Program Director of Prevention

Larkin Street Youth Services • San Francisco, CA

14d • Hybrid

About The Position

Since 1984, Larkin Street Youth Services has helped more than 75,000 young adults in San Francisco with outreach, shelter, housing, education, employment, healthcare, and other services. Today, Larkin Street Youth Services is the largest provider of housing and services to homeless youth in the Bay Area. We serve 1,500 youth annually, operating or partnering to provide more than 500 emergency shelter, transitional, supportive, and subsidy-based housing beds at several unique sites across San Francisco. Working at Larkin Street, no matter what department, means making a real difference in the lives of young people experiencing homelessness. Our team is skilled, diverse, and passionate. Our culture encourages achievement and professional development, as well as teamwork and self-care. Our focus is always on the young people at the heart of our mission and to nurture potential, promote dignity and support bold steps by all. For more information about us, visit www.larkinstreetyouth.org .

Requirements

• Minimum of 5–7 years of progressive experience in program leadership, social services, or a related field, with demonstrated experience managing programs and supervising staff.
• Bachelor's degree in social work, public health, public policy, or a related field required; Master's degree preferred.
• Keen ability to translate data and evaluation findings into program improvements.
• Experienced in managing government contracts and/or philanthropic grants.
• Comfortable engaging diverse audiences including funders, city partners, and community stakeholders.
• Deep knowledge of youth homelessness, including the populations Larkin Street serves: QTBIPOC youth, youth involved in child welfare and/or juvenile justice systems, and youth without stable housing histories.
• Strong foundation in prevention frameworks, harm reduction, trauma-informed care, Housing First, and Positive Youth Development.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with HMIS, ETO, or similar data systems is a plus.
• Lived experience with homelessness or systems involvement is valued.

Responsibilities

• Set and advance the strategic vision for Larkin Street's prevention continuum, ensuring alignment with the agency's mission, strategic plan, and equity commitments.
• Serve as the agency's primary internal and external authority on youth homelessness prevention, translating emerging research, policy developments, and practice innovations into programmatic strategy.
• Represent Larkin Street in city-wide planning bodies, coalitions, and funder convenings related to prevention, outreach, direct cash transfer, and aftercare.
• Partner with the Chief of Programs and the senior leadership team to identify opportunities to expand and deepen Larkin Street's prevention impact.
• Contribute to agency-wide initiatives including strategic planning, budget development, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging work.
• Provide senior oversight of the Outreach, DCT, and Aftercare programs, ensuring high-quality, trauma-informed, and equity-centered service delivery across all three areas.
• Establish and monitor program standards, policies, and procedures; ensure consistent application of best practices including harm reduction, Housing First, Positive Youth Development, and Motivational Interviewing.
• Assess program performance through regular review of data, outcomes, and client feedback; lead continuous quality improvement efforts in response to findings.
• Ensure all prevention programs operate in compliance with contract, grant, and regulatory requirements.
• Consult with Program Managers on complex cases and emerging programmatic challenges, providing guidance and escalating issues to the Chief of Programs as appropriate.
• Ensure that street-based and community outreach operations are responsive, trauma-informed, and designed to rapidly identify and engage youth who are newly or recently unhoused.
• Build and sustain partnerships with community-based organizations, city agencies, and systems-involved settings (e.g., hospitals, juvenile justice, child welfare) to expand outreach reach and facilitate timely connections to services.
• Work with Program Managers to develop and refine outreach protocols that reflect the realities of youth most at risk, including QTBIPOC youth, youth with justice or child welfare involvement, and youth without stable documentation.
• Provide senior oversight of DCT program implementation, with a focus on youth at the highest risk of homelessness — particularly youth without a high school diploma or GED and youth with histories in the child welfare and/or juvenile or criminal justice systems.
• Ensure that the cash transfer model is implemented with fidelity and that optional supportive programming is responsive to participants' housing, health, education, and employment needs.
• Manage relationships with research and evaluation partners; ensure that evaluation findings are integrated into program design on an ongoing basis.
• Lead or support the development of a replicable, scalable DCT model that can inform Larkin Street's advocacy and the broader field.
• Direct the strategic development and ongoing refinement of the agency's aftercare model, ensuring that youth exiting Larkin Street's programs are connected to stable housing, benefits, and community supports.
• Work across programs to establish consistent, agency-wide aftercare protocols — including individualized transition planning, structured follow-up, and clear re-engagement pathways.
• Ensure aftercare practices reflect the latest evidence on exit stabilization and are informed by the lived experiences of youth who have cycled in and out of homelessness.
• Cultivate and sustain relationships with city agencies (including HSH, DCYF, and DPH), philanthropy, research partners, and peer organizations to advance prevention goals and secure resources.
• Collaborate with the Government Relations and Development teams to inform policy advocacy, grant applications, and contract negotiations related to prevention.
• Serve as a thought partner and spokesperson for Larkin Street's prevention work in external forums, contributing to the agency's reputation as a leader in the field.
• Provide direct supervision, coaching, and performance management to Program Managers within the prevention portfolio
• Foster a team culture grounded in Larkin Street's values, with particular attention to staff wellbeing, reflective practice, and the centering of youth voice
• Assess team training needs and ensure staff have access to professional development that deepens their practice and advances their careers
• Participate in hiring and onboarding of prevention team staff
• Hold On-Call manager responsibilities as assigned and scheduled in rotation.
• Other duties as required.

Benefits

• $95,000-$100,000 annual salary.
• Clipper Bay Pass - Commute for FREE!
• Choice of Kaiser and Sutter medical plans, plus dental and vision.
• Generous 3 weeks of vacation annually, plus 11 Paid Holidays and 3 Floating Holidays.
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer matching.
• Flexible spending accounts for Healthcare and Dependent Care expenses.
• Life Insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for counseling services.
• Health Advocate Service.
• Paid Sabbatical following 5 and 10 years of employment.

What This Job Offers

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