Direct Services Director

Vision: A “Ray of Hope” for survivors of violence, empowering a future where every person can live with safety, dignity, and freedom.

Mission: AshaKiran empowers survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking through culturally responsive services, advocacy, education, and community partnerships that promote safety, healing, and self-determination.

Agency: AshaKiran, Inc.

Position Title: Direct Services Director
Department: Direct Services
Reports To: Executive Director
Supervises: Direct Services personnel as assigned
Employment Status: Full-Time / Salaried / Exempt*
Work Location: On-site at the AshaKiran Administrative Office and designated confidential service locations, as assigned
Schedule: Full-time based on agency priorities; occasional evenings, weekends, and holidays as required
Benefits: As provided under AshaKiran policies and applicable benefit plans

POSITION SUMMARY: The Direct Services Director provides leadership and oversight for AshaKiran's Direct Services department, ensuring that services are accessible, consistent, trauma-informed, survivor-centered, and aligned with agency policies, funding requirements, and applicable standards.

The Director oversees Direct Services operations, staff performance, program quality, client service delivery, staffing, documentation, grant-related program requirements, and continuous improvement. The position provides leadership to Direct Services staff while working collaboratively with the Executive Director and other departments to ensure organizational goals are achieved.

The Director is responsible for managing the day-to-day Direct Services department.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Direct Services Leadership & Program Oversight

• Lead and oversee AshaKiran's Direct Services programs, including AshaLine, residential/shelter, non-residential, advocacy, case management, and social work services.
• Ensure programs operate consistently with agency policies, funding requirements, approved program goals, and applicable standards.
• Monitor service capacity, client access, program needs, and operational effectiveness.
• Establish clear expectations, workflows, and accountability within Direct Services.
• Identify service gaps, operational challenges, and opportunities for improvement and communicate significant issues to the Executive Director.
• Ensure continuity of services during staffing changes, absences, or other operational disruptions.

2. Staff Supervision & Development

• Directly supervise assigned Direct Services leadership and staff.
• Establish clear performance expectations and provide regular supervision, coaching, and feedback.
• Address performance, attendance, conduct, and accountability concerns in accordance with agency policies.
• Coordinate recruitment, interviews, selection, onboarding, and training of Direct Services staff in collaboration with the Executive Director and Human Resources processes.
• Monitor staffing levels and recommend hiring, restructuring, or other personnel needs.
• Promote professional development, required training, teamwork, and a culture of accountability.

3. Client Services & Quality Assurance

• Monitor the quality, timeliness, accessibility, and consistency of Direct Services.
• Ensure appropriate assessment, service planning, advocacy, referrals, documentation, and follow-up.
• Monitor client safety, confidentiality, dignity, autonomy, and appropriate professional boundaries.
• Review service trends, client needs, complaints, and concerns and ensure appropriate follow-up.
• Support consistent trauma-informed, survivor-centered, and culturally responsive practices.
• Ensure corrective action is taken when service or documentation concerns are identified.

4. Grant, Compliance & Reporting

• Ensure Direct Services staff understand and fulfill applicable grant goals, objectives, deliverables, and reporting requirements.
• Monitor program activities and outcomes to ensure services align with funded program requirements.
• Review required program data, documentation, and reports for accuracy and timeliness.
• Coordinate preparation for grant monitoring visits, audits, site visits, and compliance reviews related to Direct Services.
• Work with the Finance Director and Executive Director on grant budgets, revisions, reporting, and resource needs as appropriate.
• Identify compliance risks or unmet grant requirements and communicate them promptly to the Executive Director.

5. Documentation, Data & Program Evaluation

• Ensure accurate, timely, and confidential client and program documentation.
• Monitor use of VELA and other required data systems.
• Review program data to identify trends, service gaps, staffing needs, and opportunities for improvement.
• Ensure required reports and documentation are completed by established deadlines.
• Use program data and staff feedback to evaluate effectiveness and improve service delivery.
• Maintain appropriate records for monitoring, reporting, and organizational accountability.

6. Collaboration & Community Partnerships

• Collaborate with the Executive Director, Finance Director, Community Engagement & Development, and other departments to support agency goals.
• Maintain appropriate relationships with service providers, coalitions, referral partners, and other community resources.
• Represent Direct Services at assigned meetings, trainings, coalitions, and community activities.
• Support coordination between Direct Services and Community Engagement & Development when community relationships or activities affect client services.
• Maintain awareness of community resources and emerging service needs.

7. Operational Management & Continuous Improvement

• Develop and maintain effective Direct Services procedures and workflows.
• Ensure staff have the information, resources, and tools necessary to perform their responsibilities.
• Identify inefficiencies and implement practical improvements with appropriate approval.
• Participate in policy and procedure review and recommend updates when needed.
• Monitor department workload and staffing capacity to support sustainable service delivery.
• Provide regular operational updates, risks, and recommendations to the Executive Director.

PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

Successful performance in this position includes:

• Direct Services programs operate consistently, safely, and in accordance with agency and funding requirements.
• Staff understand their roles, responsibilities, performance expectations, and reporting lines.
• Staffing needs are identified and addressed proactively.
• Required grant goals, objectives, deliverables, training, documentation, and reports are completed accurately and on time.
• Client services are accessible, appropriate, trauma-informed, survivor-centered, and responsive to client needs.
• Staff performance and accountability concerns are addressed promptly and appropriately.
• Client and program records are accurate, complete, confidential, and maintained in required systems.
• Program data is used to monitor performance and improve services.
• Operational issues are identified early and addressed with practical solutions.
• The Executive Director receives timely information regarding significant risks, compliance concerns, staffing issues, and program needs.
• Direct Services operates with clear accountability while maintaining collaboration, professionalism, and respect.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

· Bachelor's degree in social work, human services, public administration, nonprofit management, or related field; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.

· Relevant experience in victim services, domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, shelter services, social services, or nonprofit program management.

· Experience supervising staff and managing programs or service operations.

· Knowledge of trauma-informed, survivor-centered, and culturally responsive practices.

· Understanding of client assessment, advocacy, case management, crisis response, referrals, and service coordination.

· Strong organizational, communication, documentation, and problem-solving skills.

· Ability to manage multiple programs, deadlines, and competing priorities.

· Ability to interpret and implement policies, procedures, grant requirements, and program standards.

· Ability to maintain confidentiality and appropriate professional boundaries.

· Successful completion of required background checks and training.

· Valid driver's license and ability to travel locally and occasionally within Alabama as required.

Preferred

• Master's degree in social work, counseling, public administration, nonprofit management, or a related field.
• Experience managing residential and/or non-residential victim services programs.
• Experience with ACADV, ACAR, VOCA, FVPSA, SASP, or similar victim-services funding and compliance requirements.
• Experience with VELA or comparable client-services data systems.
• Experience with program development, quality assurance, monitoring, or organizational improvement.
• Bilingual or multilingual proficiency.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Program leadership
• Staff supervision and accountability
• Victim-services knowledge
• Crisis response and service coordination
• Trauma-informed and survivor-centered practice
• Grant and compliance management
• Program quality assurance
• Data and documentation management
• Problem-solving and decision-making
• Communication and collaboration
• Strategic and operational thinking
• Community partnership development
• Organization and follow-through
• Professional judgment and boundaries

WORK ENVIRONMENT & TRAVEL

This position works primarily at AshaKiran's administrative office and may work at confidential locations, the residential facility, community locations, and other agency sites as assigned.

The position may encounter sensitive client information and traumatic subject matter and must maintain strict confidentiality and professional boundaries.

Local, in-state travel and occasional out of state travel may be required for meetings, trainings, conferences, monitoring visits, community activities, and other agency business.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $65,000.00 - $67,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person