POSITION PURPOSE

The Guest Services Director provides strategic, operational, and spiritual leadership for the people, systems, and daily operations responsible for the care, safety, dignity, and experience of guests throughout Gospel Rescue Mission.

Reporting to the Senior Program Director, the Director leads through the Guest Services Manager and ensures consistent, Christ-centered, trauma-informed, and high-quality service across assigned locations, shifts, and service areas.

The Director develops strong leaders, establishes clear service standards, strengthens accountability and documentation, improves the guest experience, and ensures Guest Services operates with excellence, consistency, compassion, and appropriate boundaries.

The Guest Services Director is not expected to personally manage every frontline detail. The Guest Services Manager and team are empowered to carry out daily operations with appropriate authority and accountability. The Director ensures those leaders are equipped, aligned, accountable, and producing results.

Above all, the Director must be deeply committed to Gospel Rescue Mission's Christ-centered calling and to helping people move from homelessness to wholeness.

DIRECTOR LEADERSHIP

The Guest Services Director is responsible for the overall health, performance, and development of the Guest Services function.

•  Translate GRM's strategic and program priorities into clear Guest Services goals, initiatives, work plans, and measurable outcomes.

•  Provide the Senior Program Director with timely, accurate, and transparent information regarding Guest Services performance, challenges, risks, trends, and opportunities.

•  Establish clear expectations, authority, service standards, goals, and measurable outcomes for Guest Services.

•  Ensure departmental priorities move from discussion to execution with clear ownership, timelines, follow-through, and accountability.

•  Identify barriers to effective guest service and lead cross-functional solutions.

•  Represent Guest Services professionally with employees, guests, volunteers, partners, churches, service providers, and community stakeholders.

•  Maintain confidentiality regarding guest, employee, operational, and organizational matters.

LEAD THE LEADERS

One of the Director's most important responsibilities is developing a strong, capable Guest Services Manager and building leadership capacity throughout the department.

•  Lead, coach, mentor, pray with, encourage, challenge, and develop the Guest Services Manager.

•  Establish clear expectations and measurable goals for the Manager and hold the Manager accountable for results.

•  Give the Manager appropriate authority to lead daily operations and accomplish assigned responsibilities.

•  Practice empowerment rather than micromanagement; coach rather than routinely taking over responsibilities that belong to the Manager.

•  Address performance concerns promptly, directly, respectfully, and consistently in partnership with Human Resources and the Senior Program Director as appropriate.

•  Develop emerging leaders through delegation, feedback, mentoring, and opportunities for increased responsibility.

•  Encourage honest communication, healthy conflict, collaborative problem-solving, ownership, and initiative.

•  Require the Guest Services Manager to develop the employees and leaders beneath them.

•  Recognize excellent performance and celebrate individual and team success.

The Director's success should increasingly be visible through the strength of the Manager and team, not simply through what the Director personally accomplishes.

GUEST EXPERIENCE & SERVICE EXCELLENCE

•  Ensure every Guest Services interaction reflects love, grace, dignity, respect, hospitality, safety, accountability, and GRM's Standards of Excellence.

•  Promote Christ-centered and trauma-informed practices while maintaining healthy, appropriate boundaries.

•  Ensure consistent and effective service delivery across assigned locations, shifts, and service areas.

•  Regularly evaluate the guest experience, service-delivery effectiveness, trends, and recurring barriers; identify gaps and lead approved improvements.

•  Coach leadership in guest accountability, conflict resolution, grievance, and service-recovery processes with fairness, consistency, and appropriate documentation.

•  Provide Director-level leadership in complex guest situations, escalated complaints, unusual needs, high-risk circumstances, or significant operational concerns.

•  Ensure Guest Services supports an integrated guest journey and works collaboratively with other GRM programs and departments.

OPERATIONS, SAFETY & QUALITY ASSURANCE

•  In collaboration with the Senior Program Director, evaluate, maintain, and implement Guest Services procedures, program manuals, service standards, workflows, and quality-assurance practices.

•  Ensure thorough, accurate, timely, objective, and confidential guest records are maintained in approved systems in accordance with GRM requirements.

•  Monitor compliance with GRM policies, applicable requirements, confidentiality standards, mandated-reporting duties, guest-advocacy practices, safety procedures, and documentation expectations.

•  Ensure suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, threats, safety concerns, and other reportable incidents are documented and elevated promptly to designated leaders and authorities.

•  Partner with Safety and Security regarding guest safety, facility concerns, crisis response, incident management, and risk mitigation.

•  Use incident trends, operational data, guest feedback, employee input, and service outcomes to strengthen systems and prevent recurring problems.

•  Promote continuous improvement, quality assurance, hospitality, and consistent application of GRM's Standards of Excellence.

PROGRAM & DEPARTMENT INTEGRATION

Guest Services is a central point of connection for the people GRM serves. The Director is responsible for ensuring Guest Services operates as part of one integrated Mission rather than as an isolated department.

•  Collaborate with Program leadership and other departments to create consistent handoffs, communication, and continuity of care throughout the guest experience.

•  Strengthen communication between Guest Services and Intake, Recovery, Shelter, Workforce Development, Pastoral Care, Safety and Security, Operations, Volunteer Services, and other appropriate functions.

•  Develop and maintain positive relationships with outside agencies, referral sources, churches, service providers, and community partners that strengthen services available to guests.

•  Partner with the Volunteer Team and Guest Services Manager to ensure volunteers serving within Guest Services are appropriately supported, trained, and aligned with departmental expectations.

•  Assist the Senior Program Director and Executive Team in resolving significant complaints or concerns involving guests, employees, volunteers, partners, or outside agencies when appropriate.

EXECUTION & ACCOUNTABILITY

The Director is responsible for creating a departmental rhythm where priorities are clear, commitments are followed through, and leaders are accountable for results.

•  Conduct regular leadership meetings with the Guest Services Manager to review guest needs, operational concerns, staffing priorities, performance, risks, and departmental goals.

•  Hold the Guest Services Manager accountable for establishing and accomplishing goals and objectives for each Guest Services function.

•  Monitor progress toward weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual goals in accordance with approved GRM benchmarks and the strategic plan.

•  Prepare accurate weekly and periodic reports regarding departmental activity, outcomes, staffing, incidents, priorities, and performance, as directed.

•  Use meaningful data and outcomes to evaluate performance, identify service gaps, guide decisions, and improve effectiveness.

•  Ensure decisions result in action, ownership, follow-through, and measurable results.

•  Continually evaluate staffing structures, workflows, systems, and processes for effectiveness and scalability.

FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP

In partnership with the Senior Program Director and Finance leadership, the Guest Services Director will:

•  Develop, monitor, and responsibly manage the Guest Services budget and departmental resources.

•  Review and approve department expenditures within delegated authority.

•  Ensure responsible stewardship of GRM funds, supplies, equipment, facilities, time, and other resources.

•  Monitor significant budget variances and communicate concerns early.

•  Identify opportunities to improve efficiency while protecting excellence, safety, and guest care.

•  Ensure the Guest Services Manager understands responsibility for stewardship and operates within approved budgets and purchasing practices.

Finance retains responsibility for financial controls, accounting, reporting, compliance, and financial accuracy.

PARTNERSHIP WITH HUMAN RESOURCES

Human Resources retains responsibility and authority for HR policy, employment practices, compliance, personnel administration, and HR systems.

The Guest Services Director is responsible for effectively leading and developing the people within Guest Services while partnering with Human Resources regarding recruitment, staffing, performance management, corrective action, employee relations, leadership development, and other personnel matters.

The Director will address leadership and performance concerns directly while ensuring employment actions and personnel processes follow GRM's established HR policies and practices.

THE GRM WAY - CULTURE & LEADERSHIP

The Guest Services Director is expected to model, protect, and reinforce the culture and leadership standards established in the GRM Culture & Leadership Guide.

The Director will lead with Christ-centered servant leadership, integrity, accountability, excellence, collaboration, courage, clarity, stewardship, and empowerment. This leader is expected to develop others, address issues directly, speak truth with grace, encourage ownership and healthy communication, lead across departments rather than in silos, and ensure Guest Services consistently reflects GRM's Mission, Vision, Values, and leadership expectations.

The Director is expected to give people clarity and room to lead rather than create dependence through micromanagement; to focus on results that matter rather than activity alone; to work smarter, not simply harder; to remain teachable and accountable; and to model healthy, sustainable leadership, recognizing self-care as stewardship.

As a condition of leadership at Gospel Rescue Mission, the Director will be required to read, agree to, sign, and lead in accordance with the GRM Culture & Leadership Guide - living it, leading it, protecting it, and passing it on.

CHRIST-CENTERED LEADERSHIP

The Guest Services Director must be a Christian living a life dedicated to Jesus Christ and committed to being an instrument of God's love, grace, hope, and forgiveness to others.

•  Have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

•  Agree in principle and practice with GRM's Statement of Faith.

•  Uphold GRM's Mission, Core Values, and Christian Code of Conduct, maintaining a lifestyle of integrity, honesty, and responsibility.

•  Model Christ-like character through personal actions, words, relationships, decisions, and attitudes.

•  Lead with grace and truth, humility, courage, wisdom, love, and appropriate accountability.

•  Pray with and for employees, leaders, guests, and the Mission as appropriate.

•  Participate in staff devotions, prayer gatherings, and other spiritual activities.

QUALIFICATIONS

•  Bachelor's degree in business administration, human services, social services, pastoral leadership, ministry, or a related field, supplemented by advanced specialized certification or relevant professional training. Five or more years of directly related, progressively responsible experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.

•  At least five years of progressively responsible operational experience in homeless services, human services, pastoral leadership, adult vocational services, behavioral health, addiction recovery, counseling, coaching, crisis services, or comparable direct-service programs.

•  Demonstrated experience serving people experiencing homelessness and/or individuals affected by substance use disorders, trauma, depression, mental-health concerns, eating disorders, or other significant barriers to stability.

•  At least seven years of experience leading, supervising, developing, and supporting employees and managers, including responsibility for performance management and operational outcomes.

•  Experience developing and executing department initiatives independently and collaboratively, with a record of measurable improvement in service quality or operations.

•  Strong leadership and team-development skills, including the ability to establish expectations, delegate authority, coach managers, address performance concerns, and promote ownership and accountability.

•  Excellent written and verbal communication skills, active listening, conflict resolution, sound judgment, and professional presentation.

•  Ability to manage multiple priorities, make sound decisions in crisis situations, and maintain composure in a demanding service environment.

•  Proficiency with Microsoft Office and web-based management or data systems.

•  Valid Arizona Driver License and an acceptable driving record that meets GRM's insurance and driving requirements.

•  Bilingual English/Spanish proficiency preferred.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL DEMANDS

•  The population GRM serves is frequently in crisis. This work may involve exposure to trauma, conflict, illness, behavioral-health concerns, and emotionally difficult situations.

•  The Director must maintain appropriate professional boundaries, sound judgment, and a calm, compassionate leadership presence.

•  GRM recognizes that compassion fatigue is real and strongly promotes employee self-care and sustainable leadership.

•  Some local travel to other locations for meetings or other business-related needs is required.

•  Requires frequent sitting, standing, and walking and may require lifting, carrying, pushing, or pulling objects weighing up to 50 pounds.

•  A flexible schedule may occasionally be required to support operations, including evenings, weekends, or urgent situations.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

•  Complete onboarding, OPPD, required leadership training, and other professional-development requirements assigned by the Senior Program Director or GRM.

•  Attend staff, leadership, departmental, and other meetings as directed.

•  Remain current on relevant practices in homeless services, guest care, trauma-informed service, crisis response, leadership, and nonprofit operations.

•  Perform other duties as assigned.

EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

Consistent with our formation and purpose, all employees of Gospel Rescue Mission, upon hire and continuously while employed, must meet GRM's faith-aligned employment requirements. This position is designated BFOQ (Bona Fide Occupational Qualification) faith aligned.

SUCCESS IN THIS ROLE

Success is demonstrated when Guest Services consistently reflects GRM's Christ-centered culture and Standards of Excellence; guests experience dignity, safety, compassion, clarity, and appropriate accountability; the Guest Services Manager leads daily operations with confidence and ownership; employees are developed and held accountable; documentation and safety practices are reliable; departmental goals and budgets are managed responsibly; cross-department communication is strong; and the Director is building a department that can lead effectively without unnecessary Director intervention. Delivering the highest level of hospitality to our guests.

GRACE-BASED ENVIRONMENT

Gospel Rescue Mission is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit religious organization providing social service programs to individuals experiencing homelessness and those in need. Everything we do in this ministry should be centered on God's will and honor the name of Jesus Christ.

Employees are expected to model Christ-like attributes and values; maintain an environment of grace, truth, love, transparency, and accountability; build healthy and compassionate relationships while maintaining appropriate boundaries; demonstrate integrity and responsibility; pray with guests and employees; and support the Vision, Mission, and Values of Gospel Rescue Mission.

Gospel Rescue Mission completes applicable background checks, drug testing, and motor vehicle authorization during the conditional offer stage.