Director Academy of Arts & Recreation Full Time NEW

The Academy of Arts & Recreation Director is responsible for the development and leadership of the Academy of Arts & Recreation (AAR) program. The AAR is a person-centered program that provides social, emotional, and workforce skill development for individuals with disabilities through visual, digital, and performing arts, as well as through recreation, and social skills training. The Director plays an instrumental role in the program’s curriculum development and provides oversight for the strategic accomplishment of program goals. The role supervises/manages the AAR team members, oversees the program budget, and conducts community partner tour/volunteer/training site recruitment, as well as manages all related contracts, policies, procedures, regulations, and accreditation standards to ensure compliance and develops and promotes effective and efficient systems and processes to ensure such. The Director ensures high-quality, person-centered services by designing, facilitating, and overseeing service and support delivery, including Intake/Assessments, Individual Support/Transition Plans and Strategies, Lesson Plans, Activity Schedules, and Curriculum Implementation. Ensures appropriate staffing patterns. The Director manages AAR team and staff development through hiring, training, leading, and evaluating performance. The Director manages the AAR site and participates in planning and implementing safety, disaster preparedness, and evacuation process.

The principal functions of the position identified shall not be considered as a complete description of all the work requirements and expectations that may be inherent in the position or for the team/department. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Position’s Essential Duties & Responsibilities

The following are essential duties and responsibilities that the Academy of Arts & Recreation Director shall provide for the organization:

• Strategic Leadership: Engage in strategic planning discussions related to initial curriculum and future programming activities, business partner cultivation, and community engagement. Develop innovative methods to serve participants. Participate in the design and implementation of the departmental performance management system. Analyze outcome data and generate outcome measurement reports that identify performance trends, barriers, and quality improvement activities/recommendations. Prepare and submit reports describing progress on each deliverable item required by contractual, regulatory and agency policies and
• Manage the provision of direct support to participants: Effectively oversee the provision of quality services to individuals with disabilities. Effectively and creatively design and refine program services. Stay abreast of evidence-based transition services/Life Skills IV, design, and delivery Supports the development and maintenance of young adult/family support networks through outreach to family members, community members, and professionals. Develops relationships with home school and private school leadership, and participates in engagement opportunities with this population for recruitment purposes (18 – 22). Maintains a relationship with the other Workforce Services departments, and with SBBC transition services to identify prospective candidates (22+) for the program. Conduct outreach to recruit and orient participants into AAR and ensure intakes are completed in a timely manner. Actively participates in the intake and admissions processes and assists in making decisions of program acceptance, monitors prescribed documentation systems and procedures for accuracy and follow-through. Ensure a variety of engaging lesson plans are utilized and an enriched activity curriculum is scheduled at AAR to address the needs of all program participants. Encourage, educate, and empower participants to strive for personal and economic success that will produce successful outcomes. Support participants to move beyond their current level of thinking and living to close the self-sufficiency, income, employment, and educational gaps.
• Individual Person-Centered Planning: Actively oversee the development and implementation of person-centered plans and assist AAR staff to develop appropriate goals and outcomes for individuals receiving AAR training and related services. Coordinates and oversees the delivery of services, including on site job coaching, facilitation of curriculum, as needed, assessments, summaries of present levels of performance, and progress/efficacy. Develop documentation systems and review work quality and output pertaining to service logs, quarterly reports, person-centered plans, and other reports. Monitor the documentation and progress toward meeting outcomes. Communicate with other agencies as needed.
• Human Resources Activities: Consistently coordinate personnel management by interviewing, making recommendations for hire; conducting progressive coaching sessions and performance reviews; facilitating teamwork; delegating tasks and responsibilities; encouraging effective communication and defusing crises/conflicts between team members. Effectively coordinate and participate in orientation and in-service training by orienting new team members to the Academy of Arts & Recreation and other related agency services as well as supporting on-going employee development and providing technical assistance to employees, as necessary. Monitor team training needs. Provide direct supervision to assigned team members. Maintain a per diem team roster.
• Team Management Activities: Effectively enhance team relations by facilitating team meetings, developing agendas, drafting, and disseminating minutes; using effective communication skills; encouraging growth and self-development; facilitating teamwork; employing conflict resolution skills; and providing adequate supports to team members and team Ensure formal and informal communication systems are used effectively. Conducts routine site visits to monitor and observe staff and provide feedback for ongoing quality improvement. Ensure that agency policies and procedures regarding payroll are enforced; develop and maintain schedules of staffing, conferences, meetings, audits, and reviews. Oversee and maintain monthly team calendars and schedules. Participate in ongoing professional development activities and continuing education.
• Financial Management Activities: Ensure fiscal responsibility and management by monitoring program operating Consistently ensure that agency policies and procedures regarding payroll are enforced, and process bimonthly payroll. Assist in developing operating budgets for assigned department. Maintains department credit card account and reconciliation procedures. Ensure program data is entered timely for invoicing to be submitted.
• Marketing/Public Relations/Advocacy: Successfully promote public relations by educating community members about people with disabilities and the organization’s mission and advocating for the rights and responsibilities of individuals with disabilities. Identify and recruit potential arts and recreation focused businesses/agencies for engagement with AAR.
• Community Outreach: Maintain a current and diverse pool of local community resources needed for personal, educational, volunteer, employment, and financial enhancement, and provide such information to participants and their families to address their needs. Participate and act as an ambassador for the agency and program in development activities, community resource fairs, relevant Chamber of Commerce events, and other related community events.
• Mission: Create an atmosphere of trust and accountability with participants. Motivate, encourage, empower, and educate participants to strive for community integration, self-sufficiency, and economic success that will produce outcomes. Support participants to move beyond their current level of thinking and living to close the self-sufficiency, community integration, employment, and income gap. Coach participants in a manner allowing them to realize and acknowledge barriers to self-sufficiency and work to address these goals. Display flexibility and adaptability and be innovative to create various levels of objectives and expectations for participants to meet. Help participants to be aware of and to access community resources, volunteer, recreation, and cultural arts opportunities. Facilitate learning opportunities for participants to acquire social skills that are valuable and transferable to future volunteer, job, and/or educational opportunities. Facilitate opportunities for participants to gain exposure to training, jobs, and engagement opportunities in the fields of arts and recreation.
• Administrative and other Documentation Activities: Complete required reports for funders in accordance with executed contracts and regulations. Monitor and evaluate systems and service outcomes; develop and maintain accurate record keeping systems; oversee the maintenance of a central record for each person served. Ensure that census is updated and accurate to develop the quarterly/monthly reports submitted to funders. Assist with the accreditation process through maintaining CARF standards throughout programmatic structure. Update coaching and service case notes and performance measures in all applicable databases, including but not limited to iConnect, EMA, and SetWorks. Assist in the development of the program budget, demonstrate fiscal prudence by remaining within approved budget expenses. Submit invoices and prepare purchase requisitions. Ensure client records are maintained as
• Policies, Procedures and Rule Compliance: Adequately understand and consistently implement current federal, state, and local licensing rules and regulations, agency policies and practices, and protection of participant rights in compliance with F.S. Chapter 393 Client Bill of Rights and Department of Labor; develop and revise departmental standard operating procedures. Complete required training.
• Health and Safety Issues: Adhere to safety protocols. Respond to emergencies and participate in emergency disaster preparedness. Provide supports that will empower individuals to act on their own behalf, report suspicious situations, and allegations of abuse and/or neglect; provide support and counseling in the area of decision making. Support risk management initiatives of the agency.
• Other Duties: This position description may not be all inclusive and the Academy of Arts & Recreation Director is expected to perform all other duties as assigned and directed by the administrative team. Position descriptions and duties may be modified when deemed appropriate by the leadership team.

Organization’s Essential Expectations

• Comply with Arc Broward policies and procedures.
• Report to work as scheduled, in a timely fashion and with an attitude oriented toward service.
• Present in a professional manner within the community, in person, on telephone and in verbal/written communication including times of extreme stress and when others are upset.
• Effectively collaborate with culturally diverse groups and individuals experiencing an exacerbation of behavioral and medical symptoms.
• Work cooperatively and takes direction from leadership with dignity, respect and in a productive, professional manner.
• Work cordially and collaboratively with others in a team setting.
• Assume a professional, helpful style in all encounters with visitors, vendors and other professionals and represents the organization in a positive manner 100% of the time.
• Demonstrate an understanding of, supports, and focuses on the mission, values, and strategic direction of the organization.
• Render compassionate care and an equal commitment to serve others in need of assistance.
• Respond to electronic and handwritten mail, memoranda, voice messages and other correspondence timely (within 48-hours or next available business day) and in a professional manner.
• Accept and carry out special assignments / projects as directed and needed for team / department / organization.
• Maintain position training requirements.
• Must successfully complete all criminal background and drug screenings throughout tenure.
• Must have a valid Florida driver’s license and proof of insurance which must be maintained throughout tenure.
• Must maintain a safe driving record with no more than 6 points on motor vehicle report (MVR) throughout tenure.

WORK ENVIRONMENT & MENTAL/PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the functions of this position. This position requires a large amount of sitting, standing, and walking and the frequent use of hands and arms, as well as bending, stooping, and lifting up to 20 pounds. Talking and listening will be a major component. Individual must have the ability to visually focus with the eyes for long periods of time at close range with documents and computer screen. Most of the work is performed in an office/job site environment in a climate-controlled setting. Work may involve some interventions with persons served who are in crisis and may become aggressive. Working for Arc Broward may include potential exposure to bloodborne pathogens, body fluids and tissue.

Work requires an AAR Director to have a flexible schedule and work beyond hours of operation to ensure that organizational needs and programmatic excellence is met; this may include some evenings and weekends. Up to 10% travel may be needed amongst local locations.

Education/License/Certification/Experience/Skill Requirements

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in social work, psychology, social services, education, business, art, or related field with a minimum of 3-5 years’ experience, preferably in non-profit, required. Master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, education, or a social services field preferred.

Other Desired Qualifications

• Must possess strong leadership, decision making and analytical abilities.
• Excellent presentation, oral and written communication skills.
• Performs all interactions with the highest level of customer service and professionalism.
• Must have a strong work ethic, positive attitude, willingness to help others, sensitivity to individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment, and excellent teamwork.
• Exceptional organizational skills, time management, and ability to handle multiple high volume projects.
• Ability to adapt in a dynamic work environment, learn quickly, solve problems, and make decisions.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Internet, and familiarity with data tracking systems.
• Ability to work effectively independently, as well as in a team environment.
• Must possess auditory, visual, and verbal capabilities in order to adequately communicate via the telephone and in person.
• Must be able to effectively organize and plan short- and long-term work activities for self and students.
• Must be able to receive and follow instructions and feedback.

Perks & Benefits

• Generous Paid Time Off: 26 days (5 weeks!) of PTO per year
• Employee Referral Bonuses
• Paid Training & Certifications
• Comprehensive Medical Coverage including HSA with employer matching & FSA options
• Comprehensive Dental & Vision Coverage
• Employer-Paid Life Insurance with option to increase coverage voluntarily
• Short/Long Term Disability
• Voluntary Insurance/Plans including Critical Illness, Accident, Hospital Indemnity, Pet Insurance, Legal Aid & ID Theft
• Retirement Plan with employer matching
• Employee Assistance Program for you and your immediate family
• Ongoing Professional Development through Arc Educates

Join us in making a difference and help us shape the future of Arc Broward!

Arc Broward is an Equal Opportunity Employer and abides by the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and state laws governing employment of individuals with disabilities.