Community Ventures Manager

ARCO, A Community Resource, is a nonprofit United Way Agency that has provided services to adults with developmental disabilities and their families throughout Northeast Louisiana since 1954. Through Community Ventures, ARCO is committed to providing meaningful, person-centered opportunities that promote independence, community inclusion, skill development, and quality of life for each participant.

GENERAL FUNCTION:

The Community Ventures Manager is responsible for providing effective leadership and oversight of the Community Ventures program while ensuring that all services remain person-centered, safe, compliant, and focused on participant growth and independence. The position requires strong leadership, communication, organization, problem-solving, conflict-resolution, staff supervision, documentation, and program-management skills, as well as the ability to coordinate staffing, schedules, transportation, community activities, participant goals, and regulatory requirements. The CV Manager must understand the unique needs of adults with disabilities and be able to recognize and appropriately respond to changes in behavior, health, functioning, communication, or support needs. The manager is expected to ensure staff are properly trained, competent, and held accountable for providing meaningful services rather than simply supervising participants.

Because CV participants may require individualized levels of supervision and support, the CV Manager must ensure that participant-specific care requirements are consistently followed, including supervision levels, medical and safety considerations, behavioral support strategies, communication needs, mobility or personal-care assistance, dietary or other restrictions, transportation needs, emergency procedures, and individual goals outlined in the participant's plan. The manager is responsible for protecting participant rights, dignity, privacy, choice, and independence; preventing and appropriately responding to abuse, neglect, exploitation, and other safety concerns; ensuring appropriate staffing and supervision; and maintaining compliance with applicable Medicaid, HCBS, CPOC, documentation, and organizational requirements. Above all, the CV Manager must ensure that every participant is safe, respected, meaningfully engaged in the community, and receiving individualized services that promote independence, skill development, and quality of life.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in human services, behavioral health, psychology, social services, business, or a related field preferred; an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.
• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Minimum of one year of supervisory, management, developmental disability, behavioral health, day habilitation, supported employment, or other closely related human-services experience preferred.
• Experience working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities preferred.
• Reliable transportation and ability to travel throughout the community for work-related responsibilities.
• Ability to meet all applicable agency, state, federal, Medicaid, HCBS, and program-specific training and compliance requirements.

DEMONSTRATED ABILITY TO:

• Understand Community Ventures from a comprehensive perspective, including national, state, local, regulatory, and agency influences on community inclusion, participant outcomes, and service delivery.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate meaningful, person-centered programs and activities that promote independence, skill development, choice, community integration, and quality of life.
• Ensure services are delivered in accordance with participant plans, agency policies, applicable Medicaid/HCBS requirements, and participant rights.
• Effectively supervise, coach, train, schedule, delegate, and evaluate employees while maintaining appropriate accountability and professional standards.
• Provide general direction to the Community Ventures team, including personnel management, participant program management, service coordination, scheduling, documentation, and overall program operations.
• Monitor participant progress, attendance, engagement, employment outcomes, community participation, and other program data to evaluate effectiveness and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Ensure timely, accurate, and compliant completion of required participant and program documentation and maintain appropriate quality-assurance practices.
• Identify and appropriately respond to participant safety concerns, behavioral or medical needs, incidents, emergencies, and other risks associated with community-based services.
• Communicate and coordinate effectively with agency departments, families, support coordinators, direct-support staff, job developers, employers, and other stakeholders to promote continuity of care and successful participant outcomes.
• Develop and maintain positive relationships with community businesses, organizations, and other community partners in a manner that promotes the philosophy, mission, and goals of ARCO and Community Ventures.
• Support participants in developing vocational, social, communication, daily-living, and other functional skills through meaningful experiences in natural community settings.
• Demonstrate working knowledge of program budgets, expenses, revenues, purchasing, and responsible allocation of program resources.
• Manage transportation and other operational logistics necessary to provide safe, effective, and reliable community-based services.
• Identify operational challenges and implement appropriate adjustments to staffing, scheduling, programming, and service delivery while maintaining participant needs and program compliance as priorities.
• Communicate clearly and professionally, both verbally and in writing, at a post-secondary level.
• Process, retain, and apply information effectively under varying conditions and respond appropriately to changing program and participant needs.
• Establish and maintain professional boundaries while demonstrating respect, dignity, compassion, and cultural sensitivity when working with participants, families, employees, and community partners.
• Work effectively as part of an interdisciplinary team and contribute to a collaborative agency environment.
• Work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and outside of traditional business hours, when program operations, participant needs, staffing situations, emergencies, or agency responsibilities require it.
• Present oneself in a professional manner and consistently represent the mission, values, and philosophy of ARCO in the community.

A full Job Description and list of Essential Functions are available at ARCO's Human Resource Department, 3101 Mercedes Dr., Monroe, LA.

Equal Opportunity Employer

ARCO adheres to the requirements set forth in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, as amended, and other applicable federal and state laws, regulations, and Executive Orders, which stipulate that no employee or applicant for employment shall be subject to discrimination because of their race, color, creed, ethnic or national origin, nationality, citizenship status, sex, sexual orientation or identity, pregnancy status, religion, age, disability, genetic status, veteran’s status or other protected category. Fair and equal treatment will be provided to all employees and applicants in reference to all of ARCO's employment practices.