Associate Director, Residential Programs

District Alliance for Safe Housing

Status: Full-time, exempt employee 

Salary: $85,000–$87,550

Reports to: Director, Intake and Residential Programs

Supervises: Resident Coach & Systems Navigators (3), Lead Community & Building Liaison

Location: Hybrid (in-person and remote), Washington, DC

About the District Alliance for Safe Housing 

Founded in 2006, the District Alliance for Safe Housing (DASH) is DC’s largest provider of safe housing and trauma-informed services for survivors experiencing homelessness due to domestic and sexual violence. DASH meets survivors where they are, eliminating barriers to safe housing so that they can rebuild their lives on their own terms. 

DASH supports survivors—individuals, families, and transitioning youth aged 18-24—with housing; flexible financial assistance; and holistic services. DASH provides a continuum of emergency-to-transitional and transitional-to-permanent safe housing programs, including the 42-unit Cornerstone building, owned and operated by DASH.



DASH’s key programs include: Cornerstone, Empowerment Project, Right to Dream, Survivor Resilience Fund, and Safe Nights Fund.

DASH holds Candid’s Gold Seal of Transparency and has been recognized by the Catalogue for Philanthropy as one of the DC region's best nonprofits. To learn more, visit www.dashdc.org. 

Position Overview

The Associate Director, Residential Programs, oversees the operations and service delivery of DASH’s Cornerstone Program, including our Emergency Housing Units. The Associate Director, Residential Programs, supervises a team of four staff, providing coaching as well as hands-on support for complex cases. The Associate Director, Residential Programs, also serves as the first escalation point for day-to-day problems or concerns and assists with crisis intervention and conflict resolution. The Associate Director, Residential Programs, works with Program leadership to ensure budget compliance, program adherence to grant agreements and organizational policies and procedures, and proper program data capture and reporting.

Specific areas of responsibility include:

Program Management (35%) 

• Works in partnership with Program leadership to support the expansion of Cornerstone’s Emergency Housing Units from one unit to four units and extend survivors’ stays to up to 90 days. 
• Maintains overall capacity for the Cornerstone building, in alignment with funder requirements, available budgets, and fiscal year program workplans.
• Supports the development and maintenance of workplans to ensure program delivery and data reporting for Cornerstone, including Emergency Housing and all supporting partnerships. Supports setting timelines for achieving workplan scope and targets, and the development and implementation of best practices to support achievement.
• Works with program management to manage the Cornerstone and Emergency Housing budgets and oversees program expenses within their approved budget and grants.
• Triages and serves as a leader in solving day-to-day programmatic escalations, including resident grievances and program non-compliance. 
• Identifies and addresses gaps in knowledge, skills, resources, and partnerships to strengthen program delivery, including wellbeing supports. 
• Supports the development and implementation of standard operating procedures for the Emergency Housing Units, Community & Building Liaisons, and security teams. 
• Ensures staff consistently apply the DASH model and program policies and procedures for effective service delivery.
• Contributes to the development of programmatic reports and data reporting, helping to ensure accurate and timely dissemination of information to internal and external stakeholders. Collaborates with program staff to analyze and present data.
• Understands Cornerstone and Emergency Housing grant requirements and ensures program and service delivery balances grant requirements and DASH’s trauma-based, survivor-informed values. Ensures program and service compliance with federal, state, and local confidentiality and victim services laws and regulations.
• Works in partnership with program management and program staff to support detailed recordkeeping and ensure the accuracy of files, fostering an organized and transparent system that facilitates efficient retrieval and utilization of essential information.
• Ensures staff rigorously maintain financial safeguards and uphold internal controls. 
• Helps to ensure audit readiness of Cornerstone and Emergency Housing program budgets and portfolios.
• Ensures staff consistently apply the DASH model and program policies and procedures for effective service delivery.

Leadership and Team Management (30%)

• Supervises and supports RCSNs and the Lead Community & Building Liaison; provides collaborative support to the broader Community & Building Liaison team without direct supervisory responsibility. 
• Attracts, develops, coaches, and retains high-performance team members, empowering them to elevate their level of responsibility, span of control, and performance. Delegate work streams effectively, fostering professional growth and motivating and holding team members to a high standard of excellence and accountability.
• Implements ongoing coaching for RCSNs, Lead Community & Building Liaison, and Community & Building Liaisons, fostering a culture of continuous learning, skill-building, and empowerment to enhance their effectiveness in delivering high-quality services to Cornerstone. Supports staff to develop problem-solving skills and leads team brainstorming to respond to nuanced and individualized cases.
• Completes monthly case note reviews and participant file audits for the participants assigned to the RCSNs to ensure adherence with DASH policies and procedures. Ensures that the results of the file reviews are recorded and shared with the Director, Intake & Residential Programs, and the RCSNs to bolster performance and quality improvement efforts. 
• Ensures RCSNs, Lead Community & Building Liaison, and Community & Building Liaisons understand how to implement their work according to the model of voluntary service and trauma-informed care for clients, the DASH model, and grant requirements. Ensures RCSNs, Lead Community & Building Liaison, and Community & Building Liaisons consistently apply the DASH model and organizational policies and procedures for effective service delivery throughout programs. 
• Identifies training needs and consults with Program leadership, the Integrated Wellness Clinician, and People & Culture to find or develop appropriate training resources.
• Assists in fostering a collaborative and innovative program culture that encourages continuous improvement and learning. 
• Models DASH’s standard of understanding, sensitivity, and responsiveness to cultural differences in the organization’s service and employee population.
• Masters, communicates, and models DASH values.

Direct Service (25%) 

• Coordinates with the DASH Intake team and Program leadership to assist with intake into Cornerstone. Supports participant intake and onboarding. 
• Supervises Resident Coach & Systems Navigators (RCSNs) in the support they provide to participants in creating safety and goal plans. 
• On a monthly basis, supervises RCSNs in their home visits, phone check-ins, and well-being assessments of program participants. Responds to any crisis or emergency issues for participants. 
• Regularly reviews participant activities to ensure alignment with program goals. Supports RCSNs to implement feedback loops to allow for participant input and adjustments.
• Provides support and resources to RCSNs to enable them to guide participants in navigating social services and systems. 
• Provides comprehensive support and guidance to RCSNs participants for more complex cases, offering expertise, resources, and collaborative problem-solving strategies to ensure effective and trauma-informed care for participants facing unique challenges. Leads and participates in quarterly care conferences with residents and RCSNs, and in at least one care conference with survivors and RCSNs during the survivor’s 90-day emergency housing stay.
• Participates in the rotation of on-call responsibilities, providing effective response and resolution to matters requiring attention outside of core service hours in compliance with organizational policies and procedures.   
• Works in partnership with the Integrated Wellness Clinician, Economic Advancement Specialist, and CCSN to ensure participants receive comprehensive, coordinated services that address housing stability, economic mobility, and overall well-being.
• Maintains accurate and timely documentation for individual participants. 
• Advocates to senior leadership for needs that existing resources or partners can’t meet. 

Resource and Partnership Management (10%) 

• Maintains relationships and collaborates with Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) program partners, volunteer groups, and culturally specific outreach centers to organize survivor-centered activities for participants. Identifies, develops, and maintains relationships with key partners in job training programs, education, and similar fields. 
• Supports RCSNs, the Integrated Wellness Clinician, and the Economic Advancement Specialist to identify potential resources, programs, and partnerships to help participants achieve their goals. 
• In agreement with leadership, attends monthly meetings with community organizations and represents DASH throughout the community and at key partner events. 

Experience, Skills, and Qualities

While we understand that no single candidate can possess every qualification listed below, the following are priority areas:

• Four or more years of related experience, or a combination of professional experience and a degree. Bachelor's degree (BA/BS) in psychology, social work, social services, or related field required, with relevant experience substituting for education. Master’s degree in psychology, social work, social services, or a related field is a plus but not required.
• Minimum of two years of professional experience in homeless services, domestic violence services, and/or related social services fields that support housing stability and survivor-centered care.
• Supervisory experience is a plus but not required. Demonstrated experience leading or coordinating initiatives, projects, or teams in human services, social services, or related fields will also be considered. 
• Demonstrated professional knowledge of the theories, principles, techniques, and practices of social service delivery systems.
• Knowledge of and experience working on issues related to trauma (e.g., domestic violence, gender-based and power-based violence, sexual assault/violence, stalking, human trafficking). Understanding of the dynamics of trauma and the ability to work within a trauma-informed framework.
• Knowledge of housing/homelessness services and social services resources for survivors in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area, as well as familiarity with the DC housing market, education system, job training programs, and mental health programs.
• Experience developing and managing partnerships with external stakeholders, such as community organizations and landlords/property management companies.
• Experience creating enhanced safety plans, including safety from perpetrators of harm and safety from systems and the community.
• Experience working on issues related to personal finance, budgeting, career planning, etc.
• Familiarity with budget development and forecasting, as well as data collection and analysis. 
• Demonstrated leadership abilities in team, program, and project management.
• Experience working within a team to deliver comprehensive services and advocacy. 
• Strong communication, collaboration, ethics, adaptability, and problem-solving skills. Strong ability to respond diplomatically to challenging issues, and give and receive feedback with openness, compassion, and respect.
• Proven capacity to respond sensitively and thoughtfully to individuals from diverse cultural, ethnic, and social backgrounds, encompassing a range of values, attitudes, and languages.
• Knowledge of de-escalation and conflict navigation techniques.
• Proficiency in client databases (Osnium, HMIS, or equivalent), project management tools (Monday.com, Trello, Asana), Microsoft Office Suite (Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, OneDrive, Outlook), and Internet Browsers (Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer).
• Bi/multi-lingual ability in Spanish, Amharic, Vietnamese, Mandarin, or American Sign Language is a plus but not required.
• Vietnamese, Mandarin, or American Sign Language is a plus but not required.

Other:

• Ability to travel within Washington, DC, including to DASH offices, community sites, and other Washington, DC locations during business hours is expected.
• Must provide proof of eligibility to work in the United States.
• Must successfully complete a background investigation, as well as a routine drug screening (if required by any of DASH’s funding agreements).
• Must provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 unless qualified for a medical or religious exemption.

Compensation & Benefits

DASH offers a competitive salary in the range of $85,000–$87,550. DASH benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance, with DASH covering 90% of the employee’s premium and 80% for spouse and children; a minimum of 20 days of paid leave, 15 holidays, and a weeklong winter holiday; and a 3% DASH non-elective contribution retirement plan.

Application Process

Good Insight, a national nonprofit executive search firm headquartered in Washington, DC, is assisting with this search. Interested applicants should upload a resume and a detailed cover letter in PDF format to good-insight.org/careers. Confidential inquiries about the role may be directed to DASH@good-insight.org. For best consideration, submit a PDF resume and a cover letter by late November 2025. Qualified applicants will be contacted on a rolling basis. Early applications are encouraged due to the pace of the search. 

Location 

DASH is located in Washington, DC. The Associate Director, Residential Housing Programs position operates on a hybrid schedule, requiring on-site presence at Cornerstone a minimum of four days per week.

Physical Demands

This role includes prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Contact DASH@good-insight.org to request reasonable accommodations.

Equal Employment Opportunity

DASH is a proud equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive work environment and building a team that reflects the rich diversity of our community. DASH bases employment decisions on each person’s performance, qualifications, and abilities. DASH does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or characteristics protected by the District of Columbia and federal law. People of color, people with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual orientations, gender expressions, and identities are encouraged to apply.