Chief Program Officer

Classification:  Full-Time, Exempt
Reports To: Executive Director

Location:  Manhattan, NY 

Status & Hours:  Full-time; occasional evening and weekend hours may be required to support events, and organizational priorities

Who We Are
Lantern Community Services supports New Yorkers impacted by homelessness by providing safe, supportive housing paired with wraparound services that promote long-term stability and independence. Lantern operates across multiple sites in New York City and was recognized as a Top 2025 Workplace by City & State New York.

Overview

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Chief Program Officer (CPO) plays a critical leadership role in advancing and optimizing Lanterns services and practices. The CPO provides strategic oversight of Lanterns residential portfolio, including emergency shelter and permanent supportive housing programs.

This seasoned leader will strengthen data-driven and evidence-informed service delivery, oversee quality assurance systems, support staff training and development, and ensure program excellence across the organization. The CPO will also steward key internal and external partnerships, elevate Lanterns public profile, and help shape organizational strategy in response to sector trends and emerging best practices.

Required Qualifications:

Program Management and Strategic Leadership

• Promotes an environment that embeds diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, and fully integrates these values into the organizational culture.
• Fosters a workplace culture that inspires high-level performance, collaboration, accountability, and professional and respectful interactions; embeds best practices for effective feedback and communication at all levels of staff engagement.
• With a trauma-informed approach and a client-centered focus, stewards Lanterns program strategy through direct oversight of emergency shelter services, supportive housing residential services, including case management, cross-building programs, and evidence-based models.
• Creates and supports a high-performing culture across programs that align with Lanterns core values. Fosters a team-based environment that motivates interdisciplinary staff to work collaboratively toward strategic vision and goals.
• Drives initiatives to introduce new programs and innovations for the benefit of Lanterns staff and clients.

Program Development, Quality and Evaluation:

• Establishes short- and long-term goals for services design and implementation.
• Direct Cross-Functional and Behavioral Teams and data and evaluation tools to assess, evaluate, and align programs to ensure they are effective, impactful, and compliant with funder requirements and organizational mission.
• Establishes program success metrics in collaboration with senior staff, quality assurance staff, and developers of evidence-informed practices. Ensures that services are structured to meet the intended goals and objectives of the program and maximize tenant participation and progress.
• Creates and monitors transparent, agency-wide data dashboard with QA team for use across buildings and programs. Develops and cultivates a data-driven culture prioritizing continuous improvement across different programs and departments.
• Presents impact data and implications to executive leadership and fund development team, ensuring that stewardship of programs funded through philanthropic partners is supported and advanced by evidenced outcomes.
• In collaboration with Finance and Fund Development teams, ensures existing program expenditures are aligned with contractual requirements.

  Training and Professional Development:

• Leads, coaches and mentors a dynamic team of approximately seven direct reports from senior leadership, and provides regular feedback so that key staff can continuously improve their supervision and mentoring skills.
• Works closely with senior management and LCS Human Resources Department to analyze staff development needs, create new training programs, and modify or improve existing programs to ensure fidelity to service delivery models.
• Facilitates professional development by identifying opportunities for staff to engage with industry peers.

Partnerships and Organizational Impact:

• Promotes Lanterns programs in the public sphere. Represents Lantern on relevant committees and task forces, as well as speaking engagements, conference panels and trainings.
• Works closely with the Executive Director to cultivate partnerships with philanthropic organizations, corporations, and local service providers. Helps research, conduct outreach, and secure program funding and other forms of material support.
• Assists in various organizational development activities such as all-staff meetings and outings; drafting of statements pertaining to mission, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and values; and use of social media outlets.

Qualifications:

The Chief Program Officer (CPO) must be a seasoned and visionary leader with a minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible experience in the human services sector, including at least 10 years in a leadership capacity. A masters degree is required , preference given to candidates with LCSW and additional advanced degrees and/or relevant licensures or certifications.

• Demonstrated experience in program innovations, supervision, clinical oversight, funders relationships and fiscal management.
• Expertise in developing and monitoring metrics to measure programmatic outcomes for homeless services, mental health/substance abuse services, housing services or other related fields.
• Excellent writing and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to collaborate with a dynamic leadership team to manage within a rapidly growing organization.
• Strong community relationships in New York City, across government sectors, preferably with an emphasis on health and human services.
• Adaptable and able to multitask and work within a fast-moving environment, while also driving toward clarity and solutions.
• Demonstrated resourcefulness in setting priorities and guiding investment in people and systems with the greatest quality and impact.
• Experience working in a shelter environment is required

Work Environment

This position works primarily in shelter or supportive housing and office environments with frequent interaction across departments. The role may require presence at indoor and outdoor events and occasional exposure to varying noise levels and activity.

Physical Demands

The role may require standing, walking, bending, and lifting or moving equipment such as tables, chairs, or supplies, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Note

Lantern Community Services provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment. Lantern Community Services values the diversity of all our clients, staff, Board of Directors, and partners. By bringing diverse individuals and viewpoints together, we create more vibrant, healthy, and just communities.

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