Director of Youth & Family Services

The Opportunity Kara provides a compassionate space for those navigating the journey of grief. We are seeking a Director of Youth & Family Services to lead our Youth & Family Services (YFS) bereavement program, which provides peer-based support services for children, teens, and their families. This is a dynamic leadership role designed for a professional who combines strategic program management with a "people-first" mindset. You will lead a dedicated team and a corps of volunteers, ensuring that every operational task serves our ultimate goal: providing a high-quality, empathetic environment for bereaved youth and their families. Core Leadership Values Mission-Driven Commitment: You possess a keen understanding of Kara’s mission and a genuine personal commitment to our guiding values of empathy and compassion. Compassionate Professionalism: You blend a "can-do" operational approach with high EQ, ensuring staff, volunteers, and grieving families feel heard and supported. Service Excellence & Alignment: You lead with humility and curiosity, balancing the nuances of bereavement work with the practical needs of a nonprofit organization. Adaptive Composure: You possess the organizational skill to manage high-volume service periods with poise. You balance a "big picture" strategic mindset with the tactical agility required to solve real-time problems and maintain program excellence. Key Responsibilities Strategic Service Delivery: Direct the planning and implementation of Kara-based peer offerings, including support groups, workshops, special activities, and annual grief camp. Client Consultations: Conduct intakes and consultations, utilizing professional discernment to recommend internal peer support, internal therapy services, or external referrals. Program Evaluation & Feedback: Lead the systematic analysis of client surveys and feedback loops to ensure services remain effective and responsive to client needs. Outcome Management: Generate relevant program reports and service statistics to communicate the program’s impact to the Executive Director and the Board. Program Innovation: Direct program development to meet emerging community needs, ensuring services remain culturally attuned and accessible. Direct Supervision: Manage and mentor the YFS Assistant Director and YFS Program Manager, fostering a high-performance, supportive, and collaborative team culture. Leadership Mentorship: Support your team in daily operations, helping them navigate complex volunteer or client situations with a "service-leadership" mindset. The Volunteer Lifecycle: Lead the recruitment, screening, and assessment of new volunteers; collaborate with agency leadership in the planning and implementation of intensive annual new volunteer training. Active Supervision & Care: Provide direct service guidance and reflective support for a dedicated volunteer corps of 50–75 individuals. Placement & Monitoring: Assign volunteers to facilitation roles and monitor service fit through direct observation and ongoing feedback. Appreciation & Gratitude: Foster a culture of appreciation, developing meaningful ways to show gratitude and ensure volunteers feel valued and sustained in their work. Ongoing Education: Plan and implement annual "Advanced Training" workshops to keep volunteers informed on evolving best practices in grief and loss. Integrated Service & Agency Collaboration Internal Program Synergy: Work cross-functionally with the other service programs at Kara (Adult, Spanish, Community Outreach, and Therapy) to ensure a seamless "one-agency" experience and whole-family care. Agency-Wide Support: Act as a collaborative member of the leadership team, supporting signature community events and agency-wide volunteer initiatives. Operational Systems & Team Readiness Data Integrity: Serve as the primary steward for program records in Kara’s database (Outcome Tracker), ensuring the accuracy and integrity of all client and volunteer data. Feedback Systems: Manage the logistical administration of client surveys to track service quality and mission impact. Technical Literacy: Ensure the YFS team is proficient in using core digital tools (Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, Outcome Tracker, Zoom, and Adobe) to maintain operational efficiency. Administrative Systems: Manage the documentation of program-related policies and procedures to ensure organizational continuity. 403(b) Flexible spending account Health insurance Life insurance Paid time off Parental leave Vision insurance Qualifications Mission Alignment: A deep commitment to Kara's mission and a clear alignment with our values of empathy and compassion. Presence: A high degree of compassionate presence and a culturally attuned appreciation for individuals and families navigating loss. Education: Bachelor’s Degree in a related field or equivalent professional experience. Proven Leadership: 3 or more years of management experience within a nonprofit or social service environment. Supervisory Scope: A track record of managing professional staff and leading a mid-to-large scale volunteer corps (50+ individuals). Field Expertise: Direct experience in group facilitation and peer-based support models. Technical Proficiency: Expertise in Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, and cloud-based database applications. Availability: Daily onsite presence in Palo Alto; requires a flexible 40-hour weekly schedule to accommodate up to four evenings per month and occasional weekends (with hours adjusted accordingly). Preferred Qualifications Academic Focus: Advanced degree in a social service or counseling-related field. Clinical Credentials: Mental health clinical experience or professional licensure (LCSW, MFT, etc.). #J-18808-Ljbffr Kara