Direct Care Supervisor - Girls Empowerment Zone

Walker Therapeutic & Educational Programs; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Walker Therapeutic & Educational Programs in Needham, MA, seeks a Direct Care Supervisor to oversee a team of counselors and provide a therapeutic milieu for youth in the Empowerment Zone Drop-in Center. The role includes crisis management, scheduling, and collaboration with clinical staff to support individual plans.

The candidate will supervise staff, participate in training, and help ensure compliant, trauma-informed practice within a multidisciplinary team environment.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Preferred: Associate degree or higher.
• Must pass and apply TCI, First Aid/CPR, and medication training.

Responsibilities

• Supervise direct care staff and manage a team of counselors.
• Provide crisis management within the Drop-in Center.
• Schedule management and supervise daily activities for clients.
• Collaborate with leadership to train staff and develop plans.
• Attend MDT meetings and contribute to treatment planning.
• Assist with staff interviews, hiring, and training as assigned.

Skills

TCI training

First Aid/CPR

Medication training

Strong communication

Calm under pressure

Team collaboration

Staff supervision

Training delivery

Staff evaluations

Education

High School diploma or GED

Associate degree or higher (preferred)

Job description

About Walker

Since 1961, Walker Therapeutic & Educational Programs has been a trusted partner for children, youth, and families, navigating some of life’s most difficult challenges. Based in Needham, our mission is to nurture hope, build strengths, and develop lifelong skills in partnership with the children, youth, families, and communities we serve. We provide comprehensive, trauma-informed residential, educational, and clinical services to children and youth with complex social-emotional, behavioral, and learning needs, while supporting their families every step of the way. Through three specialized divisions—Residential & Educational Programs, Behavioral Health & Community-Based Services, and Walker Solutions—we deliver relationship-based care and capacity-building that makes a lasting difference. Today, we serve children, youth, and families from more than 150 communities across Massachusetts.

Make a Difference Every Day—and Gain Skills You Can Use for Life

As a Direct Care Supervisor at Walker, you'll work directly with children and youth who are navigating social, emotional, and behavioral challenges. You'll be part of a supportive, multidisciplinary team that helps youth feel safe, connected, and ready to grow. As your career continues to grow in the human services field, this is a chance to build valuable experience while making a real impact.

Under the guidance of the Director of The Girls’ Empowerment Zone, the Supervisor will be responsible for supervising and providing a therapeutic milieu within the Drop-in Center of the Empowerment Zone, including managing the daily schedule for clients and ensuring therapeutic recreational programming occurs, as well as directly managing the performance of assigned staff, including individual/group supervision and staff evaluations. The Supervisor is expected to provide crisis management within the program.

Essential Functions

• Perform in a way that is aligned with the agency mission and core values. This includes but is not limited to services that are trauma informed, relationship based, family involved, developmentally focused, competence centered, and ecologically oriented.
• Work as part of a Multi-Disciplinary Team to further the emotional, behavioral and educational development of children in the Drop-in Center.
• In collaboration with Empowerment Zone leadership, assess the structure and schedule and develop plans for supporting and training staff in planning and carrying out different parts of the schedule (meals, activities, homework, etc.).
• Understand and adhere to licensing standards within the unit.
• In collaboration with Empowerment Zone Directors and clinicians, increase the staff’s understanding of and ability to develop, implement, and evaluate individual support plans for kids.
• Work with leadership to increase the use of TCI philosophy and language including early intervention and de-escalation techniques in the day-to-day running of the program.
• In collaboration with direct leadership, identify the strengths and areas of growth for individual staff members and teams of staff. The areas to be evaluated should include individual work with children, group management techniques, understanding of child development, work with families, completion of tasks, and teamwork.
• Attend Multi-Disciplinary Team meetings, and treatment meetings as needed, to discuss youth’s progress.
• Manage the activities schedule when on shift.
• Work with the leadership team to identify issues in need of discussion for supervisor meetings.
• Assist with communication across shifts (i.e. leadership, staff, and DCF teams)
• Participate in staff interviewing and hiring process as assigned.
• Assist with conducting training for staff as assigned.
• Supervise direct care staff as assigned.
• Additional duties as assigned

Skills And Abilities

• Must be able to successfully pass and apply Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) training
• Must be able to successfully complete First Aid/CPR training
• Must be able to successfully complete medication training
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to remain calm and make safe decisions in high-pressure situations
• Capacity to work effectively in a stressful and fast-paced environment
• Ability to learn, retain, and apply principles taught in training and supervision
• Physical stamina to participate in activities with children
• Ability to stand, walk, and run for extended periods, perform frequent bending, stooping, stretching, lifting, sitting, stairs, typing, and looking at a computer screen
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and computer experience is required
• Ability to meet deadlines and follow through with multiple projects simultaneously
• Ability to work flexibly and collaboratively as part of a team, including during times of high stress
• Candidates with relevant lived experience, including experience navigating systems of care, overcoming adversity, or supporting survivors of sexual exploitation and trafficking, are strongly encouraged to apply.

Schedule

• Monday-Friday: 11:00am-7:00pm, with additional flexibility based on business needs

Qualifications

Education and Certifications

• High School diploma or GED required

Preferred

• Associate degree or higher

Other Requirements

• Successfully complete all background check suitability requirements
• Must have reliable transportation
• Valid MA driver’s license preferred

Reports to:

Director of Girl’s Empowerment Zone

Supervises:

Team of direct care counselors as assigned

Equal Opportunity Statement

Walker is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based upon an individual's race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic information, disability, veteran status, pregnancy, national guard or reserve unit obligations, participation in discrimination complaint-related activities, or membership in any category protected by federal or state law.