Position Title: Director of Shelters
Reports To: Executive Director
Position Classification: Full-Time, Exempt
ABOUT GROUNDWORKS COLLABORATIVE
Established in 2015, following the merger of the Brattleboro Area Drop-In Center and Morningside Shelter, Groundworks is a dynamic organization committed to providing food, shelter, and supportive services with dignity throughout the greater Brattleboro area.
Groundworks’ mission is to work with individuals and systems to create solutions for ending hunger and homelessness for all people in our region. We envision a community in which all members have their basic needs met, including food security and a safe and dignified place to call home. We view poverty, housing, and food insecurity to be byproducts of societal conditions, generational discrimination, and public policy choices, rather than as a result of individual choices. Therefore, Groundworks fosters a culture of nonjudgment and compassion for the people we serve.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Director of Shelters oversees Groundworks’ shelter program(s), which operate 24/7, and will likely oversee additional programs over time. As the senior staff member, the Director of Shelters is responsible for delivering programmatic and operational excellence, building a great place to work and volunteer, and promoting seamless integration between Groundworks’ programs and services. This position has the creative opportunity to enhance programs, develop new initiatives, implement a theory of change, and set high service-delivery standards to ensure that the shelters embody our philosophy of dignity and respect.
The Director of Shelters directly supervises the Drop-In Center Coordinator and the Coordinator of a new shelter opening in the fall of 2026—indirectly supervising a staff of approximately 36. Groundworks is currently constructing the second shelter and this position will play a key role in shaping and building staffing for the new program. This position is responsible for ensuring efficient and effective operations and for building a welcoming and collaborative team environment marked by nonjudgmental and compassionate care.
The Director of Shelters facilitates program planning, evaluation, and continuous improvement, monitors evolving community needs, and develops new services as needs emerge. This position also ensures that Groundworks’ shelters comply with all federal, state, municipal, and private funding regulations, certifications, and licensing requirements. As a member of the Leadership Team the Director of Shelters provides agency-wide leadership to ensure the overall success of Groundworks’ programs, workplace, and impact.
RESPONSIBILITIES
PROGRAM EXCELLENCE (20%)
● Ensure shelters achieve the highest level of programmatic and operational excellence and provide great customer service through continuous quality improvement.
● Communicate Groundworks’ philosophy of care, mission, values, theory of change, and standards of excellence to staff, volunteers, and external stakeholders.
● Maintain high service standards and ensure a compassionate, nonjudgmental approach.
● Create annual program budgets and manage programs to those budgets, enabling the seamless integration of Groundworks’ programs and services.
● Maintain current knowledge of resources and effectively navigate community services. ● Develop new programs and services in response to evolving community needs.
● Develop clear goals, objectives, and work plans that result in quality, responsive
services; monitor progress regularly to ensure that goals and objectives are fulfilled.
● Continuously observe and monitor programs; provide feedback to staff.
● Facilitate rigorous staff and volunteer trainings to enhance skills and performance.
● Formally evaluate programs quarterly; solicit client, staff, and community feedback. ● Report frequently on programmatic progress, challenges, and improvements to leadership and the Board.
● Identify improvement opportunities and lead change to adjust programs based on feedback.
PROGRAM OPERATIONS (20%)
● Supervision of the Coordinated Entry system
● Ensure adequate staffing levels, anticipate staffing needs, and maintain effective scheduling practices, including substitute/per diem staffing systems. Provide direct staffing if needed.
● Ensure that all staff initially receive robust onboarding and training. ● Continuously monitor and enhance the On-Call system.
● Ensure that all day-to-day operations meet the needs of clients, staff, and volunteers. ● Develop and enhance systems to promote efficiency and effectiveness.
● Ensure shelters are clean and welcoming, and comply with health and safety standards.
● Update program policies, guidance, care standards, shelter rules, procedures, etc. ● Ensure programs comply with funder requirements.
● Oversee the accurate, complete, and timely collection and entry of program data. ● Enhance the efficiency of data collection and management systems as needed.
● Maintain program records and create monitoring reports for internal and external use. ● Provide program data for government and private grant applications and reports.
● Supervise and train data entry staff.
STAFF AND VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT (20%)
● Ensure shelters are fully staffed at all times through robust recruitment, hiring, onboarding, training, and retention efforts.
● Conduct weekly individual supervision meetings with direct reports. Create priorities, development goals, and work plans; observe staff, provide feedback, coaching, and technical assistance.
● Foster direct reports’ leadership growth; evaluate performance annually.
● Ensure supervisors set all staff and volunteers up for success through clear roles, at least bi-weekly 1:1 supervision, regular feedback, coaching, training, and support.
● Ensure that all staff have development goals and that skills are assessed regularly.
● Address employee relations, concerns, and/or grievances.
● Ensure exit interviews for all departing staff.
● Grow volunteer participation in Groundworks’ shelters and housing programs. ● Ensure effective volunteer recruitment, engagement, and retention.
● Support the hiring, onboarding, training, and supervision of volunteers.
● Monitor volunteers’ effectiveness, engagement, and satisfaction.
TEAM AND CULTURE BUILDING (10%)
● Create an exceptional workplace and a team culture of collaboration, ownership, and leadership that attracts, fully engages, and retains staff members and volunteers.
● Uphold, model, and maintain Groundworks’ values. Foster dedication to Groundworks’ service mission and a culture of understanding, compassion, and positive regard for clients.
● Ensure shelter team members embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion.
● Enable staff and volunteer skill-building and understanding of anti-racist and anti-oppression frameworks, mutual aid vs. charity, and the root causes of poverty.
● Convene or ensure Shelter Coordinators plan and facilitate regular, participatory team meetings that promote teamwork, ownership, and collaborative problem-solving.
● Train staff in skillfully managing/deescalating crisis situations, and in nonjudgmental and compassionate approaches to working with people in vulnerable situations.
● Ensure staff understand Groundworks’ goals, priorities, budget, and financial status.
● Model accountability in relation to individual, programmatic, and organizational goals. ● Embody an intentional culture of wellness and help shape wellness efforts for all Groundworkers.
● Submit stories capturing client and staff experiences for Groundworks’ communications.
CLIENT SUPPORT (15%)
● Interact regularly with clients, and build positive relationships.
● Develop and maintain capacity for staff providing direct services to clients experiencing a crisis.
● Manage and participate in On-Call services, including evenings, weekends, and holidays (minimum of 7 days per month).
● Provide skills consultation and/or access to clinical supervision for staff as needed. ● Review all event reports and ensure timely debriefing and follow-through with involved staff, clients, and relevant team(s).
AGENCY-WIDE LEADERSHIP (10%)
● Serve on the Leadership Team’s Executive and operations work groups; provide agency-wide strategic leadership, problem-solving, planning, coordination, and communication.
● Participate in and help facilitate effective Leadership Team meetings.
● Model and uphold Groundworks’ values, policies, and procedures; foster a great workplace.
● Perform other duties as contributions to a collaborative and values-driven team.
COMMUNITY RELATIONS & COLLABORATIONS (5%)
● Promote community awareness of Groundworks’ shelters, housing programs, and other services.
● Serve as an ambassador by regularly recruiting clients, donors, volunteers, and staff. ● Represent Groundworks in the community, highlighting the needs of the people we serve.
● Represent Groundworks in statewide shelter provider networks and work groups.
● Cultivate community partnerships and collaborations with related service providers. ● Engage in community meetings, advocacy, and education around housing.
COMPETENCIES
● Excellent communication and interpersonal skills that inspire a dynamic team environment.
● Leads change and develops new systems using a creative and innovative lens. ● Outstanding people leadership and supervisory skills including recruitment, onboarding, expectation and goal setting, feedback giving, and coaching.
● Delegates effectively, involves people in decisions that affect them, and builds effective teams.
● Manages complex operations and scheduling thoughtfully and strategically.
● Embraces continuous learning in leadership, operations, and program excellence.
● Flexible—can be hands-on and multitask in a fluid and fast-paced work environment.
● Strong time management skills, prioritizes competing tasks, and meets deadlines.
● Highly organized, plans effectively, pays attention to details and accuracy.
● Remains calm under pressure, and models effective stress management and self-care. ● Analyzes problems/issues, gathers data and information, and finds effective solutions. ● Exercises solid judgment and critical thinking.
● Knowledge of budget planning, program evaluation, and grants management.
● Balances the needs of clients as a whole with individual client needs, with a steadfast commitment to fairness, consistency, and consideration of individual circumstances.
● Exhibits empathy while maintaining professional boundaries.
● Personal commitment to social justice, anti-racism, and equity.
● Understands trauma-informed care and program design.
● Understands complex challenges associated with poverty, addiction, and mental health.
● Knowledge of area resources and systemic barriers; effectively navigates services.
● Understands anti-oppression frameworks, mutual aid vs. charity in program design, harm reduction, and the root causes of homelessness.
● Working knowledge of Microsoft Office or other software applications to retrieve data, create spreadsheets, and generate reports.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
● Five or more years of senior nonprofit administrative, homeless services, or housing experience
● Significant experience in supervising staff, team building, and creating a great workplace
● Experience working with substance use, mental illness, and individuals with trauma histories
● Track record in evaluating, enhancing, and managing programs, systems building, planning, budgeting, and grants and data management
● Significant experience working with low-income and diverse populations
● Experience in training and enhancing staff and volunteers’ skills in crisis intervention and a range of issues relating to mental health, substance use, and homelessness
● Lived experience with poverty and/or housing or food insecurity
● Strong knowledge of community resources and experience in community engagement and navigating services
● Passion for Groundworks’ mission, philosophy, and nonjudgmental, compassionate approach
● Competency in using a computer
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $70,200.00 - $93,703.00 per year
Benefits:
- 403(b) matching
- Employee assistance program
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Loan forgiveness
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
Work Location: In person
