Director of Residential and Day Services

Director of Residential and Day Services

Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Position Type: Full-Time, Management
Reports To: Director of Operations / Chief Executive Officer
Supervisory Responsibility: Residential and Day Program Staff
Compensation: Commensurate with experience

Position Summary

The Director of Residential and Day Services is responsible for the overall leadership, management, and operational oversight of residential and day services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD) in the Atlanta, Georgia area.

This position provides direct oversight of the organization's group homes, host homes, and day program, ensuring high-quality, person-centered services that promote independence, community inclusion, dignity, and individual choice.

The Director is responsible for maintaining regulatory compliance, supervising employees, managing program budgets, improving operational efficiency, developing innovative programming, and supporting organizational growth.

The successful candidate must be a hands-on leader who can effectively manage multiple service locations while establishing a culture of accountability, professionalism, compassion, and continuous quality improvement.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Overall Program Leadership and Administration

• Provide leadership and operational oversight of all residential and day services.
• Directly supervise daily operations of group homes, host homes, and the day program.
• Establish clear operational procedures, performance expectations, and accountability measures.
• Conduct regular visits to all service locations to assess program quality, safety, and compliance.
• Ensure services are delivered in accordance with each individual's Individual Service Plan (ISP).
• Coordinate with executive leadership regarding organizational priorities, operational challenges, and program development.
• Develop and implement operational improvement plans.
• Ensure continuity of services during staffing shortages, emergencies, and organizational transitions.

2. Residential Services Management

• Oversee daily operations of all group homes and host home arrangements.
• Ensure residential environments are safe, clean, appropriately maintained, and supportive of individual needs.
• Monitor residential staffing schedules and ensure adequate coverage, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Oversee implementation of individualized residential support plans.
• Monitor medication administration processes, medical appointments, healthcare coordination, and documentation in collaboration with appropriately licensed professionals.
• Conduct routine and unannounced residential monitoring visits.
• Maintain effective communication with families, guardians, support coordinators, and healthcare professionals.
• Monitor occupancy and coordinate appropriate residential admissions and transitions.
• Ensure emergency preparedness plans are maintained and staff are trained in their responsibilities.
• Address participant concerns, environmental deficiencies, and service delivery issues promptly.

3. Day Program Operations and Development

• Direct the daily operations of the organization's day services program.
• Ensure the development and implementation of meaningful, structured, person-centered programming.
• Oversee activities promoting independent living skills, socialization, community integration, wellness, and personal development.
• Develop innovative programming incorporating music, arts, technology, recreation, vocational exploration, and community-based experiences.
• Monitor daily attendance and identify barriers to consistent participation.
• Ensure appropriate staffing levels and supervision throughout program hours.
• Coordinate transportation and community activities.
• Maintain weekly and monthly activity calendars.
• Evaluate program effectiveness through participant outcomes, engagement, and satisfaction.
• Develop strategies to increase enrollment and maximize appropriate program utilization.
• Establish relationships with community organizations, businesses, and referral sources.

4. Human Resources and Staff Supervision

• Supervise Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), house managers, day program staff, and other assigned personnel.
• Participate in recruitment, interviewing, hiring recommendations, onboarding, and employee retention initiatives.
• Establish staffing schedules that ensure service quality while controlling unnecessary overtime.
• Monitor employee attendance, tardiness, absenteeism, and productivity.
• Conduct regular staff meetings and documented performance evaluations.
• Provide coaching, mentoring, and corrective supervision when necessary.
• Ensure all employees complete mandatory training and maintain required credentials.
• Collaborate with Human Resources regarding disciplinary matters and employee relations.
• Promote a positive workplace culture emphasizing professionalism, accountability, teamwork, and respect.

5. Regulatory Compliance and Quality Assurance

• Ensure all programs comply with applicable Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD), Department of Community Health (DCH), Medicaid waiver, licensing, and other regulatory requirements.
• Maintain compliance with applicable NOW and COMP waiver requirements.
• Ensure timely and accurate documentation of services, participant progress, and implementation of ISPs.
• Oversee incident reporting, investigations, follow-up, and corrective actions in accordance with applicable requirements.
• Ensure immediate and appropriate response to allegations of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or violations of individual rights.
• Conduct routine internal quality assurance reviews of residential and day program operations.
• Prepare programs for licensing inspections, regulatory reviews, and audits.
• Develop corrective action plans and ensure identified deficiencies are resolved.
• Maintain accurate and organized participant records and operational documentation.
• Ensure all required staff training, background screening, and credentials remain current.

6. Financial Management and Operational Efficiency

• Assist executive leadership in developing and monitoring residential and day program operating budgets.
• Monitor staffing expenses, overtime, transportation costs, supplies, and other operating expenditures.
• Ensure services are accurately documented and supported by valid authorizations for billing purposes.
• Collaborate with administrative and billing personnel to resolve discrepancies.
• Monitor day program attendance, residential occupancy, and service utilization.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency without compromising participant safety or service quality.
• Review monthly program financial performance with executive leadership.
• Maintain appropriate internal controls over program expenditures and resources.

7. Program Growth and Community Relationships

• Develop and maintain positive relationships with support coordinators, families, guardians, and community stakeholders.
• Coordinate prospective participant tours, intake assessments, and admissions.
• Identify opportunities to expand residential and day services based on community needs and organizational capacity.
• Support efforts to improve day program enrollment and residential occupancy.
• Represent the organization at community meetings, provider meetings, and relevant professional events.
• Promote the agency's mission, values, and reputation throughout the Atlanta service area.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Human Services, Social Work, Psychology, Healthcare Administration, Special Education, or a related field preferred.
• Equivalent relevant experience may be considered where permitted by applicable regulatory requirements.

Professional Experience

• Minimum five years of experience working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Minimum three years of progressive supervisory or program management experience.
• Demonstrated experience overseeing residential services, adult day services, or both.
• Strong working knowledge of Georgia DBHDD requirements, Medicaid HCBS waivers, and applicable licensing standards.
• Experience managing multiple locations, supervising employees, and monitoring program budgets.
• Experience with quality assurance, incident management, regulatory inspections, and corrective action planning.

Required Skills and Competencies

• Strong leadership and employee management skills.
• Excellent organizational and time-management abilities.
• Effective written and verbal communication.
• Sound judgment and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage competing operational priorities.
• Knowledge of person-centered planning and community-based service delivery.
• Proficiency in electronic documentation, Microsoft Office, and basic operational reporting.
• Commitment to ethical leadership, participant rights, and high-quality services.

Key Performance Indicators

The Director will be evaluated on the following performance measures:

1. Regulatory Compliance: Maintain ongoing compliance with applicable licensing and waiver requirements and promptly correct identified deficiencies.
2. Staffing and Retention: Maintain appropriate staffing coverage, minimize avoidable overtime, and reduce employee turnover.
3. Day Program Attendance: Improve attendance consistency and maintain accurate daily attendance records.
4. Program Enrollment: Develop a plan to increase day program enrollment from approximately 19 participants toward the program's capacity of 28, subject to staffing, authorizations, and approved capacity.
5. Residential Occupancy: Maintain appropriate occupancy and support timely admissions consistent with individual needs.
6. Quality Assurance: Complete monthly quality reviews of all residential locations and the day program.
7. Documentation: Ensure service records and incident reports are accurate, complete, and submitted within required deadlines.
8. Financial Accountability: Monitor labor costs, overtime, and program expenditures against approved budgets.
9. Participant Satisfaction: Maintain positive relationships with individuals served, families, guardians, and support coordinators.
10. Leadership Reporting: Submit a monthly operational performance report to executive leadership by the fifth business day of each month.

First 90 Days: Management Priorities

First 30 Days

• Complete an operational assessment of all residential and day services.
• Meet with employees, participants, families, and key referral partners.
• Review staffing schedules, employee credentials, and training records.
• Review participant ISPs, authorizations, and service documentation.
• Identify immediate regulatory, staffing, and safety concerns.
• Establish a weekly reporting process with executive leadership.

Days 31–60

• Implement operational improvements based on the initial assessment.
• Establish standardized staffing schedules and attendance monitoring.
• Develop a structured day program activity calendar.
• Implement regular residential monitoring and quality assurance reviews.
• Review participant enrollment, residential occupancy, and referral opportunities.
• Establish measurable employee performance expectations.

Days 61–90

• Present a comprehensive operational improvement and program growth plan.
• Demonstrate progress toward staffing stability and reduced unnecessary overtime.
• Implement strategies to increase appropriate day program enrollment.
• Establish monthly financial and operational dashboards.
• Demonstrate measurable improvements in documentation, quality assurance, and service coordination.

Work Schedule and Availability

This is a full-time leadership position requiring a flexible schedule. The Director must be available to address operational emergencies and participate in an established on-call rotation, including occasional evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Regular travel between residential locations, the day program, and community service locations is required.

Equal Employment Opportunity

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing an inclusive workplace and delivering high-quality, person-centered services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.