Director of Social Services - Hudson Bay

Lantern Community Services Inc; New York (NY); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Lantern Community Services Inc in New York, NY, seeks an experienced Director of Social Services for Hudson Bay, a new women’s shelter in the Bronx. The role oversees clinical and social services to ensure high-quality care and housing stability for residents.

You will develop and supervise a Social Services team, implement best practices, track outcomes, and collaborate with the Shelter Director to meet DHS regulatory requirements and strategic goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in social work, social services, or a related field required.
• 8+ years in social services, case management, counseling, or related human services.
• At least 5 years of documented progressive managerial experience in social services, shelter operations, or related programs.
• Master’s Degree in Social Work (MSW), Mental Health Counseling (MHC), or Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) from an accredited institution.
• 5 years of experience in social services and 3 years of progressive managerial experience.
• Experience using electronic case management systems and applying data to inform best practices.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel) and CARES.
• Strong knowledge of mental health, substance use, HIV/AIDS, and homelessness issues preferred.
• Ability to work under pressure, respond to crisis, and flexible scheduling.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, with strong organizational and problem-solving abilities.

Responsibilities

• Hire, train, and supervise Social Workers, Case Managers, Housing Coordinators, and Peer Specialists to ensure timely completion of goals and benchmarks.
• Provide leadership through regular supervision, performance evaluations, and staff meetings.
• Attend mandatory trainings and meetings to maintain program compliance and best practices.
• Ensure adherence to DHS, OTDA, and Lantern standards for intake, assessments, service delivery, and documentation.
• Develop Independent Living Plans and Housing Plans for residents’ stability and transitions to permanent housing.
• Coordinate access to medical, mental health, and substance use services and referrals.
• Develop counseling approaches, programming, and referral resources to support harm reduction and housing readiness.
• Implement crisis prevention/intervention strategies to maintain a safe shelter environment.
• Follow-up on critical incidents, assist with safety planning, and connect residents to supports during crises.
• Maintain relationships with community partners and promote Good Neighbor policy.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Leadership

Staff Supervision

Crisis Management

Program Development

Data-Driven

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work

Master’s Degree in MSW/MHC/MFT

Tools

CARES

Microsoft Office

Job description

Director of Social Services – Hudson Bay

Lantern Community Services Inc, New York, New York, United States

About this position

Classification: Full-time, Exempt

Reports to: Shelter Director

Location: Bronx, NY

Status & Hours: Full-time, Mon‑Fri 9 am to 5 pm. Hours may vary and include on‑call responsibilities. Lantern staff may be asked to change work schedule and hours depending on the operational needs of the site and the agency.

Who We Are: Lantern Community Services helps New Yorkers impacted by homelessness move from surviving to thriving by pairing safe, supportive housing with wraparound services that build lasting stability and independence. If you believe a steady home can be the start of everything else, you’ll fit right in with our mission‑first team. Lantern was also recognized as a Top 2025 Workplace by City & State New York – a great place to do meaningful work with people who care!

Where You Will Work: Hudson Bay is a brand‑new, all‑female shelter in the Bronx housing 200 women aged 55 and older.

About The Role: We are seeking an experienced and progressive Director of Social Services for our new women's shelter. This position oversees the Clinical and Social Services functions to optimize the quality of care to residents in accordance with DHS regulatory and accreditation requirements. The ideal candidate will develop and supervise the Social Services team, consisting of Social Workers, Case Managers, Housing Specialists, and Peer Engagement Specialists. The DSS will be responsible for implementing best practices to meet the physical, emotional, and social needs of residents, ensuring their ability to gain and maintain housing stability, and will work closely with the Shelter Director to develop, implement, track, report, and evaluate measurable outcomes.

Essential Functions

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Hire, train, and supervise Social Workers, Case Managers, Housing Coordinators, and Peer Specialists to ensure timely completion of program goals, deliverables, and benchmarks.
• Provide leadership through regular supervision, performance evaluations, disciplinary support as needed, and facilitation of staff and clinical meetings.
• Attend all mandatory DHS trainings and meetings to maintain program compliance and best practices.
• Ensure adherence to DHS, OTDA, and Lantern standards for client intake, assessments, service delivery, and documentation within required timeframes.
• Support staff in developing individualized Independent Living Plans and Housing Plans that promote long‑term stability and successful transitions to permanent housing.
• Coordinate access to necessary medical, mental health, and substance use services, including referrals for psychiatric assessment, treatment, and community‑based care.
• Develop counseling approaches, programming, and referral resources that support residents in achieving harm reduction, wellness, and housing readiness goals.
• Implement crisis prevention and intervention strategies to maintain a safe and secure shelter environment.
• Provide follow‑up on critical incidents, assist with safety planning, and ensure residents are connected to appropriate supports during times of crisis.
• Maintain strong relationships with community partners and ensure the shelter upholds a Good Neighbor policy by connecting residents with daytime resources, supportive services, and constructive community‑based activities.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree: Bachelor's degree in social work, social services, or a related field required.
• Minimum of eight (8) years of experience in social services, case management, counseling, direct advocacy, or a related human services setting.
• At least five (5) years of documented progressive managerial experience in social services, shelter operations, case management, or related human services programs.

Additional Qualifications

• Master’s Degree: Master’s degree in Social Work (MSW), Mental Health Counseling (MHC), or Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) from an accredited institution.
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in social services, case management, counseling, direct advocacy, or a related human services setting.
• At least three (3) years of documented progressive managerial experience in social services, shelter operations, case management, or related human services programs.
• Experience using electronic case management systems and applying data to inform best practices and improve service delivery.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel required) and comfort working in databases such as CARES.
• Strong knowledge of mental health, substance use, HIV/AIDS, and issues impacting individuals experiencing chronic homelessness preferred.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure, respond to crisis situations, and maintain flexibility with scheduling as needed.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with strong organizational and problem‑solving abilities.

Work Environment

This job operates in a shelter site and works with the female population who experience mental illness, addiction, disability, HIV, and other chronic illnesses.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, stoop, climb stairs, and/or kneel. Occasionally, the employee will have to lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.

Note: Lantern Community Services provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment. Lantern Community Services (Lantern) values the diversity of all our clients, staff, Board of Directors, and partners. By bringing diverse individuals and viewpoints together, we create more vibrant, healthy, and just communities.