Operations Manager

Cherokee Federal•New York City, NY

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Operations Manager directs day-to-day facility, safety, staffing, and administrative operations within a 24-hour New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS) shelter. Reporting to the Director of Operations, the role supervises Residential Aide Shift Supervisors, Residential Aides, and other designated operations staff. The manager coordinates maintenance, sanitation, food service monitoring, security, census and bed management, and administrative records, while maintaining inspection readiness. The position implements established policies, identifies deficiencies, tracks corrective actions, and escalates unresolved risks to the Director of Operations and Site Director. It coordinates repairs and vendor follow-up but does not perform technical building repairs. The Operations Manager oversees coverage across all three shifts, facility walkthroughs and inspections, work orders, regulatory and contract-related inspection readiness, food-service records, security coordination, emergency preparedness, incident response, census and bed controls, operational reporting, staff training, and quality-improvement actions. The role participates in leadership on-call and after-hours emergency response as assigned. Work takes place in an active, 24-hour residential shelter, including office and building areas. Duties involve routine walking, standing, stair use, facility rounds, and computer-based reporting. The schedule may include nontraditional hours and assigned on-call coverage. Compensation is commensurate with experience. The employer offers a benefits package, subject to change and eligibility requirements.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required.
Working knowledge of DHS and OTDA shelter requirements and applicable FDNY, DOB, HPD, DOHMH/DOH, and OSHA requirements.
Ability to identify facility hazards, prioritize work orders, track compliance findings, and coordinate timely corrective actions.
Strong staff supervision, scheduling, documentation, communication, conflict-resolution, and crisis-management skills.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and ability to learn DHS databases and operational reporting systems.
Ability to work in a diverse, trauma-informed, resident-centered environment and respond flexibly to nights, weekends, and emergencies.
Obtain and maintain role-specific required certifications within established timeframes, including applicable fire-safety, food-handling, CPR/First Aid, and naloxone training.
Must pass pre-employment qualifications of Cherokee Federal.

Nice To Haves

Associate or bachelor’s degree in business, public administration, human services, facilities management, or a related field preferred.
Minimum three years of relevant experience in shelter, residential, facilities, or 24-hour operations; at least one year of supervisory experience preferred.
NYC DHS shelter experience, multi-shift team leadership, and experience coordinating inspections and maintenance strongly preferred.
Experience with CARES, BCS, census/bed management, vendor coordination, and operational reporting preferred.

Responsibilities

Coordinate daily operations across all three shifts to maintain safe, orderly, resident-centered, 24-hour coverage.
Supervise assigned RA Shift Supervisors, Residential Aides, and other designated operations personnel; conduct shift briefings, coaching, supervision, training, and performance follow-up.
Prepare and monitor schedules, attendance, relief coverage, shift assignments, and staffing contingencies; elevate vacancies, call-outs, and overtime concerns.
Review shift logs, handoff reports, rounds, resident interactions, visitor controls, and completion of assigned operational tasks.
Conduct and document routine facility walkthroughs, environmental rounds, room inspections, and common-area inspections; identify sanitation, safety, and maintenance deficiencies.
Initiate and track work orders; coordinate with property management, maintenance staff, landlords, and contractors; verify completion and escalate overdue or high-risk items.
Support readiness for DHS, OTDA, FDNY, DOB, HPD, DOHMH/DOH, and other applicable inspections, monitoring visits, and Callahan-related reviews.
Maintain inspection logs, compliance binders, required permits, equipment checks, corrective action trackers, and accurate Building Compliance System (BCS) entries within assigned access and responsibilities.
Monitor food-service operations, delivery records, temperature and sanitation logs, meal distribution, food monitoring entries, and permit renewal status; immediately escalate food-safety concerns.
Coordinate with contracted security and site leadership regarding access control, visitor procedures, prohibited items, lobby coverage, and building safety.
Support emergency drills, evacuation plans, fire-safety checks, emergency-equipment readiness, and staff response training.
Respond to incidents and resident concerns; ensure immediate safety measures, timely leadership notifications, accurate CARES and other required reporting, and documented follow-up in accordance with DHS protocols.
Oversee accurate daily census, bed assignments, vacancies, move-ins and move-outs, room status, nightly rosters, and timely Vacancy Control Unit communications as assigned.
Review CARES, BCS, operational logs, shift records, room inspection reports, food-monitoring records, and required submissions for completeness, consistency, and timeliness.
Track operational KPIs, including staffing coverage, overdue work orders, inspection findings, incident reporting, certification renewals, room inspections, food monitoring, and data accuracy.
Maintain a staff certification and training matrix; track applicable FDNY F-80/F-02/FAD credentials, Food Handler, CPR/First Aid, naloxone, and other required credentials according to role and facility requirements.
Deliver refresher training on safety, de-escalation, crisis response, search procedures, shift documentation, and resident-centered operations.
Collaborate with the Director of Operations, Site Director, Social Services, Security, Facilities, and external partners to resolve operational barriers and support resident services.
Implement assigned corrective action plans, establish owners and deadlines, monitor completion, and report recurring issues and risks to leadership.
Participate in leadership on-call and after-hours emergency response as assigned.
Support recruitment, onboarding, scheduling, training, performance evaluation, corrective action, and employee development in coordination with the Director of Operations and Human Resources.
Perform other related and job-related duties as assigned.

Benefits

Up to a 6% 401(k) company match.
Paid time off.
Medical, dental, and vision insurance, plus prescription drug coverage.
Basic life and AD&D insurance, with supplemental life options.
Short-term and long-term disability coverage.
Paid holidays.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) options.
Professional development, training, and certification support.
Voluntary benefits including accident, critical illness, and identity theft protection.