Executive Director

Background
For over 37 years, Program Development Services (PDS) has been committed to providing the highest quality of care for individuals with developmental disabilities through a wide range of residential settings and day habilitation, comprehensive and progressive services, with highly trained and caring professional staff.

At Program Development Services, residential settings and services are designed to meet the specific needs of each individual, providing them with the opportunity to lead both a meaningful and productive life and to become effective and integral members of their community. The residences, located in Brooklyn, Bronx, and Manhattan, are designed to foster independence, friendship, and self-direction, as well as provide full support for physical and medical challenges. Today, PDS serves 104 individuals in 24-hour residences, 121 individuals in non-24-hour IRA apartments, and 53 individuals in Day and Community Habilitation programs.

To learn more about PDS, visit www.4pds.org.

Position
Following the long and successful tenure of a retiring Executive Director, PDS is seeking a strong manager of both people and programs to provide strategic vision and operationalize the organization’s continued growth, including a recently completed merger.

The ED will be responsible for fulfilling the organization’s mission and maximizing impact, ensuring that PDS delivers the highest quality services to individuals. The ED will work in collaboration with and report to the Board of Directors and will directly supervise a 5-person leadership team that together will support an organizational culture that is collaborative, inclusive, and person-centered. They will be a visible and accessible leader to the caring and dedicated staff who are committed to providing opportunities to people with developmental disabilities in the community.

The successful candidate will have experience leading a large mission-driven organization, they will be a strategic thinker with operational insight and financial acumen, an excellent communicator and team builder, with the ability to connect and instill trust in diverse stakeholders.

Role Priorities
• Ensure a continuum of highest-quality services across PDS programs.
• Develop and communicate a shared vision for the organization.
• Grow and nurture a best-in-class leadership team.
• Foster an organizational culture that is supportive, inclusive, collaborative, and responsive to the needs of the individuals PDS serves.
• Grow and cultivate a strong Board of Directors.
• Raise the profile of PDS with funders, working groups, and associations in the I/DD space.
• Ensure the short- and long-term financial health of the organization.

Responsibilities
Strategic Vision and Leadership
• Lead Program Development Service’s overall strategic direction to successfully fulfill its mission.
• Collaborate with the Board of Directors to develop long-term goals for organizational growth and longevity.
• Develop a common vision for Program Development Services with staff, board, and community stakeholders, with an emphasis on post-merger integration.
• Identify the need for new board members and recruit potential new members to both grow and diversify the board.
• Lead, coach, and mentor the senior leadership team to ensure service and program excellence.
• Maintain Program Development Services’ reputation as a thought leader in the I/DD space.
• Foster a culture of accountability, inclusivity, collaboration, and excellence.

Operations and Compliance
• Maintain overall responsibility, accountability, and authority for management of day-to-day operations of PDS and its programs.
• Implement an effective organizational structure to ensure efficient, effective, and high-quality service.
• Oversee all monitoring of Program Development Services’ programs through internal audit controls.
• Communicate all changes in regulations and policies governing PDS’s programs and services and ensure all programs, supervisors, and staff are in compliance.

Financial Oversight
• In collaboration with the CFO, oversee all organization and program budgeting.
• Collaborate with the CFO and program leadership to ensure all programs are operated in a cost-effective manner while maintaining a high quality of care.
• Maintain a strong, effective, and collaborative working relationship with OPWDD.

Community Relations
• Serve as the public face of Program Development Services and build strong partnerships with other organizations and associations within the I/DD space.
• Build support to ensure that legislative and regulatory policies promote and protect the rights of program participants and PDS’s services.
• Continually explore new opportunities for growth within the community by establishing new partnerships with external stakeholders.

Qualifications
• Demonstrated success leading a human services program or organization.
• Experience working with the I/DD community and services is strongly preferred.
• Proven track record working collaboratively with major government funders, including familiarity with OPWDD contracts and funding processes.
• Strong understanding of budgets, financial projections and reports, and fiscal management.
• Collaborative and dynamic leader interested in the professional growth of their team; experience leading and coaching a senior leadership team.
• Accessible, trustworthy, visible, and unafraid to dig into the day-to-day work.
• Strong communication skills, with an ability to build relationships with multiple stakeholders.
• Passion and belief that individuals with developmental disabilities should have opportunities to lead meaningful and productive lives and are integral members of their communities.

Compensation & Benefits
PDS offers a competitive compensation package with a salary range of $230,000 – $260,000. Additional benefits include a 403B retirement plan with match, generous PTO (4 Weeks Vacation, 9 Holiday, 5 Personal, and 12 Sick days), car allowance, as well as 100% employer-covered health benefits package.

This position description is based on material provided by PDS,
an equal opportunity employer.

To apply to this position, please click HERE.
________________________________________
Natalia Kepler, Senior Talent Consultant
Sterling Nelson, Talent Consultant
Jin Lee, Associate

Operations and Compliance
• Maintain overall responsibility, accountability, and authority for management of day-to-day operations of PDS and its programs.
• Implement an effective organizational structure to ensure efficient, effective, and high-quality service.
• Oversee all monitoring of Program Development Services’ programs through internal audit controls.
• Communicate all changes in regulations and policies governing PDS’s programs and services and ensure all programs, supervisors, and staff are in compliance.

Financial Oversight
• In collaboration with the CFO, oversee all organization and program budgeting.
• Collaborate with the CFO and program leadership to ensure all programs are operated in a cost-effective manner while maintaining a high quality of care.
• Maintain a strong, effective, and collaborative working relationship with OPWDD.

Community Relations
• Serve as the public face of Program Development Services and build strong partnerships with other organizations and associations within the I/DD space.
• Build support to ensure that legislative and regulatory policies promote and protect the rights of program participants and PDS’s services.
• Continually explore new opportunities for growth within the community by establishing new partnerships with external stakeholders.