical Supervisor for holistic support.

Requirements

• Commitment to OTR's mission and values: relationships, self-determination, wellbeing, safety in community, inclusion and diversity, and anti-racism and anti-oppression
• Dedication to OTR's tenets of harm reduction, trauma inclusion, relational-cultural theory, strength-based de-centered practice, a wellbeing approach, and anti-oppression frameworks + familiarity with restorative practices
• Significant supervisory experience – a minimum of 3 years leading diverse teams of frontline practitioners with a proven track record of exceptional people management skills; 5+ years is a plus
• LICSW or comparable licensure is required
• Significant direct service experience (at least 5 years) with people experiencing homelessness, complex trauma, mental health challenges, substance use, and high-intensity case management.
• Substantive knowledge of the systems participants and Advocates navigate (housing programs, public benefit programs, MassHealth, Social Security, healthcare, the court system) is a plus.
• Strong skills in project management, organization, time management, and delegation
• Proven ability to juggle competing priorities and unexpected crises with calmness and clarity
• Comfortable working in a small, less bureaucratic organization where plans can change quickly, and leaders are expected to pitch in when needed
• Seasoned, relational people leader who understands frontline work
• Leads from a place of trust, setting clear expectations and holding people accountable with a personalized, caring approach
• Appreciates the emotional intensity of the Advocate role and actively supports staff wellness, resilience, and sustainability
• Skilled at "zooming in and out," managing day-to-day program realities while also building stronger systems, processes, training, onboarding, and infrastructure
• Builds the teams, culture, and processes that drive program quality and staff satisfaction
• Deeply values-aligned, equity-centered, and participant-focused
• Understands how race, class, gender identity, privilege, and power affect both participant experiences and workplace dynamics, with strong self-awareness about their own identities and assumptions
• Able to consistently elevate participant voice while also balancing participant needs with staff wellbeing, particularly in complex situations involving harm, discrimination, or crisis
• Moves with curiosity, humility, nonjudgment, and a willingness to admit mistakes, take responsibility, and change course when necessary
• Willing to participate in employer-sponsored activities acknowledging, confronting, and dismantling racism and other issues of oppression and examining the impact of racism on themselves, on OTR, and in the community at large
• Strong communicator, advocate, and trust-builder
• Able to communicate clearly and transparently up, down, and across the organization, including explaining the rationale behind decisions and being clear about what is open for input versus already decided
• Adept at elevating frontline perspectives in leadership-level discussions
• Seeks out constructive feedback and receives it without becoming defensive
• Able to engage in healthy conflict and have difficult conversations about performance or behavior in a direct but relational way

Nice To Haves

• 5+ years of supervisory experience
• Substantive knowledge of the systems participants and Advocates navigate (housing programs, public benefit programs, MassHealth, Social Security, healthcare, the court system)
• Bilingual in Spanish or Haitian Creole

Responsibilities

• Oversee program strategy and implementation
• Ensure program quality and impact measurement
• Provide direct supervision to Advocates
• Cultivate and manage external partnerships to enhance programs
• Continue to build an inclusive, collaborative, high-trust team and organizational culture
• Serve as the program representative and voice on the senior management team
• Engage in direct service work
• Play a major role in advancing broad organizational goals, including determining strategic direction, supporting fundraising and communications, developing organizational policy, managing finances and risk, and maintaining/enhancing On The Rise's reputation and visibility.

Benefits

• 75% employer-sponsored health and dental coverage
• Up to 5% retirement plan employer contribution
• 15 vacation days, 12 sick days, 12 paid holidays, 2 personal days (Vacation days increase to 20 days annually after completing your fourth year)
• 100% employer-paid short-/long-term disability plans, life insurance, and paid family and medical leave benefits
• Continuing Education Benefit: OTR pays for 3 full work days and reimburses up to $600 per year for employees who have been employed for more than one year who wish to continue their education or take a course that is somewhat, but not directly related to work and/or is not covered by the training budget
• Regular licensed clinical supervision provided onsite

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed