About Knollwood

Knollwood is a nonprofit Life Plan Community in northwest Washington, DC, founded by The Army Distaff Foundation to serve retired military officers, their spouses, surviving spouses, and family members. We offer a full continuum of care — Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care, and Skilled Nursing — on a campus our residents call home.

We are Great Place to Work Certified and recognized on the Fortune Best Workplaces list. Our voluntary turnover runs well below industry average, and we invest in our team members through structured development, competitive total rewards, and a culture of respect for the people who built their lives in service to this country.

 About the Role

The Director of Life Enrichment leads resident engagement across Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care, and Skilled Nursing. This leader sets direction for the department, develops the team, owns the budget, and ensures programs are meaningful, well-executed, and aligned with the standards of a premier Life Plan Community.

This is not a calendar coordinator role. It is a visible leadership position responsible for resident experience, staff performance, cross-functional execution, and measurable outcomes. The Director reports to the Chief Operating Officer and serves as the senior resident activities leader for the campus.

 Core Accountabilities

• Strategy and standards. Build and execute a campus-wide life enrichment strategy with clear priorities and programming expectations across all levels of care.
• Leadership and staffing. Recruit, coach, schedule, and hold accountable a high-performing team of enrichment professionals and volunteers.
• Resident-centered programming. Oversee programs that reflect the interests, dignity, and life experience of a discerning resident population, including cultural, intellectual, social, physical, and spiritual offerings.
• Clinical and operational partnership. Partner with Nursing, Social Work, Dining, Sales and Marketing, Facilities, and Transportation to deliver safe, integrated resident experiences and smooth execution.
• Measurement and budget discipline. Track participation, satisfaction, program mix, transportation activity, and budget performance. Use data to improve outcomes.
• Resident and family confidence. Strengthen communication, calendar reliability, event quality, outing safety, and responsive service recovery.

 Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Recreation Therapy, Therapeutic Recreation, Gerontology, Social Work, Healthcare Administration, or a related field required. Master’s degree preferred.
• MEPAP certification, ADC, APC, CTRS, or a related senior living or therapeutic recreation credential preferred. Ability to obtain a role-relevant credential within 12 months preferred.
• Minimum seven (7) years of progressive leadership in life enrichment, resident activities, therapeutic recreation, or resident experience within senior living or healthcare. CCRC or SNF experience strongly preferred.
• Leadership track record. Minimum four (4) years of supervisory or department leadership experience with direct reports, staffing accountability, and performance management responsibility.
• Business acumen. Demonstrated success with budget ownership, strategic planning, calendar execution, vendor oversight, and program evaluation.
• Valid DC driver’s license with an acceptable driving record.

 Work Requirements

• Schedule flexibility. Ability to support evening and weekend events, campus programs, and leadership responsibilities.
• Leadership presence. Visible on-campus leadership presence and availability for resident or operational issues as needed.
• Physical requirements. Physical ability to move across a multi-building campus, board vehicles or buses when needed, and participate in resident programming.

 What Success Looks Like in Year One

• Strategic execution. Published life enrichment strategy and operating plan aligned with Knollwood’s mission and approved by the COO.
• Team performance. Fully staffed, trained, and accountable department with stronger execution rhythm and clear role ownership.
• Resident impact. Measurable improvement in resident participation, satisfaction, and program consistency across the continuum.
• Operational discipline. Department operating within budget with transparent monthly reporting and stronger cross-functional trust.

 How to Apply

Submit the following three items to

• A completed Knollwood Application for Employment
• A current resume
• A cover letter addressing your qualifications for this specific position

Send all materials to hr@knollwoodcommunity.org. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Qualified candidates will be contacted to schedule a structured interview. Reference checks and background screening are conducted for all finalists.

Questions

For application process questions, contact the Office of People Operations at hr@knollwoodcommunity.org.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Knollwood is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building a team that reflects the diversity of the community we serve and the residents we care for. Employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications, experience, and organizational fit, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under federal or District of Columbia law.

Knollwood participates in E-Verify. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of background screening, reference checks, and pre-employment health requirements appropriate to the role.