Program Supervisor (RD In-Ratio)

CarePros; Red Deer; On-site; CAD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and dental benefits

Employee Assistance Program

RRSP matching after 12 months

Professional development and training

TCI Certification (Cornell)

Job summary

CarePros is seeking a Program Supervisor in Red Deer, AB to lead on the floor and oversee day-to-day operations in a high-needs youth program.

You will work in-ratio alongside frontline CYCWs, provide trauma-informed care, coach staff, manage incidents, ensure documentation standards, and partner with families and external stakeholders. This role requires hands-on leadership and calm decision-making under pressure.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of direct care experience with children/youth with complex developmental disabilities or significant mental health needs.
• 2+ years of supervisory experience in front-line care.
• Post-secondary education in Child and Youth Care, Social Work, or related field.
• Experience working with Children and Family Services, FSCD, or PDD.
• Valid Alberta Class 5 Driver’s License.
• 3-year Alberta Driver’s Abstract.
• Reliable 4-door vehicle.
• Alberta Vehicle Registration.
• $2 Million Alberta Auto insurance liability.
• Clear Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Check (within past 5 months).
• Clear Intervention Record Check (within past 5 months).
• Standard/Intermediate First Aid with CPR Level C.

Responsibilities

• Provide in person, trauma-informed care to children and youth.
• Build trust through consistency, engagement, and genuine connection.
• Support youth through crisis using de-escalation and intervention strategies.
• Create meaningful moments, play, teach, guide, and support daily routines.
• Document observations and progress with accuracy and care.
• Lead, coach, and mentor your team of CYCWs.
• Set and maintain high standards of care through role modeling.
• Support scheduling, staffing, and day-to-day program operations.
• Collaborate with internal teams (People & Culture, Finance).
• Partner with families, caregivers, and external stakeholders.
• Ensure safety, compliance, and program consistency.
• Participate in on-call support rotation.

Skills

Leadership under pressure

Trauma-informed care

De-escalation techniques

Medication management

Critical Incident Reporting

Calm and professional demeanor

Hands-on leadership

Education

Post-secondary education in Child and Youth Care, Social Work, or related field

Job description

Program Supervisor - Red Deer, AB

Work Schedule:

• In-ratio - You will be the sole caregiver of the youth from 7:00am -3:00pm
• Rotation - 6 days on 3 days off
• On-Call - You will participate in an On Call rotation

CarePros locations are not daycares, day homes, or early childhood education environments. If your experience has been in daycare, preschool, or traditional childcare, this role is not what you are used to.

The Program Supervisor directly supports youth with complex behavioural needs, significant trauma, emotional dysregulation, and high-acuity support requirements. The youth in our care require therapeutic crisis intervention, medication administration, behavioural support planning, and consistent trauma-informed responses during escalations.

This is not a sit-back-and-manage career. Program Supervisor is for someone who leads on the floor, not from the sidelines.

You will work in-ratio alongside your frontline Child and Youth Care Workers (CYCWs) while also overseeing the day-to-day operations of your program. That means actively supporting youth during difficult moments, coaching employees in real time, managing critical incidents, ensuring documentation and reporting standards are met, and helping to create stability in a high-needs environment.

You Will Need

• Confidence and experience working with high intensity specialized programming, complex behaviours, and trauma.
• Experience supporting escalated youth safely and therapeutically.
• Medication management experience.
• Critical Incident Reporting knowledge.
• Strong leadership under pressure.
• The ability to stay calm, regulated, and professional in unpredictable situations.
• A hands-on leadership style.

If you build trust through presence, earn respect through action, and are not afraid to step into hard moments with youth who need consistency the most…keep reading. If you are looking for something predictable, low-demand, hands-off, or primarily administrative, this is not be the right fit.

Why This Work Matters

You’ll know you’re succeeding when:

• A youth who struggles to trust starts opening up to you.
• A difficult moment de-escalates because of your presence.
• Your team begins to mirror your approach, your calm, and your standards.

The Program Supervisor role is demanding. It will stretch your patience, your creativity, and your leadership. It will give you the chance to make a lasting impact in a youth's life, and to lead a team doing the same.

What You’ll Do

On the Floor

• Provide in person, trauma-informed care to children and youth.
• Build trust through consistency, engagement, and genuine connection.
• Support youth through crisis using de-escalation and intervention strategies.
• Create meaningful moments, play, teach, guide, and support daily routines.
• Document observations and progress with accuracy and care.

Leadership & Operations

• Lead, coach, and mentor your team of CYCWs.
• Set and maintain high standards of care through role modeling.
• Support scheduling, staffing, and day-to-day program operations.
• Collaborate with internal teams (People & Culture, Finance).
• Partner with families, caregivers, and external stakeholders.
• Ensure safety, compliance, and program consistency.
• Participate in on-call support rotation.

What You Bring

Core Requirements

• 3+ years of direct care experience with children and youth that have complex developmental disabilities and/or significant mental health needs.
• 2+ years of supervisory experience in front-line care.
• Post-secondary education in Child and Youth Care, Social Work, or a related field.
• Experience working with Children and Family Services, FSCD, or PDD.
• Valid Alberta Class 5 Driver’s License.
• 3-year Alberta Driver’s Abstract.
• Reliable 4-door vehicle.
• Alberta Vehicle Registration.
• $2 Million Alberta Auto insurance liability.
• Clear Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Check VSC (within past 5 months).
• Clear Intervention Record Check IRC (within past 5 months).
• Standard/Intermediate First Aid with CPR Level C.

What Sets You Apart

• You lead by example, not just direction.
• You stay calm, grounded, and decisive in high-stress situations.
• You balance structure with empathy, firm, but fair.
• You genuinely enjoy engaging with youth (sports, games, life skills, connection).
• You are solution-focused and growth-oriented.
• You understand trauma-informed care and child development.

You must be able to:

• Remain active, alert, and engaged while supporting youth in daily activities, including swimming, biking, sports, games, and community outings.
• Meet the physical demands of the role, including:
  • Walking and standing for extended periods.
  • Kneeling, crouching, bending, reaching overhead, twisting, pushing, and pulling.
  • Occasionally lifting or moving items weighing between 10 and 50 lbs.
• Work in a variety of environments, including indoor settings with varying temperatures and lighting, as well as outdoors in different weather conditions.
• Respond calmly and confidently to challenging, unpredictable, or emotionally heightened situations while maintaining awareness of your surroundings.
• Maintain a compassionate, patient, and professional approach, even during physically or emotionally demanding shifts.
• Adapt to the changing needs of youth, remaining attentive, responsive, and actively involved throughout your shift.

CarePros Perks!

• Health, dental, vision, and travel benefits.
• Employee & Family Assistance Program.
• Discounted Access to DiveThru.
• Group RRSP matching eligibility after 12 months of active employment.
• Ongoing training & professional development.
• Cornell University TCI Certification.
• Access to innovative care technology + mobile tools.
• A collaborative, supportive team environment.
• Real opportunities for growth within a rapidly expanding organization.

This Is For You If

• You Want to lead and stay connected to the work.
• You find purpose in supporting youth with very high complex needs.
• You are ready to be relied on, by both your team and the youth in care.

This Is NOT For You If

• You prefer hands-off or administrative leadership.
• You are NOT comfortable with critical crisis situations or high intensity behavioural challenges.
• You are looking for a low-demand position.

We take our responsibility seriously. The youth we support deserve consistency, safety, and care they can trust. If you are ready to step into a role that will challenge you, grow you, and allow you to make a real impact, we look forward to hearing from you.