Lead Program Manager

Position Summary:

The Lead Program Manager (LPM) for Shelter & LTFC Programs is an integral part of the Caminos Nacional team and will help ensure that program operations align with internal policies, accreditation standards, and federal/state regulations. This role is responsible for oversight and ensuring operational excellence, compliance, and quality across all residential and long-term foster care (LTFC) contracts. You will lead and mentor a team of Program Managers, provide technical assistance to subgrantee partners, and maintain strong partnerships with federal funders (e.g. ORR).

You will also help design and implement best practice standards, monitor program performance, and lead continuous improvement in collaboration with the Program Director, Executive Leadership, and partner organizations.

Your efforts will help us fulfill our mission of enriching communities, one family at a time. Why Join Everstand?

Find joy and purpose in your career. Join an inspired team of professionals who are transforming the lives of youth and enriching communities, one family at a time. Everstand is not a federal or state agency. It is an independent, not-for-profit organization that serves over 1,000 children annually across 12 locations. You would join about 600 teammates across DC, MD, PA, and WV who empower youth and their families to flourish within their community.

Essential Functions:

• Approaches concerns, challenges, and opportunities with empathy, attention to detail, active listening, and curiosity.
• Consistently models EVERSTAND's core values: Safety, Empathy, Relationships, and Impact.
• Honor differences, acknowledge uniqueness, and amplify all voices.
• Collaborate with developing training and group experiences that strengthen Everstand's commitment to staff wellness and belonging.
• Models the use of welcoming and respectful language.
• Consistently uses inclusive language in communication and documentation.

Leadership & Staff Supervision

• Lead with a trauma-informed, growth mindset: "Choose kindness. Solve problems. Learn together. Make it happen."
• Screen, interview, and onboard Program Managers and key staff; support orientation to federal regulations and service expectations.
• Provide coaching, mentoring, and performance development to Program Managers; monitor staff well-being and mitigate secondary trauma.
• Lead or support trainings and professional development initiatives for subgrantee staff and internal teams.
• Adaptive leadership and training responsibilities professional communication with team members and supervisors.

Program & Compliance Oversight

• Oversee monitoring of subrecipient performance to ensure compliance with ORR requirements, MOUs, and federal and state regulations.
• Lead onsite and desk audits, compliance debriefs, and assignment of corrective actions when needed.
• Ensure subrecipient policies align with ORR, accreditation standards, and evolving federal guidance (including sexual abuse prevention/harassment rules).
• Collaborate with Compliance and Service Administrators to standardize procedures and infrastructure across sites.

Planning, Reporting & Data Management

• Develop annual project plans with targets and deliverables, in partnership with Program Director and subgrantee teams.
• Oversee subrecipient entry and quality control of data in UC portal and other systems; assist with catch-up efforts when needed.
• Create dashboards, interpret reports, and produce presentations for senior leadership, funders, and stakeholders.
• Manage monitoring tools and audit templates; update them to reflect policy changes and evolving regulatory standards.
• Ensure Program Managers collect stakeholder feedback for their respective Caminos Program. This includes, but is not limited to, surveys focused on employees, clients, families of clients, and other stakeholders.

Technical Assistance & Relationship Management

• Provide technical support to subgrantee organizations on program design, compliance, service delivery, and performance improvement.
• Act as liaison (when necessary) to federal partners (e.g., ORR) and external stakeholders when the Program Director is unavailable.
• Support invoice and financial reconciliation for subgrantee programs (in collaboration with Finance).
• Assist with federal record requests, policy reviews, and participation in organizational training initiatives.

Non-Essential Functions

• Other than the essential functions of the job listed above, which are provided in detail and directly applicable and required for this position, this written job description is provided as a general guideline of the tasks and duties associated with this position.
• This written job description is not all-inclusive. Employees can and may be asked to perform tasks, duties, and functions beyond those listed in this written job description.
• Employees may be required to perform the tasks, duties, and functions of other positions and jobs as the needs of Everstand arise.
• Refusal to perform job tasks, duties, and functions beyond those listed in this job description may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.
• This written job description is not a contract and in no way alters the at-will nature of the employment relationship.

Competencies:

• All Everstand Core Values: safety, empathy, relationships, and impact.
• Handling Stress
  Meeting Standards
• Accurate Listening
• Organized Workplace
• Mindfulness
• Personal Accountability
• Attitude towards Honesty
• Crisis response and de-escalation ability
• Task & Time Management
• Problem-Solving
• Analytical Person/Situation Analysis
• Customer Service Orientation
• Frequent Interaction with Others
• Attention to Detail
• Empathy and patience with youth experiencing trauma
• Adaptability in Fast-Paced
• OSHA compliance
• Environments
• Federal and State law compliance
• Confidentiality

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in a human service-related field.
• A minimum of 2 years related experience with quality improvement activities such as but not limited to auditing, data analysis, corrective action plan creation, or systems implementation.
• A minimum of 1 year experience in oversight of an Office of Refugee Resettlement program such as Residential Shelters, Foster Care, or Home Study/Post-Release Services.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and direct project objectives independently via careful operational coordination, planning, and execution.
• Demonstrated ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team with success coordinating training and implementation of large projects.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Master's degree in a human service-related field.
• Experience with state licensure and national accreditation or familiarity with these processes.
• 3 years documented, progressively responsible experience in the field of child and family services and/or behavioral health care.
• 3 years' experience with a focus on quality improvement activities and/or managing program budgets, grants or contracts.
• Proven capacity to design and deliver a range of training and technical assistance programs to build full range of capacities for program operations.
• Experience with funding regulations, standards, and requirements.

Licenses/Certifications:

• Must pass background checks (CPS, fingerprinting), drug screening, TB screening, and physical work-readiness.
• Ability to pass suitability determination with background checks.
• PMP, or similar certification, or ability to obtain PMP withing 2 years preferred.

Bilingual Differential:

• Bilingual candidates (Spanish/English or other relevant languages) may be eligible for a language differential based on program needs and demonstrated language proficiency.

Supervisory Responsibility:

Will provide direct supervision to a team of Program Managers and be responsible for ongoing performance evaluation and professional development. Acts in a supportive capacity to Caminos Compliance Administrators and sub-grantee program leadership.

Work Environment:

This position requires the ability to work effectively in both a professional office setting and a hybrid work environment, which includes a remote workspace that meets organizational standards. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, scanners, and filing cabinets.

Due to the nature of the organization, occasional exposure to a residential and school environment where challenging behaviors, such as physical agitation, physical violence, and/or emotional outbursts, may be exhibited.

Exposure to intense emotional environments; the role requires vigilance, adaptability, and resilience

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Able to engage in physical intervention techniques when safety is compromised, if applicable (upon training).

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to remain stationary; move; manipulate; operate; place, handle, or detect objects, tools, or controls; acquire; adjust; ascend/descend; position self; communicate; exchange information; and detect and distinguish. The employee must occasionally move/transport up to twenty-five (25) pounds. Specific detection and discernment abilities include observing, recognizing, comparing, estimating, assessing, perceiving, inspecting, distinguishing, and determining.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:

This is a full-time, 40-hour per week position which may require working outside normal business hours (Monday-Friday), with occasional evening and weekend hours. The role requires participation in a holiday coverage rotation for program emergencies from 8 AM to 6 PM, with on-call responsibilities up to three times per calendar year.

Mileage reimbursement or agency vehicle provided for approved travel.

Leave is available by going through the prescribed leave request process.

This position is denoted as nonessential for emergencies and inclement weather notices.

Flexibility

This position is eligible to participate in the Flex schedule policy with supervisor approval.

Travel

This position is designated as hybrid with required local travel as needed. Quarterly, short-term travel with overnight stays to subrecipient locations across the contiguous United States is required. Mileage reimbursement is available for regional travel, which typically occurs during standard business hours.

Additional Eligibility Qualifications

• Ability to work effectively with internal and external partners and stakeholders, demonstrating empathy, maturity, professionalism, and tact.
• Proven effective time management, planning, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to solve problems.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to learn and effectively utilize different technology platforms.
• Ability to work in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Ability to communicate in a clear, concise manner, both written and orally.
• Must be computer literate with competence in spreadsheets, databases, and other software utilized by the organization.
• Ability to interact with the public, staff, and clients in a professional, responsive, and trauma-informed manner.
• Ability to develop a sufficient understanding of agency functioning and goals to develop appropriate priorities.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and work well in a non-structured environment.
• Ability to pass TCI certification both at employee orientation and per the schedule outlined by HR thereafter. (Non-Direct at hire).
• Ability to pass CPR/First Aid certification both at employee orientation and per the schedule outlined by HR thereafter.
• Ability to demonstrate the possession of a valid driver's license before employment and the ability to maintain the license and operate a motor vehicle thereafter.
• Ability to pass CPS/UII background check both before employment and per the schedule outlined by HR thereafter.
• Ability to pass a Tuberculosis Screening both before employment and per the schedule outlined by HR thereafter.
• Ability to pass a work-readiness physical performed by a certified medical professional both before employment and per the schedule outlined by HR thereafter.
• Ability to pass a Federal and State Fingerprinting Background Check, as well as suitability determination before employment and per the schedule outlined by HR thereafter.
• Ability to pass a drug screen via urinalysis both before employment and randomly thereafter.

This job description is not intended to represent a comprehensive list of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. The employee's signature below affirms the employee's understanding of the requirements, responsibilities, expectations, and essential functions of the position, and thus the general nature of the role.

Employee signature below constitutes the employee's understanding of the requirements, essential functions, and duties of the position.

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