RESIDENTIAL DIRECTOR

Evolving Solution Services; Pembroke (NH); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Pine Haven Boys Center is a private, non-profit residential and educational facility located in Allenstown, NH. The Residential Director will provide administrative, operational, and supervisory leadership for the residential program serving boys ages 6-14 who have experienced trauma and behavioral challenges.

The role ensures a safe, structured, trauma-informed, therapeutic living environment and compliance with federal and state laws, NH child care licensing, Pine Haven policies, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field with experience in residential care or youth services.
• Master's degree preferred for advanced leadership responsibilities.
• Experience in trauma‑informed care, behavior support, and licensing compliance.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day leadership and oversight of Pine Haven's residential program.
• Maintain trauma‑informed, safe and therapeutic environment for children.
• Ensure compliance with NH licensing, laws, and Pine Haven policies.
• Collaborate with clinical, educational, and administrative staff and families.
• Lead staff scheduling, supervision, and performance evaluations.
• Participate in planning, accreditation, and quality improvement activities.

Skills

Leadership

Staff supervision

Communication

Crisis management

Regulatory compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in human services, social work, psychology, behavioral health, education, criminal justice, organizational leadership, or related field

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Schedule: Monday–Friday, with a schedule designed to provide leadership and oversight across second and third shifts. Weekend coverage is also required as needed.

Overview

Pine Haven Boys Center is a private, non-profit, non-sectarian residential and educational facility serving boys ages 6-14 who have experienced trauma, neglect, and behavior or emotional challenges. Located on over 100 acres in Allenstown, NH, Pine Haven provides intensive therapeutic and academic programming to support student growth and long‑term success.

The Residential Director provides administrative, operational, and supervisory leadership for Pine Haven Boys Center's residential program. The Residential Director is responsible for ensuring that residential services provide a safe, structured, trauma‑informed, therapeutic, and supportive living environment for the children served by Pine Haven.

The Residential Director ensures residential services are delivered in accordance with applicable federal and state laws, New Hampshire child care licensing requirements, Pine Haven policies and procedures, contractual requirements, and recognized standards of residential care. The Residential Director works collaboratively with clinical, educational, behavioral, administrative, and business office staff, families, placing agencies, and other stakeholders to promote consistency across all areas of each child's care and treatment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide day‑to‑day leadership and oversight of Pine Haven's residential program and cottage operations.
• Implement residential programs, policies, procedures, and practices consistent with Pine Haven's mission and the direction of the Executive Director.
• Maintain a regular and visible presence within the residential program, particularly during cottage operating hours, to support staff, observe program practices, and remain familiar with the needs of the children.
• Ensure residential programming provides a safe, structured, trauma‑informed, developmentally appropriate, and therapeutic environment.
• Maintain current knowledge of applicable residential child care regulations, licensing requirements, trauma‑informed practices, behavior‑support principles, and organizational policies.
• Monitor residential operations to ensure consistent implementation of policies, procedures, treatment plans, behavior support plans, safety plans, and individual service needs.
• Identify operational concerns and develop appropriate corrective actions in collaboration with the Executive Director and other members of leadership.
• Participate in organizational planning, quality improvement, policy development, accreditation, licensing, and program evaluation activities.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director regarding staffing, resources, program needs, significant incidents, and residential operations.

Staff Supervision and Development

• Provide direct supervision and leadership to residential supervisors, leads, residential counselors, and other assigned residential personnel.
• Participate in recruitment, interviewing, hiring, onboarding, training, evaluation, corrective action, and development of residential staff.
• Conduct regular staff meetings, individual supervision, coaching, and performance evaluations.
• Establish clear expectations regarding professional conduct, attendance, documentation, supervision, communication, boundaries, safety, and quality of care.
• Provide real‑time coaching and feedback to residential staff to strengthen professional practice and improve consistency.
• Ensure new residential employees receive appropriate orientation, training, mentoring, and support before independently assuming assigned responsibilities.
• Identify staff training needs and collaborate with appropriate departments to coordinate ongoing professional development.
• Promote a professional culture of accountability, teamwork, respect, communication, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Address employee performance and conduct concerns promptly, fairly, consistently, and in accordance with Pine Haven policies.
• Develop staff schedules and coordinate coverage to maintain appropriate staffing and supervision throughout residential operations.

Residential Care and Treatment Coordination

• Collaborate with clinical, behavioral, educational, medical, and residential personnel to support each child's Individual Treatment Plan and other individualized service plans.
• Ensure residential staff understand and appropriately implement treatment goals, behavior support strategies, safety plans, routines, and other individualized interventions.
• Participate in treatment team meetings, case reviews, discharge planning, family meetings, and other multidisciplinary meetings as appropriate.
• Promote consistency between residential, clinical, behavioral, and educational programming.
• Support positive relationships between children, staff, families, and treatment team members.
• Promote opportunities for children to develop emotional regulation, independent living, social, recreational, and daily living skills.
• Ensure residential routines and activities support each child's developmental, emotional, behavioral, educational, and treatment needs.
• Support meaningful family involvement and communication consistent with each child's treatment plan and organizational policy.

Trauma-Informed Care and Behavior Support

• Promote a residential culture grounded in safety, trust, relationship building, accountability, emotional regulation, and respect.
• Ensure staff utilize trauma‑informed, least‑restrictive, and developmentally appropriate approaches when responding to behavioral concerns.
• Emphasize prevention, relationship building, co‑regulation, verbal de‑escalation, problem solving, restorative approaches, and skill development.
• Ensure behavioral interventions and crisis responses are consistent with approved training, treatment plans, Pine Haven policies, licensing requirements, and applicable law.
• Review patterns of behavioral incidents and collaborate with clinical, behavioral, and educational staff to identify opportunities for prevention and improvement.
• Provide coaching following significant incidents to strengthen staff skills and reduce the likelihood of future crises.
• Promote an environment in which behavioral challenges are addressed therapeutically rather than through punitive practices.

Safety, Crisis Management, and Incident Oversight

• Provide leadership during behavioral crises, emergencies, significant incidents, and other situations affecting the safety of children or staff.
• Ensure staff follow approved crisis prevention and intervention practices and use the least restrictive intervention appropriate to the circumstances.
• Ensure required child‑to‑staff supervision and staffing expectations are maintained.
• Review residential incident reports and other significant documentation for completeness, accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with reporting requirements.
• Promptly communicate serious incidents, allegations, injuries, safety concerns, regulatory matters, or other significant events to the Executive Director and other appropriate personnel.
• Collaborate with compliance and administrative personnel regarding required internal and external reporting.
• Participate in incident reviews, debriefings, corrective action planning, and quality‑improvement activities.
• Monitor the residential environment for physical, emotional, environmental, and operational safety concerns and ensure concerns are addressed promptly.
• Participate in emergency preparedness, drills, and response procedures.

Documentation and Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure residential records, shift documentation, incident reports, logs, medication‑related documentation when applicable, and other required records are accurate, timely, confidential, and appropriately maintained.
• Ensure residential operations comply with applicable New Hampshire child care licensing requirements, accreditation standards, contracts, organizational policies, and other applicable regulations.
• Cooperate with licensing agencies, accreditation organizations, placing agencies, and other authorized oversight entities.
• Assist with licensing visits, accreditation reviews, audits, investigations, corrective action plans, and quality assurance activities.
• Monitor residential documentation and program practices for compliance and implement corrective measures when deficiencies are identified.
• Maintain confidentiality of child, family, employee, and organizational information in accordance with applicable law and Pine Haven policy.

Communication and Collaboration

• Meet regularly with the Executive Director regarding residential operations, staffing, program quality, safety, compliance, and significant concerns.
• Participate as an active member of Pine Haven's leadership team.
• Maintain effective communication with clinical, educational, behavioral, administrative, and business office leadership.
• Communicate professionally with families, placing agencies, schools, state agencies, and other authorized stakeholders.
• Promote effective communication between shifts and among residential employees to ensure continuity of care.
• Address concerns and conflicts professionally and encourage collaborative problem solving among staff.
• Ensure significant information regarding children, staffing, safety, and program operations is communicated promptly to appropriate personnel.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in human services, social work, psychology, behavioral health, education, criminal justice, organizational leadership, or a related field required; master's degree preferred.
• Relevant experience in residential treatment, behavioral health, child welfare, human services, special education, or a related setting plus 3 years of experience as a professional in human services, which included administrative responsibilities.
• Prior supervisory or management experience, preferably within a residential or child‑serving program.
• Experience working with children or adolescents with behavioral, emotional, developmental, mental health, or specialized treatment needs.
• Demonstrated knowledge of trauma‑informed care, behavior support, crisis prevention, residential programming, and child supervision.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise, coach, develop, and hold employees accountable.
• Strong leadership, communication, organizational, documentation, problem‑solving, and decision‑making skills.
• Ability to respond effectively and professionally to emergencies, behavioral crises, staffing challenges, and other high‑pressure situations.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary leadership and treatment team.
• Ability to maintain professional boundaries, confidentiality, and sound ethical judgment.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule based on residential program needs, including evenings, weekends, holidays, emergencies, and on‑call responsibilities when required.

Background and Employment Requirements

Employment and continued employment are contingent upon satisfying all background screening and eligibility requirements established by applicable law, regulation, licensing requirements, contracts, and Pine Haven policy. These may include criminal history checks, child abuse and neglect registry checks, professional reference checks, verification of education and credentials, employment verification, motor vehicle record checks when applicable, and verification of authorization to work in the United States.

The Residential Director must maintain all certifications and training required by Pine Haven, licensing authorities, and applicable regulations. The Residential Director must promptly report circumstances that could affect continued eligibility for employment or the ability to perform assigned responsibilities.

Additional Responsibilities

The Residential Director will perform other reasonable duties assigned by the Executive Director or consistent with the scope and level of the position. This includes providing direct leadership, supervision, or program coverage during emergencies, staffing shortages, significant incidents, special events, or other operational needs.

Because Pine Haven operates a residential program requiring continuous care and supervision, the Residential Director is expected to maintain sufficient flexibility and availability to respond to significant residential program needs outside of normal administrative hours.