Friends Home in Kennett is seeking an experienced, mission-driven Executive Director to lead our close knit, non-profit senior living community. Our campus includes 6 independent living apartments, 30 personal care rooms, 10 memory-care rooms, and a 20-bed skilled nursing unit, offering the candidate an opportunity to provide visible, hands-on leadership across a full continuum of care.
The Executive Director is responsible for overall resident experiences, quality of services, regulatory compliance, financial performance, workforce development, community operations and relationships. The successful candidate will be a compassionate, approachable leader who communicates openly and builds trust with residents, families, staff, the Board of Directors, and community partners.
Leadership and Operations
- Provide strategic and day‑to‑day leadership for all levels of care: independent living, personal care/assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing.
- Implement the organization’s mission, values, strategic priorities, policies, and standards of service.
- Lead, mentor, and hold accountable department leaders and staff; cultivate a culture of teamwork, professionalism, compassion, inclusion, and continuous improvement.
- Oversee recruitment, hiring, orientation, performance management, staff development, and succession planning.
- Serve as a visible and accessible leader for residents, families, employees, volunteers, visitors, and vendors.
- Ensure resident rights, dignity, independence, safety, and person‑centered care remain central to all operations.
Regulatory Compliance and Quality
- Maintain compliance with applicable federal, state, and local requirements for personal care/assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing services.
- Ensure ongoing survey readiness, respond promptly to findings or deficiencies, and work effectively with regulatory agencies.
Pennsylvania assisted living residences are regulated under 55 Pa. Code Chapter 2800; personal care homes are regulated under Chapter 2600.
- Oversee quality assurance, risk management, infection prevention, emergency preparedness, resident safety, and continuous performance‑improvement activities.
- Collaborate with clinical and interdisciplinary leaders to ensure high‑quality resident care, individualized service planning, and excellent family communication.
Financial and Strategic Stewardship
- Develop, manage, and monitor operating and capital budgets in collaboration with the Board, department heads, and financial leadership.
- Maintain fiscal responsibility while protecting resident care quality, staffing effectiveness, and the community’s long‑term sustainability.
- Monitor occupancy, census, payer mix, revenue cycle, expenses, and operational benchmarks; identify opportunities for growth and efficiency.
- Support facility planning, maintenance, capital improvements, and campus‑development initiatives.
Community and Board Relations
- Build productive relationships with residents, families, referral sources, healthcare providers, civic organizations, professional associations, and community partners.
- Represent the organization positively in the local community and support outreach, marketing, and census‑development efforts.
- Provide timely reports, analyses, recommendations, and operational updates to the Board of Directors.
- Support the Board in its governance role while carrying out approved policies and strategic direction.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration, business administration, gerontology, nursing, or a related field required; master’s degree strongly preferred.
- Seven or more years of progressively responsible leadership experience in senior living, long‑term care, healthcare, or a related field preferred.
- Demonstrated success leading operations in a complex senior living, personal care, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, or multi‑service environment.
- Active Pennsylvania Nursing Home Administrator (NHA/LNHA) license in good standing strongly preferred; candidates able to obtain and maintain licensure within an agreed timeframe may be considered. Pennsylvania NHA licensure involves state and national examinations plus defined education and supervised‑experience pathways.
Pennsylvania personal care home/assisted living administrator qualifications, training, and experience appropriate to the community’s licensure category are required or must be obtained as applicable.
- Strong knowledge of Pennsylvania long‑term‑care regulations, survey processes, quality assurance, risk management, and resident rights.
- Proven financial acumen, including budgeting, financial reporting, census management, and operational planning.
- Excellent communication, relationship‑building, public‑speaking, problem‑solving, and organizational skills.
- A sincere commitment to compassionate, respectful, person‑centered care for older adults.
What We Offer
- Competitive salary commensurate with experience and qualifications
- Health, dental, and vision insurance
- 401k profit‑sharing plan
- Generous paid time off and paid holidays
- Company‑paid life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment coverage, and short‑term disability coverage
- Health savings account option
Voluntary long‑term disability, coverage
- Employee assistance program
- A meaningful leadership role in a small, relationship‑centered senior living community
Equal Opportunity Employer
Friends Home in Kennett is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to a workplace and community free from discrimination and harassment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.
Employment may be contingent upon satisfactory background checks, drug screening, and compliance with applicable vaccination and health‑screening requirements. Influenza vaccination may be required during the influenza season unless an approved medical or religious exemption is granted; COVID‑19 vaccination status may be addressed in accordance with current organizational policy.