We have exclusively been retained to seek an exceptional Senior Director of Community Programs for Oak Hill, a large, mission-driven, and renowned nonprofit serving the needs of individuals with a wide array of disabilities. Oak Hill is located within the Greater Hartford, CT area. The organization and its people work passionately to help people with disabilities achieve their full potential and fulfill their physical, intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. Oak Hill also strongly supports individuals to engage in their community and pursue meaningful relationships, has a premier adaptive sports and fitness center, and provides special education across CT.

The Senior Director of Community Programs will report directly to the C.O.O. The Senior Director will be accountable for strategic direction, communication, team-building, and leadership in the planning and execution of initiatives to meet the needs of the organization and its clients as well as expand community relationships and value to employees. Exceptional integrity and commitment to lead the assessment, planning, development, execution, and monitoring of organizational performance against goals and objectives while ensuring safety, quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and best practice advancement to enhance the independence and quality of life for individuals with different intellectual, behavioral, and physical abilities are essential.

The Senior Director of Community Programs is charged with with proactively identifying opportunities for enhancement and resolving issues in structure, systems, processes, practices, and people; overseeing CP recruitment, retention, assessing performance, recognition, rewards, promotions, transfers, counseling, coaching, discipline, demotions, terminations, staff development, career pathing, succession planning, and morale improvement opportunities; collaborating with and providing coaching to direct and indirect reports; supporting completion of timely and effective internal/external audits and claims investigations re: abuse, neglect, and misconduct and maintains effective communication with regulatory agencies; as well as formulating quality assurance program, systems, policies, procedures, and metrics to establish clear, positive trends.

The desired candidate should be an operational performance champion who proactively identifies opportunities for enhancement and resolves issues in structure, systems, processes, practices, and people; a team leader who models highly effective and frequent communication, teaming, and collaboration with direct and indirect reports, and maintains and disseminates best practice knowledge to develop staff; a functional strategist & leader who develops objectives for Community Program alignment to strategic initiatives and targeted outcomes; leads development, implementation, and measurement of efficacy; and a compliance expert who ensures federal, state, and local compliance to regulatory standards and Oak Hill operational standards; studies existing, new, and potential legislation affecting the agency, programs, policies, and procedures with DSS, DCF, DPH, DMHAS, ICF, HUD, CMS, and Medicaid; and builds and maintains a Medicaid compliant documentation system.

Founded in 1893, Oak Hill currently serves more than 600 children and adults with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities at over 100 program sites in 59 Connecticut towns, and even more in the community through its assistive and adaptive technology center, camps, and recreation. Oak Hill’s services include: Residential Programs (60 group homes providing a variety of residential options and supports for children and adults with disabilities); Oak Hill School (a private education program delivered in public schools as well as other sites around the state); Day Services (recreational, vocational, and leisure activities for adults with disabilities); and a variety of specialized and entrepreneurial endeavors including an equipment restoration center, an assistive technology center, services and vocational assistance for the blind, specialized summer camps, and the Center for Relationship & Sexuality Education.

Oak Hill employs more than 1000 professionals (750 represented by the New England Health Care Workers Union, District 1199, SEIU) to meet the changing needs of its participants. It has an annual operating budget of $80M, primarily funded by government fees and contracts, as well as its endowment. Oak Hill’s subsidiary corporation, Gilead Community Services, Inc., is a private provider of services for mental and behavioral health disorders with an annual budget of $12M and 250 employees. Oak Hill also is an affiliate of Easterseals.

Minimum Requirements: Master’s Degree in Special Education Business Administration, Health and Human Services Administration, or related field. Successful, progressive social services leadership in a nonprofit environment of relatively equivalent size, complexity, and program efficacy. Labor relations and compliance experience in education or healthcare sectors. Exposure to leading/developing change readiness and implementation. Successful, progressive leadership experience in an organization working with individuals with a variety of disabilities. Proven success in leading change readiness and management. Track record of elevating employee engagement and retention.

Competitive Benefits Package: Competitive salary; medical, dental, vision, STD, and LTD insurance, some flexibility in work arrangement, vacation plus sick and personal time, holidays, EAP, and professional development.


If fully qualified and seriously interested, please submit your confidential resume and cover letter with additional insights and compensation requirements to: Chris Rose at crose@thehrc.com and/or Regan MacBainTraub at rtraub@thehrc.com by Oct. 7, 2022.


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