Executive Dir., Community Life and Wellness

Job Description

Job Description

Position Summary

The Executive Director of Community Life & Wellness is a visionary leader responsible for developing, leading, and evaluating resident-centered wellness, engagement, volunteer, and activity programs that advance Judson’s vision: a future in which the later years of life are one of the most extraordinary chapters of human potential.

This role brings that vision to life by creating vibrant, inclusive communities where residents are empowered to pursue purpose, connection, creativity, lifelong learning, wellness, and meaningful contribution. The Executive Director champions the belief that later life is not a period of limitation, but an opportunity for continued growth, discovery, relationships, service, and personal fulfillment.

Through innovative programming, resident partnership, community collaboration, and thoughtful evaluation, the Executive Director ensures that every resident has meaningful opportunities to engage, contribute, learn, connect, and thrive.

The Executive Director serves as a visible champion for resident engagement, satisfaction, and well-being, cultivating a culture in which residents are active participants in shaping their community and defining what extraordinary later life means to them.

Essential Responsibilities

Resident Engagement, Purpose & Satisfaction

• Develop, implement, and oversee a comprehensive calendar of wellness, educational, recreational, volunteer, cultural, spiritual, and social programs that reflect the diverse interests, strengths, aspirations, and needs of residents.
• Create meaningful opportunities for residents to build connection, discover purpose, develop new interests, share their talents, and continue contributing to their communities.
• Advance Judson’s vision by designing experiences that recognize and celebrate the extraordinary potential of later life.
• Encourage residents to take active roles as leaders, mentors, volunteers, creators, educators, and community participants.
• Solicit resident feedback through surveys, focus groups, resident committees, listening sessions, and informal interactions to ensure programming evolves with resident interests and aspirations.
• Foster a welcoming, inclusive, and person-centered environment in which every resident feels valued, heard, connected, and empowered to participate.
• Collaborate directly with residents to identify emerging interests and develop programs that support their individual definitions of wellness, purpose, and meaningful living.
• Promote a culture where residents are not simply recipients of programs, but partners in creating community experience.

Wellness, Life Enrichment & Activity Programming

• Design and coordinate innovative programs that support physical, mental, emotional, social, intellectual, spiritual, and creative well-being.
• Develop programming that reflects Judson’s belief in the continued potential for growth, learning, creativity, connection, and contribution throughout life.
• Ensure programs are engaging, purposeful, accessible, and responsive to resident preferences while supporting organizational goals.
• Create opportunities for lifelong learning, artistic expression, movement, healthy living, cultural exploration, intergenerational connection, spiritual enrichment, and personal development.
• Coordinate special events, celebrations, educational seminars, outings, performances, wellness initiatives, and community experiences that enrich daily life.
• Identify opportunities to transform resident interests and talents into meaningful programs, leadership opportunities, volunteer roles, and community contributions.
• Maintain program schedules, budgets, resources, supplies, and partnerships necessary for successful implementation.
• Continuously explore emerging approaches to wellness, aging, engagement, and life enrichment that can help Judson redefine what is possible in later life.

Community Partnership Development

• Establish and maintain strategic relationships with local organizations, educational institutions, cultural organizations, volunteer agencies, artists, and community partners to expand opportunities for residents.
• Develop partnerships with organizations such as Valley Art Center, University Circle Inc., Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland State University, Greater Cleveland Volunteers, Cleveland Jewish Federation, Ursuline, Cleveland Institute of Music, and other organizations aligned with Judson’s mission and vision.
• Identify partnerships that bring new ideas, expertise, learning, creativity, volunteerism, cultural experiences, and resources into the Judson community.
• Create opportunities for residents to engage with the broader community through service, mentorship, education, the arts, civic engagement, and intergenerational experiences.
• Position Judson as an active contributor to the larger community and as a model for what extraordinary later life can look like.
• Coordinate community-based resources and services that support resident engagement, purpose, connection, and quality of life.
• Serve as the primary liaison between Judson communities and external partners regarding wellness, engagement, volunteerism, arts, education, and programming initiatives.

Communication, Storytelling & Promotion

• Develop and distribute clear, accurate, timely, and engaging communications regarding wellness programs, activities, events, volunteer opportunities, educational experiences, and community initiatives.
• Utilize newsletters, calendars, digital platforms, community announcements, resident meetings, presentations, and other communication channels to maximize awareness and participation.
• Communicate programs in ways that emphasize possibility, purpose, connection, and the opportunities available to residents throughout later life.
• Ensure residents, families, and associates understand available opportunities and feel encouraged to participate.
• Share resident success stories, accomplishments, talents, contributions, and community engagement achievements.
• Elevate resident voices and experiences as powerful examples of Judson’s vision that later life can be one of the most rewarding chapters of life.

Program Evaluation, Outcomes & Continuous Improvement

• Monitor attendance, participation, volunteer involvement, and engagement across programs and activities.
• Collect and analyze data related to program effectiveness, resident satisfaction, social connection, participation, and wellness outcomes.
• Develop meaningful measures that demonstrate how programs contribute to residents’ sense of purpose, belonging, engagement, learning, and overall quality of life.
• Prepare reports and recommendations for leadership regarding program performance, emerging trends, resident interests, and opportunities for innovation.
• Use resident feedback, participation trends, data, and organizational priorities to continuously strengthen programming.
• Evaluate whether programs are creating meaningful opportunities for residents to connect, grow, contribute, learn, and thrive.
• Develop and implement continuous improvement strategies that keep Judson at the forefront of resident-centered wellness and engagement.
• Ensure evaluation focuses not only on participation, but on the impact and meaning of the resident experience.

Leadership & Team Collaboration

• Provide leadership, guidance, mentorship, and support to Community Life & Wellness associates, volunteers, interns, and students.
• Build a team culture that reflects Judson’s commitment to possibility, inclusion, creativity, resident partnership, and extraordinary later life.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to ensure wellness and engagement programming reflects the whole person and supports individual resident needs and organizational goals.
• Lead and actively participate in strategic planning and continuous quality improvement initiatives.
• Ensure programming, resident engagement opportunities, and wellness services align with organizational objectives while reflecting the distinctive character, culture, and needs of each Judson campus.
• Champion a One Judson approach that promotes collaboration, consistency, shared learning, and innovation across communities.
• Ensure adherence to organizational policies, procedures, safety standards, and regulatory requirements.
• Model leadership that empowers associates and residents to challenge assumptions about aging and discover new possibilities for meaningful living.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Recreation Therapy, Health Promotion, Community Health, Gerontology, Human Services, Social Work, Recreation Management, or related field.
• Minimum of 7–10 years of progressive experience in wellness programming, community engagement, senior living, healthcare, recreation, or related environments.
• Demonstrated experience leading programs that enhance quality of life, resident engagement, wellness, and community connection.
• Demonstrated ability to create innovative, resident-centered programming that supports purpose, participation, lifelong learning, and personal growth.
• Strong communication, organizational, relationship-building, and leadership skills.
• Ability to analyze data, evaluate program effectiveness, and translate insights into meaningful improvements.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and related technology platforms.
• Commitment to person-centered practices and to recognize the continued potential, strengths, interests, and contributions of older adults.

Preferred

• Master’s degree in a related field.
• Certification in Recreation Therapy, Wellness Coaching, Health Education Specialist, Activity Professional, or related discipline.
• Experience working with older adults or community-based wellness programs.
• Supervisory or leadership experience.
• Experience developing strategic community partnerships.
• Experience using data and resident feedback to measure engagement, satisfaction, and wellness outcomes.
• Demonstrated commitment to innovative approaches to aging, wellness, lifelong learning, and community life.

Leadership Philosophy

The Executive Director of Community Life & Wellness embodies Judson’s belief that the later years of life can be among the most extraordinary chapters of human potential. This leader creates the conditions for residents to discover new possibilities, deepen relationships, pursue passions, share their wisdom and talents, contribute to others, and experience a strong sense of purpose and belonging.

Success in this role is reflected not simply in the number of programs offered, but in the lives changed through meaningful engagement: residents who discover a new passion, form a new friendship, volunteer for a meaningful cause, learn something unexpected, share a lifelong talent, create something beautiful, or recognize a new possibility for their own future.

The Executive Director ensures that every aspect of Community Life & Wellness helps make Judson’s vision tangible in the everyday experience of residents.