Employment Services Program Director

Merrick, Inc. offers a unique variety of life enrichment, employment, and vocational rehabilitation to more than 375 clients. We are the largest day program in Ramsey Country with a 56-year history of leadership in person-centered planning, self-advocacy, meaningful work options, and continuous innovation.

The ideal candidate for the Program Director of Employment Services will be creative and able to strategically drive the growth of market-wage employment opportunities while honoring informed choice and protecting the special minimum wage option. They should be excited to try new approaches, be client-focused, drive the mission forward and have experience building employment programs and developing partnerships with government and businesses.

Position Summary:

The Program Director is a strategic position on the Leadership Team that will design and implement programs that support individuals with disabilities in developing skills that lead to person-centered work options. The Program Director of Employment Services provides leadership by establishing a work environment characterized by challenging work, using a team approach to problem-solving, developing talents, individualized recognition for excellence, and a collective celebration of success. This position will also oversee compliance with 245D licensing rules and the Positive Supports Rule.

Essential Responsibilities:

1. Coordinate the design, implementation, and evaluation of systems developed to meet employment program goals and objectives.
2. As required by the license, ensure the implementation of corrective actions, the review of incident and emergency reports, the evaluation of internal reviews of maltreatment, the evaluation of the satisfaction of services related to service delivery and rights, and the competency of employment program employees.
3. Supervise, interview, train, evaluate, discipline, and terminate employees in a manner consistent with company policies and procedures.
4. Lead efforts in developing and offering a curriculum that provides hard and soft skills training to adults with disabilities leading to market-wage employment.
5. Ensure the provision and documentation of each employment service meets all licensing requirements.
6. Provide leadership and directors to assigned employees consistent with the company's management core competencies to ensure work is completed on time, within allocated resources, and in a manner that develops leadership skills.
7. Plan and executes strategic and financial objectives.
   1. Responsible for employment program budget development and management.
   2. Coordinate with Accounting Department regarding payroll, accounts receivable, and payable.
   3. Provide oversights of client service rates and accountable for resolving escalated aging client service payments.
8. Manage the overall operations of the Employment Program Division within the policies established by the Board of Trustees, ensuring compliance with all applicable licensing regulations.
9. As scheduled, complete duties as the backup to the Executive Director and/or Director of Administrative Operations.

Qualifications:

1. Must be a Designated Coordinator as defined in state statute and have experience leading Employment or Vocational Rehabilitation Services.
2. Bachelor's Degree in human services, education, psychology, or a related field, is preferred.
3. Must meet the Designated Manager requirements, which includes a minimum of three years of experience managing the daily operations of a Department of Human Services or Department of Health licensed facility/department and directly supervising employees responsible for supporting individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
4. Proven understanding of employment waivered services and experience developing and offering a curriculum that provides hard and soft skills training to adults with disabilities leading to market-wage employment.
5. Demonstrated ability to productively collaborate with clients, coworkers, external constituents, committees, and the Board of Trustees.
6. Must possess superior writing skills with an ability to use computer technology to promote efficiency and enhance presentations and materials.
7. Have a valid class "D" driver's license.
8. Provide documentation of the company's minimum personal vehicle insurance.
9. Ongoing commitment to strengthening diversity, equity, and inclusion within the workplace.
10. Commitment to promoting a safe and hazard-free work environment.
11. Ability to pass a criminal background check and drug/alcohol test following a conditional job offer as well as throughout the course of employment, required by driving policies.

Essential Physical Functions:

The physical demands are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential responsibilities of this position. The employee must be able to continually sit, stand, walk, and communicate throughout each day. Be able to stoop, bend, kneel, twist, run, reach, push, and pull, regularly move up to 10 pounds and occasionally move up to 50 pounds, including moving clients who are unable to support their own weight, push and pull wheelchairs used by clients weighing 100-200 pounds. Reasonable accommodations can be made for all essential physical functions.

Our Commitment to DEI

We are dedicated to building a diverse team of employees who have an ongoing commitment to strengthening diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.

If you are excited about this role and you feel that you would be an asset to this position, regardless of your past experience, we highly encourage you to apply. We value people for all life, education, and work experience.