Social and Community Service Managers

Social and community service managers coordinate and supervise programs and organizations that support public well-being. They direct workers who provide these services to the public.

Duties

Social and community service managers typically do the following:

• Work with community members and other stakeholders to identify necessary programs and services
• Oversee administrative aspects of programs to meet the objectives of the stakeholders
• Analyze data to determine the effectiveness of programs
• Suggest and implement improvements to programs and services
• Plan and manage outreach activities for increased awareness of programs
• Write proposals for social services funding

Social and community service managers work for a variety of organizations. Some of these organizations focus on working with a particular demographic, such as children, people who are homeless, older adults, or veterans. Others focus on helping people with particular challenges, such as substance abuse, mental health needs, and chronic hunger.

A routine part of social and community service managers’ job is to show that their programs and services are effective. They collect statistics and other information to evaluate the impact their programs have on the community or their target audience. They are usually required to report this information to administrators or funders. They may also use evaluations to identify opportunities to improve their programs, such as providing mentorship and assessments for their staff.

Although the specific job duties of social and community service managers may vary with the size of the organization, most managers recruit, hire, and train new staff members. They also supervise staff, such as social workers, who provide services directly to clients. Additionally, they may perform some of the services of the workers they oversee.

In large agencies, social and community service managers tend to have specialized duties. They may be responsible for running only one program in an organization and reporting to the agency’s upper management. They usually do not design programs but instead supervise and implement programs set up by administrators, elected officials, or other stakeholders.

In small organizations, social and community managers often have many roles. They represent their organization through public speaking engagements or in communitywide committees; oversee programs and execute their implementations; spend time on administrative tasks, such as managing budgets; and help with raising funds and meeting with potential donors.

Social and community service managers held about 219,800 jobs in 2024. The largest employers of social and community service managers were as follows:

Social and community service managers work for nonprofit organizations, for-profit social service companies, and government agencies. They also work in a variety of settings, including offices, clinics, hospitals, and shelters.

Work Schedules

Most social and community service managers work full time. Some work more than 40 hours per week.

Social and community service managers typically need at least a bachelor’s degree and work experience.

The median annual wage for social and community service managers was $78,240 in May 2024.

Employment of social and community service managers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 18,600 openings for social and community service managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.