Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Community Services Manager

🎯 Role Definition

The Community Services Manager is responsible for planning, implementing, and evaluating community-based programs and services that meet the needs of diverse populations. This role leads front-line staff and volunteers, manages partnerships with government and nonprofit stakeholders, oversees budgets and grant-funded activities, ensures compliance with regulatory and funding requirements, and drives outcomes through performance management, continuous quality improvement, and community engagement strategies. The ideal candidate brings a blend of program-management expertise, strong interpersonal skills, and a deep commitment to client-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally competent service delivery.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Community Outreach Coordinator
Caseworker / Support Worker
Program Coordinator

Advancement To:

Director of Community Services
Regional Program Manager
Program Director / Head of Social Programs

Lateral Moves:

Volunteer & Outreach Manager
Grants & Contracts Manager
Client Services Operations Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of community programs and services, including needs assessments, service models, eligibility criteria, and intake processes to ensure services effectively meet client and community needs.
Manage daily operations of multiple service sites or program streams, ensuring high-quality client service delivery, adherence to program policies, and efficient allocation of staff and resources.
Supervise, coach, and develop a multidisciplinary team (caseworkers, coordinators, volunteers), conducting regular performance reviews, setting development plans, and fostering a collaborative, trauma-informed workplace culture.
Develop, manage, and monitor program budgets and financial forecasts, including tracking expenditures for grant-funded activities, preparing fiscal reports, and recommending cost-saving and revenue-generating opportunities.
Lead grant proposal development, grant administration, and compliance activities; prepare proposals, track deliverables, manage reporting cycles, and ensure compliance with funder terms and conditions.
Establish and maintain strategic partnerships with local government agencies, healthcare providers, housing authorities, schools, and community organizations to coordinate services, referrals, and joint initiatives.
Oversee case management activities and quality assurance practices to ensure client plans are goal-oriented, measurable, culturally appropriate, and adhere to confidentiality and data protection standards.
Design and implement outcome measurement frameworks, collect and analyze program data, create dashboards and evaluation reports that demonstrate program impact and inform evidence-based decision-making.
Develop and deliver training for staff and volunteers on client engagement, cultural competency, crisis intervention, safeguarding, de-escalation techniques, and relevant regulatory requirements.
Lead community outreach and engagement campaigns to raise awareness of programs and services, using targeted communications, community events, and digital channels to increase access and participation among underserved groups.
Coordinate intake, referral, and case coordination systems with internal teams and external partners to deliver seamless client experiences and reduce service duplication.
Ensure program compliance with local, state/provincial, and federal regulations, licensing requirements, and organizational policies, and respond to audits, inspections, and corrective action requests.
Manage risk assessment and incident response processes, including the development of safety protocols, reporting mechanisms, and after-action reviews to protect clients and staff.
Create and present timely reports and briefings for executive leadership, boards, funders, and community stakeholders that synthesize program performance, fiscal status, and improvements required.
Drive strategic planning for community services, contributing to annual plans, setting measurable goals, and aligning program activities with organizational priorities and population health outcomes.
Lead client satisfaction initiatives and feedback loops, incorporating client voice into program design, policy updates, and quality-improvement cycles.
Coordinate volunteer recruitment, onboarding, scheduling, and recognition initiatives to expand service capacity and ensure volunteers operate within defined supervision structures.
Advocate for client needs within cross-sector forums, policy working groups, and public discussions to influence system-level change and improve social service delivery.
Implement culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and equity-focused practices across services, ensuring accessibility for people with disabilities, non-English speakers, and other priority populations.
Develop and maintain case management and CRM systems (or work with IT) to ensure accurate client records, secure data storage, and robust reporting capabilities.
Plan and coordinate special projects and pilot programs (e.g., housing-first initiatives, integrated care pilots), managing timelines, stakeholders, budgets, and evaluation criteria from conception to close-out.
Serve as a primary point of contact during emergencies and high-risk incidents, coordinating with emergency services, social services partners, and internal crisis teams to ensure timely response and continuity of care.
Negotiate and manage service contracts and memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with vendors and partner agencies, ensuring clear scopes of work, performance metrics, and dispute resolution processes.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc program evaluations and research partnerships with universities or consultants to advance evidence-based practice.
Contribute to organizational policy development related to client privacy, equity, service-delivery standards, and workforce wellbeing.
Participate in cross-departmental initiatives such as IT system upgrades, fundraising campaigns, and community needs assessments.
Represent the organization at community forums, coalitions, and inter-agency working groups to strengthen referral networks and coordinate responses.
Assist with marketing collateral development, social media strategy, and community-facing communications to increase program visibility.
Support strategic data governance efforts by establishing record retention schedules, data-sharing agreements, and confidentiality protocols.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Program development and management: ability to design evidence-based social programs, define KPIs, and create implementation timelines.
Budgeting and financial management: experience preparing program budgets, monitoring expenses, and managing grant financial reporting.
Grant writing and funder reporting: proven track record drafting proposals, managing awards, and meeting funder deliverables.
Case management systems & CRM proficiency: experience with electronic client records systems (e.g., Efforts to Outcomes, Apricot, Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud) and maintaining data integrity.
Monitoring, evaluation & learning (MEL): ability to create logic models, outcome frameworks, and conduct quantitative and qualitative program evaluations.
Regulatory and compliance knowledge: working knowledge of local/state/federal social service regulations, licensing, and safeguarding requirements.
Data analysis and reporting: proficiency with Excel, data visualization tools (Power BI, Tableau), or basic statistical analysis for program reporting.
Contract and vendor management: experience negotiating MOUs, managing service agreements, and monitoring vendor performance.
Crisis management & safety planning: skills in incident response coordination, safety protocol drafting, and risk mitigation.
Familiarity with client-centered and trauma-informed care models, cultural competence frameworks, and accessibility standards (ADA, language access).

Soft Skills

Leadership and people management: strong supervisory skills, mentoring, and team development to sustain high-performance service teams.
Communication and stakeholder engagement: exceptional written and verbal communication for presenting to boards, funders, and community partners.
Empathy and cultural sensitivity: demonstrated ability to work respectfully with diverse populations and incorporate lived experience into programming.
Problem-solving and critical thinking: pragmatic decision-making under time pressure, with an orientation toward continuous improvement.
Conflict resolution and negotiation: capacity to mediate disputes, manage expectations, and negotiate service agreements.
Organizational and time-management skills: ability to prioritize competing demands, manage multiple projects, and meet reporting deadlines.
Adaptability and resilience: flexibility to respond to changing community needs, funding environments, and crisis situations.
Coaching and staff development: ability to provide constructive feedback, facilitate training, and promote career growth.
Advocacy and public speaking: confidence advocating for clients and presenting program outcomes in public forums.
Collaboration and coalition-building: skill building cross-sector partnerships and coordinating multi-agency responses.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Human Services, Public Administration, Social Sciences, or related field.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree (e.g., MSW, MPA, MPH) or equivalent advanced certification in community development or nonprofit management.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Social Work
Public Administration
Human Services
Sociology
Psychology
Community Development

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

3–7 years of progressive experience in community services, program management, or social service delivery, including 1–3 years supervising staff.

Preferred:

5+ years in community program leadership with demonstrated success managing budgets, grants, service contracts, and cross-sector partnerships; prior experience in outcomes measurement and trauma-informed service delivery preferred.