Bereavement Program Director

Pillars Community Health; Western Springs, Countryside (IL, IL); On-site; USD 32,500 - 37,500; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Disability insurance

Life insurance

Accident coverage

Critical illness insurance

Hospital indemnity

FSA

401(k) retirement plan

Paid time off

Relias Essential Learning membership

License/certification reimbursement

Job summary

Pillars Community Health in Western Springs, IL is seeking a part-time Director to oversee Buddy’s Place, a family-based bereavement program serving children, teens, and their families. The role requires 20 hours weekly with evening commitments and involves coordinating eight-week sessions and monthly gatherings.

The Director will recruit and train volunteers, report to stakeholders, maintain program quality, and collaborate with site partners to expand reach.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Counseling, Psychology, Clinical Social Work, or related field.
• Minimum 2 years experience in the bereavement service area.
• Training facilitation and presentation experience required.
• Ability to work as part of a team and collaborate with consumers, referral sources, and other community providers.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily operations of Buddy’s Place bereavement program.
• Collaborate with staff to develop innovative programs and services.
• Provide reports on programming for stakeholders and funding reports.
• Recruit, onboard, and train volunteers; manage volunteer coverage.
• Coordinate meetings with HR and site staff to ensure compliance and documentation.
• Organize 8-week sessions and monthly gatherings for families.
• Support scheduling, registration, and referrals for families.
• Facilitate presentations to community groups and school staff.
• Ensure program quality, ethics, and curriculum adherence.
• Participate in agency and program leadership meetings.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Volunteer management

Training facilitation

Public speaking

Team collaboration

Program coordination

Education

Master's degree in Counseling, Psychology, Clinical Social Work, or related field

Job description

** This is a part-time position. See schedule details below. **

SUMMARY

Responsible for oversight of all daily operations related to Buddy’s Place: a bereavement program offering family-based support groups to grieving children, teens, and their families.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assists in the completion of the Buddy’s Place strategic plan.
• Collaborates with staff to develop innovative programs and services that are congruent with the Buddy’s Place program.
• Collaborates with supervisor and Line of Service leaders regularly to address progress, growth, and challenges.
• Provides reports on programming for key stakeholders and entities when needed.
• Identifies key community partners/collaborators and conducts strategic meetings to expand reach to new audiences and network partners.
• Ensures the quality and effectiveness of programming by adherence to the established curriculum and practice standards.
• Ensures compliance with all ethical and legal rules and regulations for the support services provided within the Buddy’s Place program.
• Collaborates with the Quality Improvement Analyst to review the evaluations and look for trends and useful data points that can be used to refine the program and for grants or funding reports/opportunities.
• Makes presentations about supporting grieving children and Buddy’s Place as requested by outside sources, such as community groups, school staff, and others.
• Organizes, coordinates, implements, and facilitates the group preparation for the 8-week sessions and monthly gatherings which provide family-based bereavement support groups for children and teens ages four (4) to eighteen (18).
• Manages a group of volunteers. Assigns and monitors volunteers to ensure proper coverage.
• Collaboratively assists in recruiting of, onboarding/training, professional development, and necessary documentation for volunteers.
• Coordinates meetings with the volunteers and the HR department to complete required documentation and compliance requirements.
• Attends weekly evening bereavement support groups during the 8-week spring and fall sessions. Attends monthly program gatherings.
• Coordinates registration of families by conducting the phone intake, organizing, and processing paperwork. Makes referrals as necessary.
• Follows up with families considering attending the program.
• Coordinates with the external staff of the site(s) where monthly gatherings and 8-week sessions are held and coordinates scheduling and set up needs. Coordinates the contract approval and submission process and works to identify additional site locations, as needed.
• Facilitates semi-annual meetings with volunteers.
• Creates and updates the evaluations used for the programs to gather feedback and data.
• Participates in non-clinical client-facing activities (Trim a Tree event, summer event)
• Provide in-service trainings for staff, interns and Buddy’s Place volunteers as requested.
• Participates in agency, line of service, program, and leadership meetings, activities and events, or other meetings that are relevant for the program.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill and or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable an individual with a disability to perform the essential duties and responsibilities.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Masters Degree in Counseling, Psychology, Clinical Social Work, or related field with a minimum of 2 years experience in the bereavement service area. Prior program coordination experience and experience managing volunteers is preferred. Training facilitation and presentation experience required. Ability to work as part of a team and collaborate with consumers, referral sources, and other community providers are essential.

SCHEDULE:

The Director will coordinate a gathering that occurs on the 2nd Monday evening of each month. Gatherings for held from 6:15 – 7:30 pm, with the Director and volunteers working on site from 4:00 – 8:30 pm

Each Fall and Spring, the Director coordinates an 8-week session, generally September through October and March/April through May. The 8-week sessions are on Tuesday evenings, typically running through 8:30 pm

The weekly schedule can be flexible and varies throughout the week. It would include 20 hours each week, with evening availability on Mondays and Tuesdays for the program gatherings and 8 weeks sessions. Outside of these timeframes, the regular hours are flexible.

PAY & BENEFIT INFORMATION

$32,500 – $37,500 *

* This is a part-time position based on 20 hours each week. Wage is based on one’s experience, qualifications, and bilingual language skills as compared with our position requirements and other similar employees within the organization.

Benefits: Short/long term disability, life, accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity, FSA, Employee Assistance Program, 401(k) retirement plan, paid time off for vacation, sick, personal time, holidays, & wellness day. Professional development membership to Relias Essential Learning. Reimbursement for position related clinical license and certifications.