Support Services Supervisor

Orangewood Foundation•Santa Ana, CA

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Orangewood Foundation, established in 1981, is dedicated to empowering young people who have experienced foster care, homelessness, and trafficking by supporting their futures and helping them achieve their dreams. The foundation offers programs in Basic Needs & Support, Education, Life Skills & Employment, and Transitional Housing & Support, with a vision of a community where every young person thrives. Orangewood Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to a positive and supportive workplace culture, emphasizing values of Trust, Respect, Empathy, Inclusion, and Advocacy. The Lyon Workforce Academy (LWA) is an innovative, trauma-informed workforce development program designed to equip transitional-age youth with the skills, confidence, and experience necessary for obtaining and maintaining meaningful employment. LWA achieves this through individualized coaching, workshops, employment support, and partnerships with corporate employers, fostering job readiness and long-term career pathways. Additionally, LWA provides training to corporate partners on trauma-informed workplace practices to enhance employee retention and create inclusive environments for young adults. The Scholarships program offers financial aid for undergraduate education, trade schools, vocational training, and career advancement. The Advanced Studies Fund (ASF) specifically supports former foster youth in advanced education through scholarships, alumni engagement, and connections aimed at promoting educational persistence, a sense of belonging, and long-term career mobility. The Support Services Supervisor will provide leadership, program oversight, and staff supervision for the Advanced Studies Fund (ASF), Scholarships, and Lyon Workforce Academy (LWA). This role is crucial for ensuring high-quality, trauma-responsive, and strengths-based service delivery that supports educational advancement, workforce readiness, career mobility, and the overall long-term success of current and former foster youth. The Supervisor will foster relationships with educational institutions, training programs, alumni, employers, and community partners to enhance scholar engagement, educational persistence, workforce development, and career opportunities. Key responsibilities include overseeing scholarship coordination, workforce programming, participant engagement, partnership development, staff supervision, and outcome tracking, all while ensuring alignment with the Orangewood Foundation’s mission and strategic priorities. Applicants should be aware that this role may involve high stress levels due to managing participant crises and potential exposure to vicarious trauma, making self-care and seeking support essential.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Human Services, Education, Public Administration, or a related field from an accredited college or university
Minimum of two years of experience in the human services field working with transitional age youth or similar populations.
Minimum of one year of program and personnel supervisory experience in a social services or workforce development setting.
Strong understanding of youth development, workforce readiness, and barriers to employment.
Demonstrated ability to lead a team using trauma informed and strengths based approaches.
Ability to make sound decisions in high pressure situations and effectively support staff during crises.
Experience managing programs, contracts , or financial assistance services
Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to build relationships with staff, youth, and community partners.
Ability to manage multiple responsibilities and prioritize tasks in a fast paced environment.
Strong organizational, problem solving, and leadership skills.
Ability to analyze and utilize data to monitor program outcomes and improve services.
Knowledge of confidentiality practices and ethical service delivery.
Ability to take initiative and work both independently and collaboratively.
Possess a valid California driver’s license and proof of automobile insurance.
Position requires DMV clearance.
Pre-employment screenings include criminal background check, FBI/DOJ fingerprinting, TB test, drug screen, and previous employment verification.
A Plum.io assessment is a required part of the application process, and your application will not be considered complete until the assessment is submitted.

Responsibilities

Provide oversight and support to Lyon Workforce Academy programming, ensuring participants receive trauma-informed workforce preparation, career exploration, and employment readiness support.
Strengthen employer, training, and community partnerships that create meaningful workforce opportunities for young adults.
Support alignment between scholarship pathways, educational advancement, and long-term career mobility opportunities.
Provide day-to-day programmatic oversight of the Advanced Studies Fund (ASF), undergraduate scholarships, and Lyon Workforce Academy (LWA).
Ensure programming aligns with Orangewood Foundation’s mission, strategic priorities, and long-term educational and workforce mobility goals for current and former foster youth.
Collaborate with the Support Services Manager to strengthen cross-program alignment, consistency, and participant pathways across Support Services programs.
Monitor program outcomes, engagement trends, and participant progress to support continuous quality improvement and data-informed decision making.
Support administration and stewardship of ASF and scholarship programming, including participant engagement, scholarship processes, and ongoing scholar support.
Assist with implementation of ASF engagement opportunities including alumni-to-applicant connections, peer mentoring opportunities, learning events, networking spaces, and scholar communications.
Support coordination of ASF application, interview, and committee processes in collaboration with scholarship staff and Foundation leadership.
Assist in maintaining equitable, transparent, and relationship-centered scholarship practices that support educational persistence and career advancement for scholars.
Build and maintain collaborative relationships with colleges, universities, graduate programs, certification programs, and workforce training partners to strengthen scholar access, enrollment navigation, persistence, and resource coordination.
Support tracking and reporting of scholarship, ASF, and workforce development outcomes, engagement metrics, and program participation.
Support fundraising and donor engagement efforts by helping elevate scholar stories, outcomes, and program impact when appropriate.
Provide leadership and oversight for financial empowerment and financial literacy initiatives across Support Services programming, ensuring consistent implementation and participant engagement.
Collaborate with Housing leadership to strengthen alignment between housing stability goals, workforce development, and financial capability programming for transitional-age youth.
Ensure financial empowerment services are delivered consistently across programs through staff training, coaching, quality assurance, and ongoing program evaluation.