Director of Programs and Compliance

Walker's Point Youth & Family Center; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 80,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Walker’s Point Youth & Family Center in Milwaukee seeks a Director of Programs & Compliance to provide strategic leadership for its direct-service programs serving runaway, homeless, and at-risk youth. The role ensures programs operate safely, compliantly, and in line with grants, licensing, and best practices.

You will oversee the YHDP, Outreach, Emergency Shelter, and Insights Supportive Housing, supervise program managers, manage data, budgets, and reporting, and partner with the executive

Qualifications

• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience in human services or related field.
• 5+ years of progressively responsible experience in human services or program management.
• 3+ years of supervisory or management experience and strong leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and strategic direction for multiple programs (YHDP, Outreach, Emergency Shelter, Insights Housing).
• Ensure program activity aligns with contracts, grants, licensing, and regulations.
• Lead recruitment, supervision, coaching, and performance evaluation of staff.
• Oversee program data collection, reporting, and dashboards for performance and funder requirements.
• Manage program budgets, expenditures, and reimbursement processes.
• Collaborate with Executive Director and Finance on grant reporting and financial oversight.
• Foster trauma-informed, youth-centered practices and community partnerships.

Skills

Leadership

Program management

Staff supervision

Strategic planning

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher in social work or related field

Equivalent professional experience in lieu of a degree

Tools

HMIS

Case management databases

Job description

Position Summary

TheDirectorofPrograms& Compliance provides strategic leadership, oversight, and accountability for Walker’s Point Youth & Family Center’s direct-serviceprograms. This position is responsible for ensuring thatprogramsoperate effectively, safely, and in alignment with the agency’s mission, contractual obligations, grant requirements, licensing standards, and best practices in serving runaway, homeless, and at-risk youth.

TheDirectoroversees theYouth Homelessness DemonstrationProgram(YHDP), OutreachProgram, Emergency ShelterProgram, and Insights Supportive HousingProgramand provides leadership toprogrammanagers and supervisors.

This position serves as a key member of the agency’s leadership team and is responsible forprogramperformance, compliance, data integrity, grant deliverables,programbudgets, reimbursement, quality assurance, staff supervision, and continuousprogramimprovement.

The ideal candidate is a strong, organized, mission-driven leader who can balance direct-service priorities with fiscal responsibility, compliance requirements, data management, staff development, and strategic planning.

Essential Responsibilities Program

Leadership & Oversight

• Provide overall leadership and strategic direction for the YHDP, Outreach, Emergency Shelter, and Insights Supportive Housingprograms.
• Ensureprogramsoperate in alignment with agency policies, contracts, licensing requirements, grant requirements, and applicable regulations.
• Establish clearprogramexpectations, performance standards, and accountability measures.
• Monitorprogramcapacity, staffing, service delivery, and operational effectiveness.
• Identify programmatic challenges and develop corrective action plans.
• Ensure coordination and continuity of services betweenprograms.
• Promote youth-centered, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and strengths-based practices.
• Ensure youth have access to appropriate resources, referrals, case management, housing support, crisis intervention, and other identified needs.

Supervision & Staff Leadership

• Directly superviseprogrammanagers, supervisors, and designatedprogramleadership staff.
• Provide regular supervision, coaching, feedback, and performance evaluations.
• Establish measurable goals and performance expectations forprogramleadership.
• Address performance concerns in collaboration with Human Resources and the ExecutiveDirector.
• Support recruitment, interviewing, onboarding, training, and retention ofprogramstaff.
• Ensure appropriate staffing levels andprogramcoverage.
• Ensure staff complete required training and maintain necessary certifications.
• Promote a culture of accountability, teamwork, professionalism, and continuous learning.

Grant Compliance & Contract Management

• Maintain overall responsibility forprogramcompliance with grant and contractual requirements.
• Review grant agreements, scopes of work, budgets, performance measures, and reporting requirements.
• Ensure grant deliverables and reports are completed accurately and on time.
• Monitor compliance with federal, state, county, municipal, and private foundation requirements.
• Maintain systems to track grant deliverables and reporting deadlines.
• Coordinate with the ExecutiveDirectorand Finance Department regarding grant requirements and financial reporting.
• Ensureprogramactivities and expenditures remain within approved grant scopes and budgets.
• Identify compliance concerns and communicate them to leadership promptly.
• Assist with grant applications, renewals, amendments, monitoring visits, and audits.

Data Management & Performance Measurement

• Overseeprogramdata collection, entry, quality, and reporting.
• Ensure timely and accurate HMIS and other required data entry.
• Monitor data quality and resolve missing, inaccurate, or inconsistent information.
• Trackprogramoutputs and outcomes against established goals.
• Develop regularprogramdashboards and performance reports.
• Analyze trends related to youth served, housing outcomes, shelter utilization, length of stay, exits, referrals, and engagement.
• Ensure staff understand data requirements and documentation expectations.
• Use data to identify service gaps and improveprogramoutcomes.
• Prepare data for funder reports, board reports, grant applications, audits, and monitoring visits.

ProgramBudgets & Fiscal Oversight

• Develop and monitor annualprogrambudgets in collaboration with the ExecutiveDirectorand Finance Department.
• Monitorprogramexpenditures against approved budgets.
• Ensure expenditures are allowable, reasonable, necessary, and consistent with funding requirements.
• Review budget-to-actual reports and identify variances.
• Work with Finance to ensure appropriate allocation of expenses amongprogramsand funding sources.
• Monitor staffing costs,programsupplies, participant assistance, contracted services, and otherprogramexpenditures.
• Provide recommendations regarding budget adjustments and resource allocation.
• Ensureprogrammanagers understand and operate within approved budgets.

Grant Reimbursement & Revenue

• Oversee timely submission ofprogramreimbursement requests and supporting documentation.
• Coordinate with Finance to ensure expenses are properly documented and submitted for reimbursement.
• Monitor outstanding reimbursements and identify delays or discrepancies.
• Ensure reimbursement requests are consistent with grant budgets and contractual requirements.
• Reviewprogramexpenses for grant allowability when appropriate.
• Maintain tracking systems for grant-funded expenditures and reimbursements.
• Identify opportunities to maximize allowable reimbursement while maintaining compliance.
• Communicate funding concerns, reimbursement issues, and potential revenue gaps to the ExecutiveDirector.

Quality Assurance & Risk Management

• Develop and maintain quality assurance processes acrossprograms.
• Conduct regularprogramreviews to assess compliance, documentation, service quality, staffing, and outcomes.
• Monitor case records andprogramdocumentation for completeness and quality.
• Ensure incidents, grievances, critical events, and required documentation are appropriately addressed.
• Review significant incidents and identify opportunities to improve systems and staff practices.
• Ensure policies and procedures are consistently implemented.
• Coordinate preparation for licensing reviews, monitoring visits, audits, and inspections.
• Ensure corrective action plans are developed and implemented when needed.

Youth Safety & Service Quality

• Maintain a strong focus on youth safety, dignity, rights, and well-being.
• Ensureprogramsprovide appropriate supervision and support.
• Promote consistent, trauma-informed responses to youth behavior and crisis situations.
• Ensure appropriate escalation and documentation of safety concerns and critical incidents.
• Advocate for youth-centered policies and practices throughout the organization.

Community Partnerships

• Develop and maintain relationships with funders, government agencies, schools, housing providers, behavioral health providers, Continuum of Care partners, and other community organizations.
• Represent Walker’s Point Youth & Family Center at community meetings, coalitions, and other relevant forums.
• Coordinate services with external partners to improve outcomes for youth.
• Support agency participation in HMIS, coordinated entry, YHDP, Continuum of Care, and other collaborative systems.

Strategic & Organizational Leadership

• Serve as a member of the agency’s leadership team.
• Participate in strategic planning and agency-wide decision-making.
• Provide the ExecutiveDirectorwith regular updates regardingprogramperformance, staffing, compliance, finances, risks, and emerging needs.
• Identify opportunities forprogramexpansion, innovation, partnerships, and new funding.
• Assist with development and implementation of newprograms.
• Participate in grant development and fundraising activities by providingprograminformation, outcomes, budgets, and narratives.
• Ensureprogramoperations support the agency’s strategic priorities and financial sustainability.

Board & Executive Leadership Support

• Prepareprogramreports and presentations for the ExecutiveDirectorand Board ofDirectors.
• Provide accurateprogramoutcomes, accomplishments, challenges, and financial information for board reporting.
• Support the ExecutiveDirectorin preparing for funder meetings, monitoring visits, audits, and community presentations.
• Communicate emerging programmatic, financial, staffing, and compliance risks to executive leadership.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, public administration, nonprofit management, human services, psychology, criminal justice, or a related fieldOR equivalent professional experience in lieu of a degree.
• Minimum of5 years of progressively responsible experiencein human services, nonprofitprogrammanagement, youth services, housing, homelessness, crisis services, or a related field.
• Minimum of3 years of supervisory or management experience.
• Demonstrated experience managing multipleprogramsor service areas.
• Experience with government grants, private grants, contracts, or other restricted funding.
• Experience withprogrambudgets and financial monitoring.
• Experience with data collection, HMIS, case management databases, or similar systems.
• Strong understanding of compliance, documentation, performance measurement, and grant reporting.
• Experience working with youth experiencing homelessness, housing instability, family conflict, trauma, or other significant barriers preferred.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines and competing priorities.
• Ability to lead with accountability while maintaining a supportive and collaborative management style.

Equivalent Experience:

Walker’s Point Youth & Family Center recognizes that professional experience, demonstrated leadership, specialized training, and relevant certifications can provide valuable preparation for this role.Candidates who do not possess a college degree but have substantial, directly relevant experience may be considered in lieu of the educational requirement.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Public Administration, Social Work, Nonprofit Management, or related field.
• Experience with YHDP, Continuum of Care, HUD-fundedprograms, or other federal housingprograms.
• Experience with emergency youth shelter or runaway and homeless youthprograms.
• Experience with HMIS and coordinated entry.
• Experience with government contract reimbursement and cost allocation.
• Experience preparing for government or funder monitoring and audits.
• Experience developingprogrampolicies, procedures, and performance dashboards.

Compensation $80-85k depending on education and experience