Our mission at Neighborhood Services is to support people with developmental disabilities as they become full participants in community life. To fulfill this goal, we hire multifaceted employees to work with one or more of the individuals receiving support from Neighborhood Services.
Neighborhood Services recruits supportive roommates and community support workers. Both positions provide assistance to people supported by Neighborhood Services. Responsibilities may include providing personal care, helping with cooking and cleaning, money management, and assistance with participating in the community. We offer both part time and full time positions. Full time employment is over 32 hours per week and includes benefits.
Current Job Openings:
Supportive Roommate: Live-in position available. Free room, board, salary, and benefits in exchange for providing approximately 40 hours of support per week to one or two people with a developmental disabilities.
Community Support Worker: We are always looking for reliable, flexible, and creative individuals to work with adults with developmental disabilities. Applications are taken regularly and kept on file until a position becomes available.
To learn more about specific job opportunities or request an application, call Lupe at (773) 486-6070.
Executive Director
Introduction
Family photos on the walls and book shelves, handmade drawings proudly hung on the fridge door, a kitchen table set for afternoon snacks – a home humming with life. This is the supportive home environment that Neighborhood Services provides for their associates – adults with developmental disabilities.
Neighborhood Services, a non-profit organization started in 1990, seeks an Executive Director who can build on this tradition while facilitating innovation that will advance the mission.
Whenever possible, associates live in homes in or near communities where they grew up and where family members and friends are close by – creating an expansive and supportive community. Currently, Neighborhood Services provides supportive homes for approximately 24 associates in 13 locations around Chicagoland – Waukegan, Evanston, Wilmette, Forest Park, Chicago-Jefferson Park and Oak Park – with an administrative office in Chicago’s Logan Square.
Neighborhood Services’ households are active and busy. One or two associates live in each home along with one or two “supportive roommates.” Additional staff are available who are certified and trained to help each associate enjoy life to the fullest. Most weekdays associates are out in the community at jobs, volunteering, or attending programs that stimulate and broaden their creativity and enrich their socialization skills. Evenings and weekends are filled with normal household activities, occasional parties, church services, and educational and recreational outings.
Neighborhood Services is financially sound and operates with an annual budget of just over $1.3 million. The organization is staffed by one Executive Director, an administrative assistant, and three field coordinators each of whom supports 8-10 direct support workers and roommates. Neighborhood Services receives most of its revenue from the Illinois Department of Human Services Community Integrated Living Arrangement (CILA), and the associates’ contributions from Social Security and Supplemental Security Income or their own family resources. The organization currently does modest fundraising with a year-end letter inviting donations.
Responsibilities
The Executive Director is responsible for safeguarding the well being of associates, managing all staff and the day-to-day operations of the organization. This includes:
- Ensuring policies and practices are in place to guarantee a constructive, respectful, healthy and safe home environment for all associates;
- Facilitating ways that the associates, individuals who live in the surrounding community, and local institutions such as churches, retail establishments, scouts, sports leagues, and other youth and adult groups can interact with each other and contribute to each other’s betterment;
- Hiring and managing staff, which includes not only maintaining performance standards but also encouraging a spirit of teamwork in Neighborhood Services’ intentionally collegial environment;
- Maintaining relationships with government agencies and ensuring that Neighborhood Services is operating at or beyond compliance with all federal, state and local requirements;
- Preparing operating budgets for board approval, keeping expenses on budget and exploring opportunities to increase the revenue stream and contain costs;
- Serving as public spokesperson for the organization and cultivating partnerships to promote Neighborhood Services’ values concerning living options for people with developmental disabilities;
- Ensuring the apartments and homes owned, rented or managed by Neighborhood Services are well maintained and provide healthy, safe and pleasant environments for associates and staff;
- Working with the board and staff to develop and implement strategic plans; and
- Staffing the board and board committees.
Skills and Qualifications
The responsibilities described above require an Executive Director who has passion for the work and an authentic appreciation for creating supportive homes for adults with disabilities. The new Executive Director will be professional and confident with an easy-going sense of humor. He or she will be an experienced manager that holds themself and staff to well articulated and high standards. The Executive Director will be capable of handling all planned and unplanned circumstances with great intellect, creativity and decorum. Patience, appreciation and respect for enormous differences in the human condition, and fairness are essential.
Additional qualifications include:
- A BA is required –Neighborhood Services values applicants’ life experiences that may qualify them for the position;
- 5-10 years of experience managing programs or agencies, including managing staff and budgets; and
- Ability to deal constructively with parents and other family members of associates.
- Familiarity with regulations and policies concerning CILA, SS, SSI and other sources of government support is desirable.
Benefits and Rewards of the Position: Neighborhood Services offers challenging and personally satisfying work along with a competitive salary and benefits package.
How to Apply: This is a board-run search and Neighborhood Services staff should not be contacted. All inquires and applications can be sent confidentially to neighborhoodservicesed@gmail.com with a subject line that reads your name Executive Director. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Applications must include:
1. Cover letter that outlines your interest in the mission and work of Neighborhood Services and how your experience and skills meet the requirements outlined above, and
2. Résumé.
Diversity Policy: Neighborhood Services highly values a diverse staff and actively seeks a diversity of applicants for this position. It is an equal opportunity employer.