Residential Program Director

Would you like to work for a non-profit organization where your contributions make a major impact on the lives of the children and families that we serve? Join a family of experienced mental health professionals and counselors dedicated to providing kids, and each other, the kindness, respect, and encouragement they need to succeed. 

Elk Hill was honored as a 2026 Richmond Times-Dispatch Top Workplace. These awards are based solely on employee feedback and recognize the great culture that exists at every level of the organization.

If you want to work for a Richmond Times-Dispatch Top Workplace organization where your decisions can impact youth and families of Central Virginia, then Elk Hill Farm, Inc. is the place for you!

We are an organization that:

• Is honored as a 2026 Richmond Times-Dispatch Top Workplace
• Is a Top Workplace Meaningfulness Award recipient
• Has talented, hardworking employees
• Advocates for mental health issues
• Offers competitive benefits, pay, and pet insurance for full-time staff
• Provides a generous time-off and holiday package
• Offers a 401(k) plan with a 5% employer match for full-time staff
• Provides tuition assistance
• Elk Hill is celebrating 50+ years of supporting youth and families across the Commonwealth of Virginia! Stability. Adaptability. Longevity.

Primary Function:

Under the direction and guidance of the Residential Director, create and maintain an environment that will enable youth to develop and sustain positive changes in attitude, values, and behavior while ensuring program and fiscal integrity.

Responsibilities and Job Expectations:

• Provide youth and staff with positive role-modeling of Elk Hill’s core values--respect, personal responsibility, hard-work, lifelong learning, and courage
• Build and maintain positive, nurturing relationships with all youth and their families
• Advocate the rights of youth
• Work towards annual goals for personal, professional and educational development
• Work cooperatively with staff and treatment team to improve the quality of the facility’s total program
• Promote an atmosphere of openness, honesty, and understanding among residents, Elk Hill staff, and other persons associated with Elk Hill
• Must have a valid certificate in an approved medication aide training class
• Maintain a valid driver’s license and good standing with Elk Hill’s auto-insurance policies
• Maintain up-to-date certifications in CPR/First Aid, and the facility’s Behavioral Management Program and have the ability to apply such skills as needed and required in the day-to-day interactions with youth 
• Demonstrate a high level of on-going competence in leadership, supervision strategies, behavioral and clinical programming, care-coordination, and service planning as well as motivation and commitment as an Elk Hill employee
• Remain current in national and state trends in residential programming including best-practices, evidence-based outcomes, and public policies that affect residential placements
• In alignment with Elk Hill’s model of residential programming, develop, coordinate, implement, and/or oversee that services address needs-assessments, service planning needs, staff scheduling, and supervision
• Responsible for the facility and its overall maintenance and upkeep including annual fire marshal and sanitation inspections and where applicable, annual well/water testing.
• From time to time, may be assigned to work in a group home other than the regularly assigned group home. 
• Participate in appropriate and ongoing supervision and staff development training
• Perform other duties, obtain other certifications, or complete trainings as designated by the Residential Director 

Supervision

• Through the training, supervision and retention of program personnel ensure the facility remains adequately staffed with qualified personnel in accordance with licensing and Medicaid standards. Work closely with the Residential Director and Human Resources regarding the hiring, dismissal, and corrective action planning needs of the facility
• Provide developmental training opportunities for the facility staff while assisting them with formulating training plans and goals for professional development 
• Provide monthly administrative supervision and annual evaluations to all residential staff
• Ensure facility staff role model Elk Hill’s core values of respect, responsibility, hard-work, education, and courage
• Encourage staff and treatment team cooperation in the effective, professional, and comprehensive delivery of services

Service Planning and Assessments

• Review strengths and needs assessments (i.e. CANS) provided at time of admission for each youth. Coordinate with the Case Manager to ensure service plans incorporate these and other assessment findings into youth service plans
• Ensure facility youths’ service plan goals are developed and updated in accordance with FAPT recommendations and/or a youth’s FAPT’s individualized service plan
• Ensure the facility’s Case Manager develops appropriate and timely needs-assessment service plans for each youth
• Conduct pre/post testing and assessments that support program-specific or organization-wide efforts in monitoring program outcomes
• Responsible for helping each youth meet the goals and objectives of his/her service plan as well as supervising the facility’s youth care workers to provide this same assistance

Programming and Case Management Responsibilities

• Build and maintain the highest levels of professional rapport with a youth’s parents, legal guardians, and referring agencies. In coordination with the facility’s Case Manager, ensure they are informed of their youth’s progress via routine phone contact, written reports and on-site conferences
• Retain ultimate ownership in facility-wide compliance with all licensing regulations and Medicaid standards
• Responsible for program evaluation, assessment, and enhancements. Analyze program outcomes and use the empirical data to enhance programming, services offered, service planning, and staff development
• Assist the Director of Admissions - Residential by screening referrals and by arranging and facilitating pre-placement interviews. Determine if youth are appropriate for acceptance and placement into the program
• In compliance with licensing, ensure youth are enrolled in academic or vocational education programming
• Ensure the facility’s structured program of care includes recreational, educational, and social enrichment-type of activities. Approve weekly programming schedules
• Coordinate and/or conduct individual/group counseling sessions and peer-group meetings as needed or as programming dictates. Ensure a high standard of childcare. Supervise the House Manager in his/her responsibility of ensuring all appropriate documentation is completed in a timely manner
• Coordinate with the program’s clinical consultant to ensure inclusive programming for youth
• Ensure the facility has comprehensive psycho-educational materials readily available for program staff. Ensure staff have the skills and training to implement psycho-educational programming
• Facilitate treatment team and staff meetings, ensuring all the needs of the facility’s youth are being addressed and that services rendered are appropriate in helping youth achieve progress on service plan goals and objectives
• Ensure programming and case management services as well as outcome reports are compliant with placing agency contracts
• Responsible for providing behavior support and intervention to the facility’s youth with an additional focus on ensuring facility staff provide this same assistance
• Responsible for each youth’s development of acceptable habits and attitudes ensuring the facility’s staff provide an atmosphere that supports the development of these traits
• Responsible for protecting the physical and emotional safety of the facility’s youth. In addition, ensure facility staff provide these minimum basic safeguards to Elk Hill’s youth
• Develop and ensure adherence to program expectations for in-house and community-based employment for the facility’s youth. Develop community linkages that will assist youth in gaining gainful employment
• Oversee the coordination of orientation visits, family visits, and agency visits
• Provide direct-care services when programming or staffing patterns dictate the need
• Capture and retain all data required for compiling monthly, quarterly, and/or yearly outcome measures
• Develop and maintain a rotating AOC (administrator on call) schedule to include the Program Director, House Manager(s), Case Manager(s), or other persons qualified to provide AOC support
• In supporting current state-sponsored initiatives, ensure all youth receive independent living skills training
• Ensure the facility’s program addresses all the services outlined in a youth’s service plan. Adjust services as needed to ensure inclusive and comprehensive programming

Administrative and Fiscal Responsibilities

• In coordination with the facility’s Case Manager, attend FAPT meetings and court appearances when warranted or deemed necessary to support Elk Hill’s programming and a youth’s need for services. When attending FAPT meetings and court appearances assemble required reports, assessments, and/or other documents as needed to favorably represent Elk Hill and to advocate for the needs of the facility’s youth and their families
• Attend meetings as needed or warranted and disseminate information obtained to members of the facility and treatment team staff
• Responsible for providing feedback to the Residential Director and suggestions during the budget-planning cycle on ways to enhance programming, save on cost-spending, and initiate conversation on other budget related items that go towards operating the facility with sound fiscal management practices
• Responsible for implementing the facility’s budget; operating the facility within budgetary guidelines
• Responsible for submitting in a timely manner all receipts for the purchases of facility goods or services. Train and ensure staff to follow protocols for petty cash purchases and reimbursement
• Advocate for capital expenditures that enhance or maintain Elk Hill’s physical assets
• Advocate for expenditures that support enhanced programming opportunities
• Review and monitor monthly operating statements for compliance with the facility’s budget
• Routinely reconcile petty-cash balances and expenditures in accordance with policy and procedures
• Assist in grant proposal opportunities by working in coordination with the Chief Philanthropy Officer

Core Competencies and Experience:

• See Education section below for full experience/education combination minimum requirements
• Leadership abilities
• Experience supervising and managing staff in a residential setting preferred with the knowledge and understanding of cultural diversity and the impact of various socioeconomic characteristics on our youth
• Ability to develop, implement and analyze a budget
• Substantial knowledge of group dynamics
• Working knowledge of psychiatric diagnoses
• Ability to orchestrate the development and coordination of a youth’s service plan and service planning needs.
• Sound recordkeeping and/or case management abilities
• Ability to market the facility’s program to communities and other placing agents
• Fluent oratory and professional writing skills
• Must demonstrate sensitivity to Elk Hill’s service population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics
• The ability to support constructive family contact and involvement in community activities as appropriate
• Ability to engage, support, and work effectively with others, including but not limited to the treatment team and other internal and external stakeholders
• The temperament to work with, and care for, children and families with special needs
• Sense of humor

Credentials and/or Education: 

• A master’s degree in social work, psychology, counseling or nursing and a combination of two years professional experience with children (required), in a children’s residential facility (preferred) and in administration or supervision (required). One year must consist of clinical experience with children or adolescents (preferred); or
• A baccalaureate degree in social work, psychology, counseling or nursing and a combination of three years professional experience with children (required), in a children’s residential facility (preferred) and in administration or supervision (required), with one year consisting of clinical experience with children or adolescents (preferred); or
• A baccalaureate degree and a combination of four years of professional experience with children in a children’s residential facility and in administration or supervision
• A bachelor’s degree and be grandfathered as a QMHP or received a variance of QMHP, by having met DMAS standards for qualifications through related course work and experience, and a combination of four years professional experience with children, in a children’s residential facility and in administration or supervision (required)
• Must have up-to-date certification in the facility’s Behavior Management Program and have the willingness and ability to apply such skills as needed and/or required in the day-to-day interactions with youth
• Must have up-to-date certifications in approved courses for CPR/First Aid
• Must have a valid certificate in an approved medication aide training class
• Maintain valid driver's license and good driving record.
• Must be trained in the REVIVE! Opioid Overdose Education and Naloxone Administration (or similar) training and be willing to administer naloxone in the event of a suspected overdose
• Must be trained as a Trainer in the REVIVE! Opioid Overdose Education and Naloxone Administration (or similar) training and be willing to train new staff or provide refresher training as needed. 
• Maintain DBHDS Trained Investigator certification 

Physical Requirements:

• Ability and willingness to physically perform all functions of the facility’s Behavior Management Program
• Good physical health and remain current with annual TB screening and other certifications.
• Ability to traverse inside and outside of the property, or other locations, including uneven terrain or stairs
• Periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Occasionally lift up to 25 pounds, regularly lift up to 15 pounds

Travel Requirements: 

• Periodic transportation of a client as needed or required
• Periodic transportation of other staff members as needed or required
• Periodic travel to other locations as needed or required

Inclusive culture is at the forefront of what we do at Elk Hill, and we enforce respectful communication and cooperation between all. Elk Hill does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor. It is the policy of Elk Hill to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or candidate with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship for Elk Hill. Contact Human Resources for more information. 

Note: This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities or actions may change or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice. Elk Hill Farm, Inc. reserves the right to change or reassign job duties or combine positions at any time.