Assistant Residential Program Director - Student Homes
Six teenage boys in foster care. One family-style home. You lead it.
We usually respond within a day
SailFuture | St. Petersburg, FL
Six teenage boys in foster care. One family-style home. You lead it.
This isn’t a group home with rotating shift staff. Our homes run on consistent adults who know the kids, live daily life with them, hold them accountable, and stay invested. You run the home day to day and lead the Change Agents (Houseparents) who serve as the primary adults in these young men’s lives. And when the program heads offshore, you go too.
The job at a glance
Salary
$60,000 base + up to $15,000 annual Impact Award
Reports to
Residential Program Director
You lead
The Change Agents in one residential home
Schedule
Monday to Friday, 12 to 8pm, a shared weekend on-call rotation, and two sailing expeditions a year (2 weeks on, 1 week off, 8 weeks total)
Housing
Housing and meals provided year-round
Benefits
$250/month toward health insurance, 401(k) with up to 6% match, 15 days PTO
Travel
Domestic and International sailing expeditions
What you’ll do
Lead the team
Set clear expectations and coach Change Agents through regular 1:1s
Address performance issues early, document them, and follow through
Build schedules, manage time off, and keep coverage solid
Help recruit, interview, onboard, and retain residential staff
Keep youth on track
Know every young person’s goals, risks, school status, and treatment needs
Spot early warning signs (disengagement, substance use, school refusal, runaway risk) and act before they become a crisis
Run intakes, transitions, and discharges so nothing gets missed
Execute the plan
Make sure drug tests, appointments, meds, and case documentation happen on time
Sit in on treatment and case-plan meetings and turn goals into daily expectations
Keep clinical, school, workforce, and residential teams on one consistent plan
Run the home
Own the weekly schedule: school, work, fitness, appointments, family contact, recreation
Manage groceries, meals, supplies, allowances, vehicles, and house traditions
Keep the home clean, safe, welcoming, and inspection-ready
Support licensing visits, audits, and compliance reporting
Go on expeditions
Prepare youth and staff for extended sailing trips
Lead residential supervision while underway
Help kids turn what they accomplished at sea into confidence back home
What you bring
Experience working with teens, ideally those impacted by foster care, trauma, juvenile justice, or behavioral health needs
Experience supervising staff in residential care, education, behavioral health, or youth development
The ability to balance empathy with accountability and clear boundaries
Strong organization across people, schedules, documentation, and competing priorities
Calm judgment, de-escalation skills, and practical problem solving
Ability to pass background screening, driving, and regulatory requirements
Comfort with travel and unconventional settings
Why this role
You won’t be administering a program from an office. You’ll be in the home for the setbacks and the milestones, coaching your team, and building the conditions for young men who’ve had a lot of instability to grow into confident, capable adults.
- Location
- St Petersburg
Benefits
-
Competitive salaries
-
401k with 3-6% employer match
-
Paid Time Off
-
$250 Monthly Health Insurance Contribution
-
Access to sailboats, powerboats, and kayaks
-
Opportunity to travel on international sailing expeditions
Who We Are
We're a small but mighty agency with a 'whatever it takes' mentality.
Our approach to social work is complex and requires dynamic, passionate leaders to bring all their skills to the table.
We're committed to each other as much as we are to our kids, and protect the family dynamic within our motley crew.
About SailFuture
Based in St. Petersburg, FL, SailFuture serves 200 children and families a year through innovative programs ranging from international sailing expeditions to an entrepreneurship high school.