Director of Employment and Housing Services for Older Youth

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Director of Employment and Housing Services for Older Youth
Recruitment & Retention Full Time Saint Louis, MO, US

Summary of Position
The Director of Employment and Housing Service for Older youth in Foster Care provides strategic leadership and oversight of the Coalition's Works Wonders workforce exploration program, supporting youth in foster care and young adults transitioning out of foster care in achieving meaningful employment, career advancement, and long-term economic stability. The Director is responsible for leading the implementation and continued growth of the Works Wonders model, ensuring that youth have access to individualized career planning, employment readiness, education and training opportunities, employer connections, job placement, and ongoing employment retention support.

Using a youth-centered, trauma-informed, strengths-based, and positive youth development approach, the Director ensures that employment services are responsive to the unique experiences and needs of young people with foster care experience. The position provides leadership and supervision to program staff, monitors program outcomes, strengthens community and employer partnerships, and identifies resources and opportunities to expand workforce development services. The Director also works collaboratively with the Director of Older Youth Readiness, other Coalition programs, and community partners to address barriers that impact youth employment and successful transitions to adulthood.

An important part of the Coalition's long-term vision is to expand its services to include housing opportunities and supports that help youth access and maintain safe, stable, and sustainable housing. The Director will help advance this vision by identifying partnerships, resources, and opportunities to integrate housing stability with workforce development as the agency's programs continue to grow.

Ultimately, the Director ensures that young people have the career opportunities, skills, resources, and supportive relationships needed to achieve economic stability and build successful, independent, and interdependent adult lives. Ensuring fidelity to the Works Wonders model is required.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities:

Workforce Development and Career Readiness – Works Wonders

Oversee the implementation and coordination of the Works Wonders workforce development strategy, ensuring services support youth in achieving individualized education, employment, and long-term career goals.

Ensure youth receive individualized career and education planning consistent with established CareerEd plans, including career exploration, vocational assessments, labor market information, and employment readiness activities.

Oversee access to postsecondary education, vocational training, apprenticeships, internships, work-based learning, job placement, employment retention, and career advancement opportunities.

Develop and maintain partnerships with local, state, and federal workforce development agencies, employers, educational institutions, youth employment centers, and community training providers to expand opportunities for youth.

Ensure staff identify and address barriers to sustainable employment, including transportation, housing instability, educational needs, mental health, disability-related needs, and limited work experience through appropriate resource coordination and referrals.

Promote youth development in financial literacy, workplace professionalism, self-advocacy, decision-making, and independent living skills to support long-term employment success and economic stability.

Monitor program implementation, service delivery, and workforce development outcomes; identify opportunities for improvement to strengthen program effectiveness and youth success.

Housing Services

Oversee the implementation and coordination of housing services to assist youth in identifying, obtaining, and maintaining safe, stable, appropriate, and sustainable housing.

Ensure youth receive individualized housing readiness, housing navigation, and stabilization services based on their needs, strengths, and transition goals.

Oversee staff efforts to identify and address barriers to housing stability, including financial resources, employment, life skills, supportive relationships, trauma-related needs, and challenges navigating housing systems.

Develop and maintain partnerships with landlords, housing providers, community organizations, and local, state, and federal housing resources to expand access to safe and affordable housing opportunities.

Ensure appropriate resource coordination, referrals, landlord engagement, and ongoing support to promote housing stability and reduce the risk of homelessness or housing disruption.

Promote the development of independent living skills, financial management, tenancy responsibilities, and self-advocacy to support successful housing outcomes.

Monitor housing program implementation, service delivery, and outcomes; identify opportunities to improve service effectiveness and promote long-term housing stability.

Program Approach and Service Coordination

Ensure workforce development and housing services are youth-centered, trauma-informed, strengths-based, and responsive to the individual needs, goals, and abilities of each participant.

Promote coordination between housing, employment, education, and other supportive services to address barriers to independence and support successful transitions to adulthood.

Agency Accountability :

Completes daily activity log.

Maintains an up-to-date Outlook calendar.

Adheres to the Coalition's Shared Values, Employee Code of Conduct, and Employee Code of Ethics.

Non-Essential Functions

Other duties as assigned with or without accommodation.

Supports the Coalition's mission – attends special events, training events, and other "all hands-on deck" activities.

Qualifications & Requirements

Education

Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Human Services, Education, Employment Services, Workforce Development, Psychology, or a closely related field required.

Experience

Minimum of seven years of professional experience in youth services, employment services, workforce development, housing services, child welfare, or a closely related field required.

Three to five years of supervisory or program management experience required.

Demonstrated experience working with adolescents and young adults using positive youth development and trauma-informed approaches.

Experience working with youth in foster care or those transitioning out of foster care strongly preferred.

Experience developing and maintaining relationships with employers, educational institutions, housing providers, and community partners preferred.

Experience using program data to monitor outcomes, evaluate performance, and implement improvements required.

Experience with grant-funded programs, funder reporting, and grant development preferred.

Skills and Competencies

Knowledge of workforce development systems, employment services, career pathways, and strategies that support youth career readiness and long-term employment success.

Understanding of employer needs, business practices, workplace expectations, and effective employer engagement strategies.

Knowledge of vocational assessments, career exploration, job readiness, employment placement, retention, and career advancement practices.

Knowledge of housing systems, affordable housing resources, housing navigation, landlord engagement, housing stabilization, and strategies that promote long-term housing security.

Understanding of the factors that influence housing stability, including financial management, employment, independent living skills, supportive relationships, and barriers to accessing housing.

Understanding of applicable state and federal employment and housing laws, regulations, and requirements.

Ability to establish, develop, and maintain effective partnerships with employers, workforce development agencies, housing providers, landlords, educational institutions, and community organizations to expand opportunities and resources for youth.

Ability to coordinate employment, housing, and supportive services using a youth-centered, trauma-informed, and strengths-based approach that promotes independence, stability, and successful transitions to adulthood.

Additional Skills/Competencies necessary to carry out services to the service population's culture and socio-economic characteristics

Requires an understanding of differences (racial, ethnic, religious, socio-economic, etc.) as well as sensitivity to the situations of the children and families the organization serves.

Stresses a respect for the confidentiality of the children and families the organization serves.

Requires a clean criminal history.

Must fulfill the responsibility as a mandated reporter in the State of Missouri.

Behaves with integrity, demonstrates high ethical standards, and displays a positive image of the Foster and Adoptive Care Coalition.

Demonstrates accountability for results and keeps commitments to others

Organizational Relationships/Scope

This position reports to the Senior Director of Specialized Support. Collaborative consultation will be sought from all agency teams, especially Older Youth Readiness.

Working Conditions

This position entails work in the community and office.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to communicate effectively.

The physical requirements of this job include sitting, standing, walking, climbing stairs, lifting up to 25 lbs., pulling and/or pushing on occasion.

Use of automobiles for local travel to multiple sites may be required.

The Coalition office at 1220 North Lindbergh is considered home-base with primary office hours Monday-Friday 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM CST.

This position requires flexibility. Evening and weekend hours may be required to meet the expectations of this position.

Agency Shared Values
Employees of the Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition agree to hold themselves and colleagues to the following values:

We respond to individual needs, histories, and obstacles with intention, dignity, and urgency. By remaining adaptive and attuned to lived experiences, we ensure our policies and practices provide pathways to support, safety, opportunity, and a voice for all.

We are family. We are connected and support one another in meeting the needs of our own families and the families we serve. We assume the best and are committed to each other.

Together, we thrive by respecting, valuing, embracing, and celebrating each person's unique strengths, experiences, perspectives, and abilities. We empower every individual to contribute to their full potential.

We are intentional about knowing better and doing better, using innovative and solution-focused approaches with courageous passion and excellence.

We are an agency built on integrity, maintaining a culture of trust, respect, transparency, and honesty. We walk in our truth and uphold ethical standards.

We stand up for each other and what is right for our clients and stakeholders with truth, vulnerability, and accountability.

We develop and maintain authentic relationships by being flexible and open-minded and maximizing the talents of each individual in the team to accomplish the best outcome for our children and families.

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