Active Living Program Director

Merrill Gardens; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Medical, dental, vision

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

Life insurance

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Paid time off

Holidays & vacation

Free daily meal

401(k) with match

Tuition reimbursement

Disability insurance

Pet insurance

Advance pay

Advancement opportunities

Job summary

Merrill Gardens at Willow Glen in San Jose seeks a Senior Living Active Living Program Director to develop and oversee a diverse schedule of activities that enrich residents' cultural, spiritual, physical, social, and intellectual needs.

You will lead a team, coordinate with families and community partners, manage budgets, and ensure safety and accessibility. This role emphasizes compassionate care, collaboration with other departments, and opportunities for program growth.

Qualifications

• High School diploma required, college degree or equivalent preferred.
• Three years related experience, training, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Three years of social activity leadership preferred.
• Senior living experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop Activities: plan, coordinate, and participate in events to provide a vibrant community life.
• Determine resident programming preferences through orientation, feedback sessions, and family discussions.
• Engage residents, families, and external community in activities and volunteer opportunities.
• Establish partnerships with external organizations and educational institutions for quality programs.
• Track participation and adjust the activity calendar accordingly.
• Manage budgeting for supplies, entertainment, food, and staffing.

Skills

Community program leadership

Event planning

Staff supervision

Budget management

Education

High School diploma; college degree preferred

Job description

Senior Living Active Living Program Director

Merrill Gardens at Willow Glen is currently searching for an Active Living Program Director to maintain and organize a diversified program of individual and group activities, to enrich and meet the cultural, spiritual, physical, social, and intellectual needs of our residents.

If you are a compassionate, caring, responsible, and honest individual who genuinely loves working with the senior population.

Family means everything to us. From the communities we create to the connections we make with residents, everything we do is rooted in our history as a fifth-generation family business.

We build on that family with the people we hire and the teams they form. As a family company, we can do things differently and for the past 30 years our long-term commitment to team members has been unsurpassed.

We offer our full-time employees:

• Highly competitive pay and comprehensive benefits (medical, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts, life insurance).
• Company-paid Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Paid time off – 7 holidays, and 11 vacation days.
• Free daily meal every shift.
• 401(k) with company match and immediate vesting!
• Tuition reimbursement for career growth.
• Company-paid short & long-term disability insurance.
• Pet insurance and team member discounts.
• Advance Pay benefit – access wages before payday.
• A stable, growing company with opportunities for advancement!

We offer our part-time employees:

• Free daily meal every shift.
• 401(k) with company match and immediate vesting!
• Company-paid Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Tuition reimbursement for career growth.
• Pet insurance and team member discounts.
• Advance Pay benefit – access wages before payday.
• A stable, growing company with opportunities for advancement!

Our Active Living Program Directors are responsible for:

• Develop Activities:
  • Plans, coordinates, and participates in a variety of social events/outings to provide a vibrant and active community life to residents.
  • Determines resident programming preferences, talents, and needs through new resident orientation, informal feedback sessions, resident council meetings, discussions with family members, and on-going dialogue.
  • Engages residents, families, and the external community in activities and volunteer opportunities that promote socialization, expand personal interests, increase physical activity, and continue education.
  • Aligns with external organizations, family members, and educational institutions to establish synergistic partnerships for the delivery of quality programs and volunteerism.
  • Tracks resident activity participation and adjusts calendar events accordingly.
  • Stays abreast of active aging and generational trends to enhance the community program; creates and shares relevant best practices with both community staff and other Active Living Directors.
  • Develops community communications such as activities calendars, for residents, families, and prospective residents.
  • Assists the Lifestyle Program Manager in Seattle in maintaining, updating and creating new resources and tools for the Lifestyle Department.
  • Transports and/or accompanies residents to and from outside activities, shopping trips, and appointments in community vehicle.
  • Sets up and cleans up after activities.
  • Acknowledge residents’ special days. Arranges and coordinates diverse holiday celebrations.
  • Select and manage outside vendors, including entertainers, caterers, etc.
• Marketing:
  • Conducts tours of the community when necessary.
  • Assists the Community Relations Director in planning events that encourage prospective residents to participate in community activities.
• Liaisons between senior centers, churches, and the community.
• Supervises Active Living Assistant and/or volunteers.
• Manages monthly budget for activity supplies, entertainment, food, etc., and staffing as appropriate.
• Works with other department heads in planning and conducting orientation and in-service training.
• Participates in all in-service training and education programs as scheduled.
• Orders and manages supplies for all activities.
• Takes responsibility for vehicle inspections, as needed.

If you are someone with:

• High School diploma required, college degree or equivalent preferred.
• Three years related experience, training, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Three years of social activity leadership preferred.
• Senior living experience preferred.

Actual pay rate within stated pay range is determined based on relevant factors in compliance with state and local wage laws. This range reflects what we reasonably expect to pay upon hire.

Physical Requirements

This role involves frequent standing, walking, lifting (up to 75 lbs), and assisting with resident care. Regular bending, reaching, and physical movement are required throughout the workday. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Our mission is to provide an inspiring environment for our residents, families, and team members where every life is defined by the possibilities.

Merrill Gardens is an Equal Opportunity Employer