Program Manager I

Job Description

Job Description

Program Manager l- Acute

Full Time

St. Louis, MO, US

Join Us to Build Healing and Hope Together!

As leaders in children’s mental health and wellness, St. Louis Children’s and KVC Health Systems Youth Mental Health Care have partnered to create one of the nation’s most innovative and transformative youth mental health and wellness campuses. The partnership includes a 77-bed acute care hospital and outpatient programs. Located on the KVC Missouri Children’s Mental Wellness Campus conveniently located in Webster Groves, Missouri, the peaceful environment and broad continuum of care allow children and families to access the appropriate level of treatment throughout their healing experience. The new campus is slated to open in late 2026. Learn more at stlouischildrenskvc.org. Join us and be a part of this journey of healing and hope for thousands of children and teens.

Job Summary

The Program Manager I provides dynamic, inclusive leadership while driving the growth and success of program operations. This role is responsible for developing, planning, and implementing program enhancements that improve outcomes and strengthen service delivery.

The Program Manager I also ensures ongoing compliance with KVC policies, licensing requirements, and accreditation standards, while fostering a collaborative and supportive environment for staff and those served.

Minimum Requirements:

Education: High School diploma is required, Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, Sociology, Social Work/Services, Human Services, Education, Criminal Justice, Criminology or related field from an accredited college or university is preferred.

Licensure/Certification: Valid driver’s license and auto insurance required.

Experience: Two or more years in a management role or four or more years in direct care experience in a residential and/or psychiatric hospital environment or a combination of the management and direct care experience that equals four or more years.

Preferred Experience/Skills: Intermediate skills in Microsoft Word and Excel, as well as Outlook email.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide inclusive leadership and promote a respectful culture among staff and stakeholders
• Oversee treatment planning and ensure effective implementation of care
• Ensure quality client care, safeguarding rights and meeting essential needs
• Maintain appropriate staffing through recruitment, onboarding, and staff management
• Monitor program operations and adjust resources to support safety and effectiveness
• Maintain proficiency in KVC systems and program curricula
• Analyze staffing trends and collaborate with leadership to address needs
• Oversee documentation audits and ensure compliance with policies and standards
• Enforce staff policies, including mandatory reporting requirements
• Supervise direct care staff, including scheduling, performance management, and discipline
• Ensure compliance with workers’ compensation protocols, including incident reporting
• Ensure availability of necessary supplies and resources for quality care
• Lead meetings and support program initiatives and enhancements
• Ensure compliance with KVC policies, licensing, and accreditation standards
• Oversee program operations, including reporting, staffing, and quality outcomes
• Assess staffing needs and support recruitment, retention, and development efforts
• Participate in on-call rotation and complete other assigned duties

Additional duties may be assigned based on organizational needs and staff qualifications.

Physical & Work Environment

The conditions described are representative of those required to perform this role, with reasonable accommodations available. This position involves regular standing, walking, and communication, with frequent use of hands and occasional bending, kneeling, or climbing. The role may require lifting up to 10 pounds regularly, 25 pounds frequently, and 75 pounds occasionally. Standard visual abilities are required. Work is performed in a moderate noise environment with occasional exposure to outdoor conditions.

Benefits & More

Employee benefits and culture fall under the KVC Health Systems umbrella. KVC is a family of private, nonprofit organizations that strengthen families, prevent child abuse and neglect, and help people achieve mental health wellness. Through our broad continuum of care, we are proud to be a national leader in mental health, child welfare, and health and human services transformation.

At KVC, we offer a positive, supportive workplace where each person can do work they love. In fact, we’re so proud of our culture that we see it as our top competitive advantage in the health and human services field. Based on the voice of our employees, KVC has an incredible 83 Work Wellbeing score on Indeed, a rating so high and rare that it places KVC among the top 1% of employers nationally. KVC was also named #15 on Glassdoor’s Best-Led Companies 2025 list, a recognition achieved entirely based on anonymous employee reviews. In addition to being mission-driven, we offer employees an unparalleled level of flexibility, wellbeing, learning, inclusion, recognition, and rewards.