TEAM OVERVIEW: The Engagement and Workforce Services Team includes approximately 55 team members focused on building relationships, restoring trust, and planning for the next steps as youth and young adults prepare for independence. The staff helps young people learn soft skills and take attainable first steps toward longer-term employment. The Team offers transformative ways to build skills and confidence to explore a career and gain long-term employment. The Engagement Services team spans two program sites- Orion Center and the Denny Shell space (the Annex)Engagement Services division within YouthCare’s Programs Department is responsible for connecting youth and young adults to services that provide continuity and stabilization; connecting young adults to critical resources and services to prevent homelessness; outreaching into the community to educate the public and share the work YouthCare is doing to end youth homelessness; and working internally to foster an integrative service delivery approach that elevates team member competencies and success in providing culturally relevant services.
POSITION SUMMARY: Under the supervision of the Senior Program Manager – Engagement Services, the Program Operations Manager oversees the center’s daily operations. Key responsibilities include managing the daily meal program, maintaining physical facilities, providing administrative and fiscal support, handling data management, conducting safety inspections, ordering supplies, creating and implementing policies and procedures, coordinating with partners, and scheduling staff for meal programs. This role demands strong collaboration, organizational, and administrative skills, along with the ability to remain flexible while ensuring a safe and structured environment.
The Program Operations Manager also coordinates food preparation with a diverse group of community volunteers, staff, and young people experiencing homelessness. They ensure that the food is prepared in compliance with the Department of Health guidelines and that the kitchen meets all health code requirements. Additionally, they help to welcome and orient volunteers to the kitchen, ensuring they have a positive experience. Other responsibilities include tracking inventory, ordering food, supervising youth interns, and conducting a weekly meal schedule. This involves teaching proper food handling techniques, obtaining food handler permits, ensuring safe food storage, rotating products, and operating kitchen equipment correctly.
ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
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Collaborate dynamically with direct supervisor and YouthCare’s department leaders to improve program operations, manage budgets, Volunteer coordination, ensure service quality, and engage with staff across the agency to build, support, and achieve the organization’s goals.
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Foster internal partnerships between administrative and programmatic teams to avoid departmental silos and ensure seamless collaboration. Actively engage in regular communication, collaborative projects, and integrated planning to enhance overall program effectiveness and foster a unified organizational culture.
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Collaborate with operations and facilities team on the admin site to maintain a seamless workflow. This collaboration will ensure that all administrative tasks are handled correctly, from coordinating maintenance schedules.
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Comply with the agency’s mandated reporting requirement and report suspected abuse, neglect, or sexual exploitation of minors within the required timeframe.
- Execute PQI and accreditation procedures and adhere to policies.
- Create systems for feedback and continuous improvement.
- Ensure team can reliably attend and contribute to training and development as needed for the role and Agency such as program requirements, DEI&J, supervision, committee work, and others as identified. This includes confirmation of registration, ensuring attendance, and covering shifts.
Meal Operations:
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Ensure nutritious meals are prepared successfully with the help of staff and volunteers for groups of up to 70 young people.
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Welcome, orient, coach, and support volunteer meal groups and individual volunteers in meal preparation, service, and clean-up.
- Assist YouthCare in developing an efficient distribution system for in-kind donations of produce and other perishables.
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Coordinate with staff and volunteers via phone and email to answer questions about meal logistics, food procurement, menu planning, and supplies, ensuring prompt responses.
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Plan nutritious menus for volunteer meal teams and ensure proper ordering, storage, and inventory management of all food supplies at YouthCare’s Orion Center.
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Communicate consistently with the Development team regarding volunteer logistics, scheduling, needs, and special requests.
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Support the successful management of the meal team calendar.
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Monitor proper food storage, product rotation, and compliance with public health requirements.
- Create efficient systems to minimize waste while providing nutritious meals.
Facilities:
- Create policies and procedures for the effective running of the center.
- Oversee functioning & utilization of the Orion Center building
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Gather staff and community partners input in the creation of systems, policies, and procedures.
- Serve as the primary liaison with Facilities Department to coordinate repairs, maintenance, and improvement projects
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Be responsible for inventorying and stocking needed supplies for the building.
- Manage fiscal responsibilities; develop and oversee program budgets, as well as approve and reconcile credit card purchases monthly.
- Oversee and develop any needed vendor relationships.
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Develop and maintain external partnerships as needed.
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Serve as the site safety lead, coordinate all necessary safety training and checks, including monthly fire drills.
- Serve as the primary contact with partners to coordinate scheduling and programming.
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Crisis management involving clients and the overall functioning of the building
This job description is not intended to cover every aspect of your job at YouthCare. We are a team that works together to meet the needs of our clients, and every member of the team is expected to pitch in and help even beyond the specific responsibilities listed in this description.
WHAT YOU BRING:
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Demonstrated commitment to anti-racism and equity.
- The ability to maintain positive regard for young people despite periods of ambiguity and opposition.
- Coachability, and a desire to engage in candid two-way feedback as a means for professional growth.
- Demonstrated professionalism through a positive and cooperative attitude and by maintaining the confidential and proprietary nature of client/staff relationships and related work products.
- The ability to maintain stable performance under pressure or conflict; handle stress in a manner that maintains teamwork and respect for others and to the agency.
- Initiative, creativity, and flexibility
- Experience with and demonstrated integrity when working with diverse populations and cultures.
- Sense of humor and joy for the work
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
- HS Diploma or equivalent and 2+ years of relevant work experience, OR an equivalent combination of education, relevant work experience, and/or lived experience (4+ years)
- Ability to accurately maintain and produce files, records, logs, and reports.
- Ability to maintain professional boundaries with clients while building trust and respect.
- Ability to verbally and physically respond to an aggressive person in ways that de-escalate, establish and maintain staff and young peoples’ safety.
- Ability to assume responsibilities or duties within the agency not specifically delineated in this job description for short periods of time or on an infrequent basis.
- Experience and credentials must comply with program contractual requirements, including but not limited to the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) background clearance process and must be at least 21 years of age. DCYF Clearance must be maintained for entirety of employment when working with under-18 clients.
PREFERRED REQUIREMENTS:
- Experience working with young people experiencing homelessness, housing instability, poverty, and systemic oppression.
- Experience in facilities or operations
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Experience in food service or hospitality management
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Supervisory or project management experience
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Experience within workforce development systems, education and/or employment
- Intermediate computer software skills including Windows, MS Outlook, MS Word, and Excel
- Bachelor's Degree in Social Work, Food Service, Hospitality or related field
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
- Must be able to provide I-9 supporting documentation for employment.
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Ability to provide a negative TB Test (results must be within one year of hire date).
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Employees who drive YouthCare vehicles as a requirement for their position, must be at least 21 years of old, possess a valid Washington State Driver’s License, meet minimum safe driver criteria established by the agency and our insurance company which includes completion of Defensive Driving and 15-passenger Van trainings. Drivers under the age of 25 must have been licensed for at least 3 years and those operating vehicles with a capacity of 15 or more passengers must be at least 25 years old.
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Successful completion of pre-service training courses as required by contracting agencies. Training such as CPR & First Aid (Adult/Child), Bloodborne Pathogens, and Behavior Management.
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Computer software skills including Windows, Microsoft outlook, Microsoft Word, and Excel.
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Commitment to YouthCare’s initiative to build cultural proficiency across the agency. Acceptance of a variety of lifestyles, behaviors, and cultural and spiritual practices.
PHYSICAL CONSIDERATIONS:
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Ability to perform a range of physical motions, exerting up to 50 pounds. Lifting and carrying up to 50 pounds; standing, walking, sitting for long periods of time, kneeling, squatting, and stooping; running for brief periods of time; and go up and down stairs.
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May need to use ladders or stepstools.
