Activities Director

Aspire Senior Living; Oak Grove (MO); On-site; USD 42,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Aspire Senior Living Oak Grove is seeking an energetic Activities Director to lead our resident activity and engagement program. You will design, implement, and oversee person-centered activities that promote social interaction, cognitive stimulation, and well-being for our seniors in Oak Grove, MO.

You'll manage the activities team, collaborate with nursing and therapy staff, plan special events, and ensure programs comply with regulations while honoring resident rights and dignity.

Qualifications

• Experience in activities in senior living, long-term care, or related setting preferred.
• Leadership or supervisory experience preferred.
• Knowledge of activity planning and therapeutic recreation principles.

Responsibilities

• Develop engaging programs: design, implement, and evaluate activities.
• Lead the activities team: scheduling, training, and support.
• Create person-centered experiences based on resident needs and interests.
• Plan special events and coordinate holidays, entertainment, outings.
• Collaborate with Nursing, Therapy, Dietary, Social Services to integrate activities into care.
• Promote resident engagement and social participation.
• Build partnerships with local organizations and volunteers.
• Manage department resources and budget for activities.

Skills

Leadership

Program development

Staff coordination

Event planning

Budget management

Communication

Organizational skills

Interpersonal skills

Dementia knowledge

Tools

Scheduling software

Job description

Activities Director | Full-Time

At Aspire Senior Living, our mission is to transform lives through Accountability, Service, Purpose, Integrity, Responsibility, and Excellence. With an unwavering commitment to our residents and an employee-focused approach, we create a brighter future for our communities and empower our team to deliver exceptional care and support.

Position Overview

Aspire Senior Living Oak Grove is seeking a creative, energetic, and compassionate Activities Director to lead our resident activity and engagement program in Oak Grove, MO.

The Activities Director is responsible for developing, coordinating, and overseeing engaging, person-centered activities that enhance residents' quality of life. This leadership role promotes socialization, cognitive stimulation, emotional well-being, physical activity, and meaningful resident engagement while leading activity staff and volunteers.

We're looking for an Activities Director who can bring energy, creativity, organization, and heart to our community while creating experiences our residents look forward to every day.

What You'll Do

• Develop Engaging Programs: Design, implement, and evaluate recreational, social, cultural, educational, and therapeutic activities based on residents' interests, abilities, and needs.
• Lead the Activities Team: Provide leadership, scheduling, training, guidance, and support to Activity Assistants and volunteers.
• Create Person-Centered Experiences: Assess resident interests, preferences, cognitive abilities, physical abilities, and psychosocial needs to develop meaningful programming.
• Plan Special Events: Coordinate holiday celebrations, theme days, entertainment, outings, resident events, and other memorable experiences.
• Collaborate Across Departments: Partner with Nursing, Therapy, Dietary, Social Services, and other departments to incorporate resident engagement into the overall plan of care.
• Promote Resident Engagement: Encourage participation, social interaction, independence, and a sense of belonging throughout the community.
• Build Community Partnerships: Develop relationships with local organizations, schools, churches, entertainers, volunteers, and community groups.
• Manage Department Resources: Oversee the activity department budget and coordinate supplies, equipment, entertainment, outings, and special-event expenses.
• Maintain Compliance: Ensure activity programming meets applicable federal, state, and local requirements while supporting resident rights, dignity, choice, and safety.
• Complete Documentation: Maintain accurate resident assessments, participation records, progress notes, calendars, and other required documentation.
• Support Resident Advocacy: Promote residents' preferences and quality of life through care planning, Resident Council meetings, and ongoing communication.
• Participate in interdisciplinary meetings, quality-improvement initiatives, and resident satisfaction efforts.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

What We're Looking For

• Previous experience in activities, recreation, therapeutic recreation, senior living, long-term care, skilled nursing, healthcare, or a related setting strongly preferred.
• Previous leadership or supervisory experience is preferred.
• Experience with program development, staff coordination, event planning, or budget management is a plus.
• Strong leadership, communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Creative and enthusiastic approach to resident programming and engagement.
• Genuine passion for working with older adults and enhancing their quality of life.
• Knowledge of activity planning and therapeutic recreation principles.
• Understanding of the cognitive and physical changes associated with aging and dementia, including ways to adapt programming for individual abilities.
• Ability to effectively communicate and collaborate with residents, families, team members, volunteers, and community partners.
• Basic computer skills for documentation, scheduling, calendars, and communication.
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities, resident needs, and schedules in a dynamic long-term care environment.

Make an Impact at Aspire Senior Living Oak Grove!

As our Activities Director, you won't simply plan activities—you'll help create a community where residents have opportunities to connect, participate, laugh, celebrate, stay active, and experience a sense of purpose.

If you're a creative leader who believes every resident deserves meaningful experiences and something to look forward to, we'd love to meet you at Aspire Senior Living Oak Grove.