Head of Client Services – Lighthouse for the Blind of Forth Worth

RESPONSIBLE TO: President/CEO
SUBORDINATES: 3+
ORGANIZATION
The mission of Tarrant County Association for the Blind (TCAB), a Texas nonprofit corporation, is to provide services to assist legally and totally blind individuals to achieve their highest level of personal and economic self-sufficiency consistent with their specific skills, general abilities and interests.

TCAB provides employment opportunities for over 50 individuals who are blind and serves more than 3,000 people who are blind in Tarrant and surrounding counties annually and has a total revenue budget of more than $9 million. Please visit www.lighthousefw.org to learn more.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS
Basic Function
The Client Services position is responsible for designing, staffing, and operating a world-class rehabilitation service team committed to improving the independence of individuals who are blind to the full extent they desire in Tarrant and surrounding counties. This is provided through state reimbursable purchase orders and pro-bono requests by specially trained professionals. The position will report to and work closely with the President/CEO. In addition, they will partner with the senior leadership to develop and implement strategies across the organization. The position
will oversee all compliance and recognition for the government (federal and state) contracts and private grants related to Client Services. The individual must be able to adapt to a continually evolving environment and thrive in an autonomous and deadline-oriented workplace while managing a staff of at least three individuals.

Job Duties

• Assistive Technology Evaluation Center (ATEC)
  The ATEC should be our flagship service. This is the 4th Assistive Technology Evaluation Center (A.T.E.C.) in the state and the first in North Texas. The center is designed to specifically give Texans who are blind or visually impaired the ability to learn what types and brands of technology will best benefit and aid in helping them return to college, obtain, retain or advance their employment. It has the greatest opportunity for economic benefit given that the organization is compensated for a multitude of activities: performing the evaluation, performing each demonstration, and (if selected) providing training on the selected devices.
  
• The ATEC should have a waiting list of individuals receiving services. At a minimum, six hours should be billable to the state each day. The ATEC instructor should be evaluated based on their utilization of time (client facing hours v total hours), billable v non-billable hours, evaluation efficiency, and on-time reporting.
  
• Independent Living
  Independent Living training teaches our clients the essentials to remain self-sufficient in their homes. This training helps clients regain confidence with everyday activities and teaches them skills that allow them to remain independent. Training may include:
  o Beginners Braille classes o Cooking without Looking o Home and personal organization
• o Leisure and recreation activities
  o Communication skills
• Orientation and Mobility Training
  Provide revenue and non-revenue O&M training to individuals who are blind or going blind. Perform these services based on a curriculum that can be scheduled, tracked, graded and rewarded. At the completion of the curriculum, the client should be publicly recognized by the Lighthouse for their accomplishment and to mark the end of that curriculum. If a Phase II is needed, a second training session should be opened, scheduled and follow the same sequence. The O&M instructor will be evaluated based on their utilization of time (client facing hours v total hours), billable v non-billable hours, travel efficiency, and on-time reporting.
• The RV
  The organization is committed to ensuring that individuals who are blind in the North Texas area have access to the life-changing services we offer. Proximity to the Lighthouse should not be a barrier to receiving services. The organization’s commitment to this pledge was demonstrated through the purchase of an RV. The RV provides a mobile platform from which all our services can be delivered. It can be a home base for O&M instruction. It is outfitted with a bedroom, restroom, closet, kitchen and pantry allowing for Independent Living instruction. There are quaint discussion areas for individual and family counseling. There is a bump out
  outfitted with computer stations for technology instruction. The RV is small enough that a CDL is not required for its operation. At a minimum, there should be one remote service day in our 5-county service area per quarter. Also, maintain registration and upkeep of the RV.
• CCTV Loaner Program
  The organization provides CCTVs to the community through a loaner program. Qualifying individuals should have a financial need and not have resources to purchase these devices on their own. The organization should ensure that the devices are well maintained and fit for use. The organization should also track the usage of the devices and redistribute them based on greatest need and best use. Specific fundraising efforts should be initiated by the Development Dept to ensure ongoing funding for this program if the technology is relevant.
• Community Outreach
  Community Outreach is the outward facing part of the organization. These activities should be centered in the community, not in the office. There are many opportunities for the organization to share our mission and impact. These opportunities include church groups, community centers, corporations and small businesses, schools, elder care centers, and social groups like Delta Gamma. The individual performing these duties should be centered in the community, spending most of their time presenting and discussing the mission of the Lighthouse and the impact of our services. In conjunction with these conversations, the individual should recruit volunteers to assist individuals who are blind with day-to-day tasks.
  This individual would also be our representative to the White Cane Day planning meetings, the performer of BAT Training for external organizations, and the primary interface for our Guide Dogs for the Blind Puppy Raisers group.
• Youth Programs
  Providing early assistance to an individual who is blind provides the greatest opportunity for lasting success. The organization has two primary programs that provide unique opportunities for young people who are blind: summer camp at Camp Carter and our PreETS program. Neither of these activities require full-time oversight and management, but each is an important part of our overall offering. The summer camp should have a minimum of 12 participants with a defined curriculum delivered by our professional staff without interfering with day-to-day operations. PreETS is a defined period where the organization provides specific preparatory programs to help young people prepare for employment. These activities include not only classroom instruction and practice, but also experiential learning within the
  industrial setting. Coordination of this activity will involve both Client Services staff as well as our Industrial Operations staff.
• Support Groups (parents of newborns, adolescents, teens, caregivers, elders)
  An outcome of Community Outreach activities is the identification of individuals and groups desirous of participating in group support settings. These should be regularly scheduled and facilitated by licensed counselors. Securing the services of a licensed counselor should be the responsibility of the Community Outreach individual.
• Wayne’s Way Fund
  Wayne’s Way Fund was established after the passing of Wayne Pound. Wayne was an icon within the blindness community having served at the Lighthouse for many years and various capacities. This fund is specifically to provide white canes and assistive devices to individuals that cannot afford them. Qualification for receipt of assistance is at the request of the Client Services professional with evidence of financial need.
• Possibility of a Low Vision Store
• When the organization engages in a material remodel of the administrative offices, the additional of a Low Vision Store is likely. While the store would not be clerked 100% of the time, as a Client Services professional identifies a need for a client, access should be granted and overseen by the referring professional. The collection of any funds or processing of any credit card payments would be done by the accounting staff.
• Web Site referral information/partnerships
  The organization should have a second-to-none resource page on our website maintained by each subject matter expert on our staff. We should not rely on a client to pick up the phone and call us to ask what the best resource is to get the services they desire, that information should be readily available on our web site for their use. This information would be the primary resource for the Receptionist to answer most of the questions coming in via phone.
  
• Qualifications/Knowledge
  The position will be a seasoned and mature leader with at least 5-10 years of leading and managing a diverse team. S/he will ideally have experience managing complex services and a thorough knowledge of all disciplines related to blindness rehabilitation services.
  
  Skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to develop service programs in response to client needs
• Demonstrated leadership ability, team management, and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent analytical and abstract reasoning skills, plus excellent organization skills.
• Ability to use Microsoft Office products Experience
• At least five years’ experience leading a client-services delivery team or equivalent,
  preferably in a nonprofit organization with a budget of at least $5 million.
• Experience in a senior -management role, partnering with executive staff, resulting
  in the development and implementation of creative rehabilitation service strategies.
• Experience working with database tools to manage client data.
  
• Education/Training
• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in a related field with a master’s degree a plus
• Certified Rehabilitation Counselor from the CRCC a plus
• Director Credentials from UNT WISE program, or ability to obtain within the first
  year of employment.
  
• Physical Activities
• Climbing: Ascending or descending stairs, escalators, ramps and the like, using
  feet and legs and/or hands and arms. Body agility and balance are emphasized.
  This factor is important to maintain the safety of students, consumers and trainees.
• Balancing: Maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling when walking, standing
  or crouching on narrow, slippery or erratically moving surfaces.
• Bending: Bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine with
  full use of the lower extremities and back muscles required.
• Kneeling: Bending legs at knee to come to a rest on knee or knees.
• Reaching: Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.
• Standing for sustained periods of time up to four hours at a time.
• Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish training objectives with students,
  particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.
• Lifting: Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects
  horizontally from position-to-position. This factor requires the substantial use of the
  upper extremities and back muscles.
• Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word. Those
  activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to
  other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly to ensure the highest level of safety.
• Outdoor environmental conditions: Ability to work at extreme temperatures outside
  for sustained periods of time including cold temperatures typically below 32
  degrees for periods of more than one hour. Wind/Humidity: consideration should
  be given to the effect of other environmental conditions such as wind and humidity.
  Heat: above 100 degrees for periods of more than an hour. Rain: no effective
  protection from weather.
• Indoor atmospheric conditions: Fumes, odors, or dust.
  
• Transportation
• Reliable transportation to and from work and within required business hours
  
• Office Hours
• Office hours are Monday through Thursday, 7:00 am – 5:30 pm. Occasionally
  hours outside of normal office hours may be needed to meet company objectives.
  The above statements describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for the position. Employees holding this position will be required to perform any other job-related duties as requested by management. All requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with a disability.
  
• Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth, a non-profit organization, is an Equal Opportunity employer.

Link to apply: Job Opportunities