Program Supervisor; Red Deer In-Ratio

Position: Program Supervisor (Red Deer In-Ratio)
Location: Central Foothills (Sundre)

Program Supervisor – Red Deer, AB
This is not a daycare, day home, or early childhood education environment.

This role supports youth with complex behavioural needs, significant trauma histories, emotional dysregulation, and high-acuity support requirements. Many of the youth in our care require therapeutic crisis intervention, medication administration, behavioural support planning, and consistent trauma-informed responses during escalated situations.

If your experience has primarily been in daycare, preschool, or traditional childcare settings, this role will be very different from what you may be used to.

This is not a sit‑back-and-manage role. This is for someone who leads from the floor, not the sidelines.

You will work directly “in‑ratio” alongside frontline Child and Youth Care Workers while also overseeing the day‑to‑day operation of the program. That means actively supporting youth during difficult moments, coaching staff in real time, responding to critical incidents, ensuring documentation and reporting standards are met, and helping create stability in a high‑needs environment.

This Role Requires

Confidence and experience working with high intensity specialized programming, complex behaviours, and trauma

Experience supporting escalated youth safely and therapeutically

Medication management experience

Critical Incident Reporting knowledge

Strong leadership under pressure

The ability to stay calm, regulated, and professional in unpredictable situations

A hands‑on leadership style

If you are the kind of leader who builds trust through presence, earns respect through action, and isn’t afraid to step into hard moments with youth who need consistency the most… keep reading.

If you are looking for something predictable, low‑demand, hands‑off, or primarily administrative, this will not be the right fit.

Schedule

Full‑time, permanent

Days: 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM

In Ratio Rotation: 6 days on, 3 days off

On‑call rotation required

Why This Role Matters
You’ll know you’re doing this right when:

A youth who struggles to trust adults starts opening up to you

A difficult moment de‑escalates because of your presence

Your team begins to mirror your approach, your calm, and your standards

This work is demanding. It will stretch your patience, your creativity, and your leadership. But it will also give you the chance to make a lasting impact in a child’s life, and to lead a team doing the same.

What You’ll Do
On the Floor

Provide direct, trauma‑informed care to children and youth

Build trust through consistency, engagement, and genuine connection

Support youth through crisis using de‑escalation and intervention strategies

Create meaningful moments, play, teach, guide, and support daily routines

Document observations and progress with accuracy and care

Leadership & Operations

Lead, coach, and mentor a team of CYCWs

Set and maintain high standards of care through role modeling

Support scheduling, staffing, and day‑to‑day program operations

Collaborate with internal teams (People & Culture, Finance, Communications)

Partner with families, caregivers, and external stakeholders

Ensure safety, compliance, and program consistency

Participate in on‑call support rotation

What You Bring
Core Requirements

3+ years of direct care experience with children and youth (developmental disabilities and/or mental health needs)

2+ years of leadership or supervisory experience in front‑line care

Post‑secondary education in Child and Youth Care, Social Work, or related field

Experience working with Children and Family Services, FSCD, or PDD

What Sets You Apart

You lead by example, not just direction

You stay calm, grounded, and decisive in high‑stress situations

You balance structure with empathy, firm, but fair

You genuinely enjoy engaging with youth (sports, games, life skills, connection)

You are solution‑focused and growth‑oriented

You understand (or are committed to learning) trauma‑informed care and child development

Assets (Nice to Have)

Trauma‑Informed Care training

Suicide Prevention training

Mental Health First Aid

Brain Story Certification

Requirements (Must have)

Valid Alberta Class 5 Driver’s License

3‑year Alberta Driver’s Abstract

Reliable 4‑door vehicle

Alberta Vehicle…