Clinical Director in Boston, Massachusetts at Women's Lunch Place

ABOUT US:

Women’s Lunch Place is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that addresses hunger, homelessness, and poverty through innovative and integrated services that promote hope, healing, and opportunity. We work with more than 2,300 women annually, meeting each guest where she is and helping her move toward stability and self-sufficiency through our individualized case management, housing and stabilization, healthcare, day shelter community, and healthy meals programs. At Women’s Lunch Place, Dignity is Everything.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Clinical Director provides system wide clinical leadership and integration across shelter operations, clinical services, case management, and programming. This role is responsible for ensuring evidence-based clinical modalities for vulnerable populations are consistently embedded across all programs while supporting ethical practice, continuity of care, staff development, and sustainable partnerships.

The Clinical Director does not function as a primary guest clinician. Instead, this role serves as a senior clinical leader who holds structure, oversight, and alignment across the system, supports and supervises clinical leadership, and ensures that clinical and transition services operate cohesively within the shelter environment. This position provides consultation and higher-level clinical guidance during complex, high-risk, or ethically sensitive situations. The Clinical Director leads by example, maintaining high standards for documentation and compliance, and is comfortable engaging in detailed paperwork, note review, and administrative follow-through to ensure clinical integrity and operational excellence.

Reports to: Chief Program Officer

Exempt Status: Exempt

Position Status: Full Time, 5 days, Monday to Friday schedule, Occasional weeknights/Saturdays as required

Benefits: 20 vacation days, 10 sick days, 10 paid holidays, 80% health and 100% dental and vision premium contributions, long-term disability, life insurance, up to 5% contribution to employees 403B retirement, Flexible Spending Account

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Clinical Oversight and Integration

• Oversee the implementation and maintenance of a system wide trauma informed framework across all programs and staff roles.
• Provide clinical supervision and consultation in rounds and direct reports.
• Ensure ethical scope of practice, clinical standards, and quality assurance across clinical and program services.
• Support leadership decision making through clinically informed consultation related to risk, ethics, and program development.
• Ensure evidence-based clinical modalities for vulnerable populations are consistently embedded across all programs
• Hold responsibility for research, implementation, oversight, fidelity, and system wide integration for these clinical modalities including CTI intervention.
• Ensure policies and practices provide continuity of care during guest transitions, particularly beyond housing placement.
• Provide leadership to inform clinical practice, training, and partnerships.
• Support staff and program development and enhancement in collaboration with Clinicians, Director of Day Shelter, and Senior Director of Housing & Stabilization.
• Ensure that systems and practices protect guest dignity, staff well-being, and organizational values.
• Develop, align and embed evidence -based clinical modalities including CTI phases, language, and expectations into case management, clinical services, and shelter teams
• Track outcomes related to engagement, transitions, and stabilization to support quality improvement and funding readiness.

Clinical Leadership and Supervision

• Provide administrative and professional supervision to direct reports
• Support the development, evaluation, and sustainability of clinical services.
• Authorize clinical staffing models and role definitions in collaboration with leadership.
• Develop and implement a clinically responsive guidance structure into rounds
• Ensure appropriate clinical documentation standards and practices are in place.

Fellowship Program Oversight

• Ensure fellows are used ethically and in alignment with training goals rather than as staffing substitutes.
• Coordinate fellowship development with local academic institutions and partners to support workforce development and diversity.
• Serve as the program lead for the clinical and trauma fellowship.
• Oversee fellow roles, structure, scope, and evaluation.
• In collaboration with the Director of Day Shelter, ensure the day-to-day activities for the clinical fellowship in the Day Shelter Community align with the goals and requirements of the program.

Clinical Programming Oversight

• Develop and oversee yearly clinical budget
• Provide administrative oversight and authorization for clinical staffing and programming.
• Ensure clinical programming aligns with trauma informed evidence-based clinical modalities and guest needs.
• Ensure effective integration of wellness services within shelter operations.

Training and Professional Development

• In collaboration with the Director of Day Shelter, development and implementation of trauma informed training across all roles including shelter staff, clinicians, fellows, volunteers and leadership.
• Ensure training is role specific, practical, and aligned with operational realities.
• Support ongoing professional development related to trauma informed care, de-escalation frameworks, CTI, other evidence-based clinical modalities and ethical practice.

External Partnerships and Contracting

• Serve as the primary clinical point of contact for healthcare partnerships and consulting providers.
• Develop, coordinate, and manage clinical and healthcare related contracts.
• Collaborate with external partners including hospitals, consulting psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, and community providers.
• Support organizational readiness for present and future funding opportunities, including grants and healthcare partnerships.
• In collaboration with Chief Program Officer, investigate and implement external reimbursement strategies for eligible activities

Cross-Team Coordination

• Maintain active communication with all program areas.
• Serve as the real-time coordination point during incidents or high-demand periods
• Contribute practical feedback from the floor to leadership to inform triage systems, crisis protocols, and daily operations
• Lead or participate in individual and group supervision as designated

Other Responsibilities

• Perform additional duties as assigned by the Chief Program Officer and other Senior Leaders
• Responsibilities subject to change in this dynamic and flexible work environment.

QUALIFICATIONS:

This role requires comfort operating at the systems level rather than providing routine direct care. The Clinical Director must be able to hold complexity, support staff across disciplines, and translate clinical principles into operational practice while honoring the relational culture and mission of Women’s Lunch Place.

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.

• Fluency in Cantonese, Mandarin, or Spanish preferred
• Master’s-level clinician with independent MA licensure
• 5+ years post-graduate experience with vulnerable populations (homelessness, poverty, trauma), including 3+ years in supervision
• Strong expertise in clinical supervision, ethical decision-making, and systems-level oversight
• Experience developing and leading clinical programs in multidisciplinary settings
• Proven ability to build partnerships with healthcare providers, academic institutions, funders, and community partners
• Skilled in cross-functional collaboration in complex, high-demand environments
• Strong leadership with the ability to support, align, and hold staff accountable
• Commitment to fairness and inclusion in clinical practice and program design
• Excellent communication skills, including translating clinical concepts into operational guidance
• Demonstrated ability to lead calmly and effectively under pressure
• Experience with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders
• Proficiency in crisis intervention, emergency response, and short-term stabilization
• Knowledge of resources for women in crisis
• Experience with nonprofit operations, including budgeting, reporting, and program evaluation
• Highly organized with the ability to manage competing priorities in dynamic settings

Other Requirements

• Commitment to Women’s Lunch Place’s mission and values, and a compassionate approach to supporting women facing hardship.
• Ability to work flexible hours as needed, including occasional evenings or weekends for emergencies or community meetings.
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation for off-site client advocacy and community engagements.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Physical and Environmental Requirements:

The physical demands described herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical activities include:

The employee primarily sits, but is occasionally required to stand, walk, and use hands to finger, handle or feel controls. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision and hearing abilities required by this job include close vision and distance vision and ability to hear conversations in office and group settings. Attendance at meetings in the community is required.

Work Environment:

The noise level in the shelter is usually high. The employee will be exposed to occasional disruptive behaviors in the shelter and/or community dining room. Women’s Lunch Place is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Women’s Lunch Place offers a rewarding work environment with a competitive salary, generous benefits and a strong commitment to diversity in its workforce and programs. Women’s Lunch Place does not discriminate based on race, color, gender or gender identity, religion, national origin, sexual orientation or disability.