Program Services Operations Coordinator at The Kennedy Collective Inc – Trumbull, Connecticut

Program Services Operations Coordinator

The Kennedy Collective | Fairfield & New Haven Counties, CT | Onsite

Base Salary: $58,000 - $68,000 | Full Benefits | Matching 401(k) | Generous PTO

A cover letter is required for this position, applications submitted without cover letters will not be considered.

ABOUT US

For 75 years, The Kennedy Collective has supported individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live fuller, more independent lives. We serve more than 1,100 people across Connecticut, and we've never confused longevity with complacency.

We promote from within. DSPs move into supervisory roles, program management, and leadership. We treat development like a competitive advantage, not an HR checkbox.

We operate social enterprises, create direct employment for the people we support, and pilot service models that don't exist anywhere else. The work you do here has a real chance of changing how this field operates.

We're hiring at every level. The common thread isn't a resume. It's people who take the mission seriously, not just the mission statement.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Program Services Operations Coordinator is the operational backbone of Program Services at The Kennedy Collective, providing direct administrative support to the Chief Program Officer and Vice President of Program Services while owning day-to-day transportation dispatch operations across Fairfield and New Haven Counties. This is not a traditional admin role. The person in this seat holds active accountability for compliance documentation across a department of approximately 350 employees, serves as the primary liaison between Program Services and Finance, HR, Facilities, IT, and Executive Administration, and represents the organization in written communications with the Connecticut Department of Developmental Services and other state regulatory bodies. The single most important near-term outcome is leading the transition from a legacy paper-based transportation system to a structured digital dispatch operation.

COMPENSATION

· Base Salary: $58,000 - $68,000 annually, commensurate with experience

· Benefits: Comprehensive health and welfare benefits package including matching 401(k) and generous paid time off

WHAT YOU WILL DO

The following represents the major functional areas of this role. It is not an exhaustive list of duties. The Coordinator is expected to flex across functions as operational needs require.

Administrative and Executive Support (30%)

· Own the operational calendars for the CPO and VP Program Services, coordinating multi-site leadership meetings across Fairfield and New Haven Counties

· Produce accurate meeting minutes for Program Services leadership meetings and distribute within 24 hours of each session

· Build and maintain digital file systems, logs, and records in Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and Teams with consistent structure, naming conventions, and access standards

· Execute stakeholder and family communications through structured mail merge processes covering schedule notifications, program updates, and leadership correspondence

· Develop and maintain reports, trackers, and dashboards that give the CPO and VP Program Services real-time visibility into staffing, incidents, training compliance, and operational status

Transportation Coordination and Dispatch (30%)

· Serve as the primary transportation dispatcher for Program Services, coordinating daily routes, managing real-time cancellations, and communicating schedule changes to drivers, site staff, and families

· Maintain and distribute current transportation schedules to all Program Services sites in Fairfield and New Haven Counties, confirming accuracy before every distribution

· Enter and approve transportation attendance data into the agency electronic case record system with the timeliness required for billing and DDS compliance

· Coordinate preventive and reactive vehicle maintenance scheduling with Facilities and external vendors to minimize service disruption

· Partner with Program Services leadership to design, document, and implement the digital dispatch system that replaces the existing manual operation -- this is an active build, not a passive rollout

Compliance, Documentation, and Regulatory Affairs (20%)

· Draft, prepare, and submit communications to the Connecticut Department of Developmental Services, Medicaid waiver administrators, and state licensing bodies as directed by Program Services leadership

· Track regulatory deadlines, corrective action plan timelines, and licensing obligations, providing leadership with advance notice no later than 30 days before each due date

· Maintain organized, audit-ready records of all external regulatory correspondence and agency submissions

· Support preparation of audit materials, licensing inspections, and accreditation documentation, ensuring Program Services is operationally ready at all times

Cross-Functional Coordination (20%)

· Serve as the primary Program Services liaison to Finance, Human Resources, Facilities, IT, and Executive Administration, ensuring information flows accurately and operational needs are surfaced and resolved promptly

· Coordinate onboarding logistics for new Program Services staff in partnership with HR and IT, covering system access, equipment setup, and orientation scheduling

· Escalate facilities, technology, and operational issues to the appropriate department and track each through to confirmed resolution

· Support the Chief of Staff on cross-departmental initiatives that intersect with Program Services operations, providing coordination and follow-through as assigned

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Required

· Two or more years of administrative, operations coordination, or executive support experience in a professional environment, with demonstrated ability to manage complex, concurrent workloads and recurring deadlines across multiple stakeholders

· Advanced proficiency in Microsoft 365 including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and SharePoint; Excel proficiency includes formula construction and building functional trackers and dashboards from scratch; proficiency will be evaluated during the hiring process

· Demonstrated ability to produce professional written communications including regulatory correspondence, stakeholder notifications, leadership briefings, and mail merge documents

· Comfort building structure in environments where systems and processes are underdeveloped or absent, without waiting for direction

· Professional judgment and discretion in handling sensitive information involving individuals served, staff, and organizational operations

· High school diploma or equivalent; relevant professional experience may substitute for formal education on a year-for-year basis

Strongly Preferred

· Experience in human services, healthcare, or a similarly regulated environment

· Experience with transportation coordination, dispatch, or scheduling operations

· Familiarity with Connecticut DDS, Medicaid waiver programs, or state licensing processes

· Experience working with or supporting individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

· Bilingual in English and Spanish

WHY JOIN US

· Mission-driven work with real community impact supporting individuals with ID/DD and their families

· Collaborative team culture grounded in inclusion, purpose, and growth

· Opportunity for personal and professional growth in an organization committed to doing things right the first time

HOW TO APPLY

Submit your resume and a cover letter telling us why you want to work at The Kennedy Collective, what drives you, what you are passionate about, your personal and work experience, and your connection to our mission. Include responses to the following questions in your cover letter:

1. Describe a time when you identified a broken or absent process in your workplace and took the initiative to build or document a solution. What did you do, what tools did you use, and what was the outcome?

2. This role requires managing a high volume of concurrent deadlines across compliance documentation, transportation operations, and executive support simultaneously. Walk us through how you currently organize your work and ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

3. Describe your experience producing written communications for external audiences such as regulatory agencies, families, or partner organizations. What is your process for ensuring accuracy and professional tone before something goes out under your name or your organization's name?

4. Advanced Microsoft 365 proficiency, specifically Excel, SharePoint, and Teams, is a non-negotiable requirement of this role. Describe your practical experience with each, including specific examples of trackers, dashboards, or file systems you have built or maintained.

We review applications on a rolling basis and encourage early submissions.

About The Kennedy Collective

For 75 years, The Kennedy Collective has been creating opportunities and inclusion for people with disabilities across Connecticut. Our team embodies our values: Challenging the Status Quo, Building Community, Creating Purpose, and Ensuring Inclusion.

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, welcoming applicants of all backgrounds, abilities, and identities.