Director of Programs

Sakhi for South Asian Survivors exists to represent the South Asian and Indo Caribbean diaspora in a survivor-led movement for gender-justice and to honor the collective and inherent power of all survivors of violence. Sakhi is committed to serving survivors through a combination of efforts including—but not limited to—direct services, advocacy and organizing, technical assistance, and community outreach.

Sakhi serves survivors from the South Asian and Indo-Caribbean diaspora who trace their backgrounds to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the West Indies, and Africa. Members of our community come from diverse backgrounds including age range, gender, religion, ethnic origin, economic and educational background, language spoken, and immigration status. We work to represent, inform, actively engage, and mobilize the South Asian community in an intersectional, intergenerational survivor-led movement for gender justice.

At Sakhi we offer a unique work environment that is collaborative, fun, and committed to social justice. Members of the LGBTQIA+ community, persons of color and bilingual/bicultural applicants are strongly encouraged to apply. At Sakhi, we have a clear vision: to be the place where a diverse mix of talented people want to come, to stay and do their best work. Sakhi is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

This is a full-time role that requires flexibility with schedule. Some evenings and weekends will be required.

About the Programs:

Anti-Violence Program (AVP) provides culturally responsive and linguistically accessible services for survivors of gender-based violence, including crisis intervention, safety planning, resource navigation, and ongoing emotional support. Survivors typically begin their journey with Sakhi through the Helpline, where an Intake Specialist conducts an initial assessment. Based on identified needs, AVP advocates provide comprehensive safety planning, crisis intervention, and ongoing advocacy, including referrals to internal and external programs.

The Counseling Program provides trauma-informed, survivor-centered individual, group and family mental health services for survivors of gender-based violence. The program promotes healing and resilience by increasing access to culturally responsive mental health care, reducing stigma surrounding mental health within South Asian and Indo-Caribbean communities, and empowering survivors to prioritize their emotional well-being.

The Youth Justice Program (YJP) supports the healing and well-being of young survivors ages 6–24, recognizing that people of all genders can be impacted by interpersonal and gender-based violence. In addition to providing trauma-informed supportive services, YEP creates safe, affirming spaces where youth can explore identity, family dynamics, healthy relationships, positive sexuality, and gender while building resilience, confidence, and community.

Sakhi is seeking a full-time Director of Programs to provide strategic vision, leadership, and supervision for the Anti-Violence Program (Helpline and Food Justice Program), Counseling Program, and Youth Justice Program. The Director will lead program strategy, team development, partnerships, quality assurance, and outcomes evaluation while strengthening survivor-centered and trauma-informed services.

The Director of Programs will have 3-4 direct reports across three distinct program verticals. The candidate will be a clinician (Licensed Mental Health Counselor or a Licensed Clinical Social Worker) and have at least 8 years of work experience, with at least 5 years in a supervisory/leadership role and will have prior experience working with survivors of gender-based violence.

This role reports to the Vice President of Programs and Movement Building.

Program Strategy and Leadership

• In partnership with the VP of Programs and Movement Building and other Directors, define a programmatic vision for Sakhi’s clinical, crisis intervention, counseling and youth justice programs that aligns with the organization’s strategic plan
• Provide strategic leadership and oversight for Sakhi’s Anti-Violence, Mental Health Counseling, and Youth Justice Programs
• Strengthen collaboration across programs to create coordinated, survivor-centered service delivery
• Identify community needs and develop responsive programmatic initiative and service models
• Evaluate program efficacy through the analysis of performance metrics, data and community feedback to support continuous quality improvement and inform strategic decision-making
• Actively participate in Leadership Team to inform organization wide policies

Staff Supervision and Team Development

• Supervise Associate Directors across the Anti-Violence Program (Helpline +FJP), Mental Health Counseling Program and Youth Justice Programs
• Lead the development and growth of programs by building team capacity, establishing clear roles and workflows and fostering collaboration
• Provide consultation and support to team members supervising interns to ensure high-quality clinical training, professional development, and adherence to best practices
• Foster a team culture grounded in accountability, collaboration, equity and reflective practice
• Provide coaching, mentorship, and professional development opportunities to support staff growth and retention
• Ensure team members receive ongoing training in trauma-informed care, cultural humility, harm reduction, crisis intervention, safety planning, and survivor autonomy.

Survivor-Centered and Trauma-Informed Service Provision

• Ensure programs uphold best practices in trauma-informed care, Justice -based advocacy, and culturally responsive engagement.
• Oversee the provision of and serve as a thought partner, through consultations and problem-solving, to direct services team members (in AVP, YEP and Counseling in navigating complex cases
• Ensure survivor voice and lived experience remain central to program design and implementation

Partnership Development

• Build and maintain partnerships with mental health providers, healthcare systems, schools, youth-serving organizations, community-based agencies, and other stakeholders
• Represent Sakhi in coalitions, public forums, and community initiatives related to gender-based violence, mental health, crisis response, and youth well-being
• Identify opportunities for systems change and advocacy that address barriers impacting South Asian survivors

Data, Evaluation, and Organizational Operations

• Establish and monitor program outcomes, reporting requirements, and quality assurance processes
• Collaborate with Development and Finance teams on grant implementation, budgeting, reporting, and program sustainability
• Utilize data to demonstrate impact, strengthen programming, and support organizational learning
• Ensure compliance with funder requirements, agency policies, and relevant regulations
• Participate in site visits and funder meetings as required

Required

• Masters degree in Psychology, Social Work, Counseling, or related field
• SIFI certification required within the first year in this role
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive leadership experience in gender-based violence, crisis intervention, behavioral health, youth services, clinical practice, or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience supervising multidisciplinary teams and leading community-based initiatives
• Strong knowledge of trauma-informed care, crisis intervention, mental health frameworks, and survivor-centered practices
• Experience working with South Asian and/or Carribean, immigrant, and/or historically marginalized communities
• Strong communication, relationship-building, strategic planning, and project management skills
• Commitment to Sakhi’s mission and values

Preferred

• Understands and appreciates the South Asian and Indo-Carribean experience and is able to work with diverse communities (race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, age, gender identity, class, etc.)
• Bilingual in a South Asian and/or Indo-Carribean language
• Excellent training and public speaking skills with experience addressing a wide range of audiences
• Experience with designing and using monitoring, evaluation and learning frameworks

Sakhi’s office hours are Monday-Friday, 10am-6pm. Some evenings and weekends will be required. Salary: $125k commensurate with experience. Sakhi offers a generous benefits package, including unlimited PTO, paid parental leave, and health/dental/vision insurance. Additionally, all full-time staff have access to clinical supervision.

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