Programs Manager

Job Description

The Father McKenna Center seeks a creative, organized, and mission-driven professional to serve as Programs Manager. This position has two core areas of responsibility. The Manager will design and facilitate programming for Day Program guests from the time the Center's doors open at 7:30 a.m. through the completion of lunch at 12:30 p.m., personally leading some sessions while recruiting and coordinating volunteers and outside partners to lead others. This window includes breakfast and lunch service themselves, which offer a natural opportunity to "table" programming and engage guests informally as they arrive and depart. Additionally, they will manage the Center's seasonal, 10-bed overnight Hypothermia Program, operating mid-November through mid-March, including identifying program participants and recruiting, training, and scheduling the overnight monitors who staff the program.

The Father McKenna Center is looking for a Programs Manager who is willing to go above and beyond - someone who will step in to provide direct service to guests whenever it's needed to make sure they are cared for. Additionally, The Father McKenna Center is looking for someone genuinely committed to serving people struggling with homelessness and mental health challenges - someone who brings patience, compassion, and steadiness to that work.

The successful candidate will understand that the Center's Jesuit and Catholic identity is integral to its mission and approach to service. Candidates need not necessarily come from a particular faith tradition but must be able to work respectfully and enthusiastically within a faith-based organization and support the Center's commitment to human dignity, solidarity, accompaniment, and service to others.

Primary Responsibilities

Day Program: Guest Programming

Design and maintain a regular calendar of programming for Day Program guests from the time the Center's doors open at 7:30 a.m. through the completion of lunch at 12:30 p.m., dedicating time outside the window itself to plan and schedule upcoming sessions.

Use breakfast and lunch service as an opportunity to "table" programming - engaging guests informally, sharing information, and building interest in upcoming sessions as they arrive and depart.

Personally plan and facilitate a range of guest programming, which may include sessions on life skills, recovery and wellness, biomedical and mental health awareness, job readiness, spirituality, nutrition, and personal values.

Identify, recruit, train, and coordinate volunteers, outside instructors, and community partners to lead additional programming.

Prepare programming space, materials, and supplies needed for each session.

Track guest participation and gather feedback to evaluate programming effectiveness.

Adjust or expand programming based on guest interest, feedback, and emerging needs.

Coordinate with Day Program case management and front-line staff so programming complements the broader services guests receive.

Hypothermia Program Management

Manage all aspects of the Center's seasonal, 10-bed overnight Hypothermia Program, operating mid-November through mid-March.

Identify and select program participants through referrals from the Day Program, information sessions for interested guests, and follow-up interviews and screening.

Recruit, train, and schedule the overnight monitors who staff the program each night it operates.

Bring a willingness to go above and beyond, stepping in to provide direct support whenever needed to make sure guests are cared for.

Develop and maintain program procedures that ensure guest safety, consistency, and compliance with applicable contracts, health and safety requirements, and documentation standards.

Coordinate logistics including supplies, bedding, meals, and transportation as needed.

Maintain accurate records of participants, monitor schedules, and incident reports.

Work with participants to identify housing and service options before the program concludes each season.

Administration and Community Engagement

Track programming and Hypothermia Program participation, services, and outcomes for internal evaluation, grants, contracts, and reporting.

Assist organizational leadership with program planning, budgeting, grant reporting, and policy development related to guest programming and the Hypothermia Program.

Represent the Center at community meetings, service-provider gatherings, and collaborative initiatives.

Develop and maintain productive relationships with volunteers, presenters, university partners, donors, parishes, and other community stakeholders.

Participate in staff meetings, mission-focused formation, and organizational events.

Perform other responsibilities reasonably related to the position and the Center's mission.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience designing and facilitating programming or services for people experiencing homelessness, poverty, or related barriers.

Experience planning and facilitating groups, workshops, or programming, ideally with vulnerable or underserved populations.

Experience recruiting, training, and scheduling volunteers or staff.

Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple concurrent programs and priorities.

Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.

Ability to document services accurately and protect confidential information.

Ability to respond to conflict and crisis situations with sound judgment, patience, and composure.

Commitment to treating every guest with dignity and respect.

Genuine commitment to serving people struggling with homelessness and mental health challenges.

Willingness and ability to support the Father McKenna Center's Jesuit and Catholic mission and to work constructively in an environment where faith informs organizational values and service.

Availability for a full-time daytime schedule. The daily 5-hour guest programming window (7:30 a.m. doors-open through the completion of lunch at 12:30 p.m.) is complemented by time spent developing and scheduling programming, preparing for and administering the Hypothermia Program (including monitor recruiting and scheduling), community engagement, and general administrative work - along with a willingness to go above and beyond and step into direct service whenever needed to support the Hypothermia Program from mid-November through mid-March.

Preferred Qualifications

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Social Work or related field.

Experience managing a hypothermia, overnight shelter, or homeless-services program.

Experience designing curricula, workshops, or activities for adults experiencing homelessness, mental health challenges or poverty.

Supervisory experience with employees, interns, or volunteers.

Training or experience in trauma-informed care, motivational interviewing, harm reduction, or de-escalation.

Familiarity with housing, public-benefit, behavioral-health, and homeless-services systems in Washington, DC.

Experience with program evaluation, grant reporting, databases, or a Homeless Management Information System.

Physical and Working Requirements

This position is primarily performed on site in an active social-service setting. The employee must be able to move throughout the facility, interact regularly with guests, and respond to situations requiring timely attention. The position may occasionally require standing for extended periods and lifting or moving items weighing up to 25 pounds. Reasonable accommodations will be provided in accordance with applicable law.

How to Apply

Please submit a resume and cover letter to hwillbanks@fathermckennacenter.org with "Programs Manager" in the subject line.

In the cover letter, applicants are invited to describe their experience designing or facilitating programming and their interest in contributing to the mission of a Jesuit-sponsored social service organization.

About the Employer

The Father McKenna Center is a Jesuit-sponsored social service agency serving in downtown Washington, DC. The Center was established at St. Aloysius Church in 1983. Grounded in Ignatian spirituality and the Catholic conviction that every person possesses inherent dignity, the Center provides a comprehensive Day Program for men experiencing homelessness and poverty. Services include breakfast and lunch, case management, assistance obtaining identification and public benefits, clothing, mail services, access to technology, and individualized support navigating housing instability, unemployment, health concerns, and other systemic barriers. The Center also operates a busy food pantry serving Day Program guests and members of the surrounding community.