Director of Clinical Services and Residential Operations
About Thrive for Life: The mission of Thrive for Life Prison Project is to transform lives both behind and beyond the prison walls. At Thrive for Life, we envision a world where educational opportunities provide a clear and attainable pathway to a successful and permanent re-entry for people coming out of prison. Our long-term ambition is to establish houses of studies across the country—residential communities where formerly incarcerated individuals can live together in a supportive living community while pursuing their education and growing into the loving and generous people God created them to be.Our holistic suite of services is built upon four foundational pillars: purpose, education, employment, and housing. Each of these pillars is essential in guiding individuals through their re-entry journey, but it is the secret ingredient of community that binds them together. It is only in community that we can truly flourish and thrive in life. Position Overview: The Director of Clinical Services & Residential Operations serves as the senior onsite leader responsible for overseeing clinical care, resident wellbeing, CARE Team coordination, and residential operations across Thrive for Life’s Houses of Study in New York.This role provides direct therapeutic support to resident scholars while ensuring the delivery of integrated, trauma-informed, and mission-aligned services across all aspects of residential life. The Director serves as the lead coordinator of the CARE Team and works to ensure strong communication, accountability, and continuity of care across education, operations, housing, employment readiness, and resident support services.This role oversees and supports the execution of Thrive for Life’s employment and permanent housing pillars as part of the organization’s holistic reentry model, working directly with resident scholars to support their transition toward stable employment and permanent housing. In addition to providing clinical leadership, this role oversees the Facilities & Operations Manager to help ensure that the residential environment remains safe, structured, welcoming, and aligned with Thrive for Life’s values of dignity, accountability, hospitality, and community.This is a highly relational and hands-on leadership role for someone who believes deeply in second chances, transformative relationships, and the power of community-based reentry support.Key ResponsibilitiesClinical Leadership & Resident SupportProvide direct clinical and therapeutic support to resident scholarsConduct individual counseling and supportive therapyComplete psychosocial assessments and care planningProvide crisis intervention and behavioral supportLead and reinforce a trauma-informed, resident-centered model of careCoordinate with external providers and referral partnersEnsure appropriate confidentiality, documentation, and professional standardsCARE Team Leadership & Coordination Lead and facilitate weekly CARE Team meetingsProvide direct supervision and support to CARE Team membersSupport interdisciplinary communication and accountability Serve as a lead decision-maker for complex resident situationsHelp establish clear workflows and continuity of care practicesEmployment & Housing Support Support employment readiness, job search coordination, and workforce planningSupport housing stabilization and transition planningCoordinating referrals and relationships with external employers, workforce partners, landlords, and housing providersHelping residents develop realistic and individualized employment and housing goalsMonitoring progress and addressing barriers impacting long-term stability and successful reentryResidential Operations OversightSupervise the Facilities & Operations ManagerHelp ensure the houses remain safe, welcoming, and mission-alignedCollaborate closely with operations staff regarding resident needs and house cultureSupport operational coordination related to admissions and resident transitionsResident Experience & Community LifeConduct regular one-on-one meetings with residentsParticipate in admissions and transition planning Support the development of a structured and respectful residential cultureHelp reinforce the connection between Thrive for Life’s four-pillar model and resident goalsStaff Support & DevelopmentSupport onboarding, coaching, and professional development for CARE Team staffHelp foster a collaborative culture rooted in professionalism and accountability Partner with leadership on staffing needs and team developmentQualificationsMaster’s degree in Social Work, Mental Health Counseling, Psychology, or related clinical field preferredLicensed clinical social worker, therapist, or mental health professional strongly preferredMinimum 5 years of progressively responsible experience in clinical services, residential programming, case management, or community-based support servicesExperience working with justice-impacted, underserved, or vulnerable populations strongly preferredExperience supervising staff and coordinating interdisciplinary teams preferredStrong crisis management, communication, organizational, and relationship-building skillsComfort working in highly relational and community-oriented environmentsBilingual (English/Spanish) strongly preferredCore CompetenciesClinical LeadershipTeam Coordination Relationship BuildingOperational AwarenessCrisis ManagementMission AlignmentAdditional Expectations Regular onsite presence across Abraham House and Ignacio House Participation in occasional evening or weekend programming and community activities, as neededAvailability to support urgent resident or operational situations when necessaryPreferred qualifications Familiarity with the Roman Catholic Church and its institutional cultureExperience working with dioceses, Catholic institutions, religious communities, or faith based organizationsUnderstanding of faith-centered community environments and mission-driven service models