Adoption Program Director
Department: Adoption Services
Reports To: Senior Program Director
Position Summary
The Adoption Program Director provides strategic and operational leadership for the organization’s adoption program. This role is responsible for program quality, staff supervision, regulatory compliance, case oversight, performance outcomes, and continuous improvement across the adoption continuum, from referral and assessment through placement, post-placement supervision, and consummation.
The Director ensures services are delivered in accordance with Texas licensing standards, agency policy, contractual requirements, and best-practice child welfare standards.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Lead the day-to-day operations of the adoption program, ensuring timely, high-quality, and compliant service delivery.
- Provide direct supervision, coaching, accountability, and professional development to adoption supervisors and other assigned staff.
- Ensure program supervisors consistently establish, communicate, document, and follow up on clear performance expectations, assignments, deadlines, and accountability measures for their direct reports.
- Hold supervisors accountable for effective staff management, including regular supervision, timely performance feedback, appropriate documentation, and follow-through on identified performance concerns.
- Review and approve home studies, adoption assessments, case documentation, placement recommendations, and other required reports.
- Maintain oversight of cases from intake through finalization/consummation, ensuring appropriate permanency planning and family support.
- Ensure compliance with Texas child-placing agency requirements, licensing standards, agency policies, contractual obligations, and applicable state and federal regulations.
- Monitor caseloads, deadlines, documentation quality, productivity, and program outcomes; address barriers and corrective action needs promptly.
- Partner with leadership to establish program goals, staffing plans, workflows, performance measures, and improvement initiatives.
- Serve as a subject-matter resource for adoption policy, case consultation, licensing requirements, and complex case decisions.
- Collaborate with courts, attorneys, DFPS/CPS, community partners, referral sources, and other stakeholders to support successful placements and permanency outcomes.
- Support recruitment, interviewing, onboarding, training, development, and retention of adoption program staff.
- Prepare reports, dashboards, audits, and other documentation requested by executive leadership, funders, licensing entities, or regulatory agencies.
- Participate in quality assurance reviews, internal audits, corrective action planning, and program development efforts.
- Identify program performance or compliance concerns and develop appropriate improvement strategies in collaboration with leadership.
- Represent the organization professionally at meetings, trainings, community events, and stakeholder engagements.
- Perform other duties as assigned or needed related to the role.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Human Services, Psychology, or a closely related field required; master’s degree preferred.
- Current Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners license in good standing required; LMSW or LCSW strongly preferred.
- Minimum of five years of progressive child welfare experience, including experience in adoption services from referral through consummation/finalization.
- Minimum of three years of demonstrated supervisory, management, or program leadership experience.
- Strong knowledge of adoption practice, child welfare documentation, home studies, permanency planning, and Texas child-placing agency standards.
- Demonstrated ability to review, evaluate, and approve home studies and related adoption case documentation.
- Demonstrated ability to lead and develop supervisors and hold management staff accountable for the performance of their teams.
- Strong written communication, case analysis, organization, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, maintain confidentiality, and lead teams through operational change.
- Ability to travel throughout Texas and, when needed, outside the state; flexibility is required.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience leading or managing an adoption, foster care, or child-placing agency program.
- Experience with licensing audits, quality assurance, contracts, program budgets, or performance reporting.
- LCSW licensure and experience supervising clinical or social work staff.
- Bilingual English/Spanish skills.
Core Competencies
- Program Leadership and Accountability
- Adoption and Child Welfare Expertise
- Staff Development and Coaching
- Management Oversight and Performance Accountability
- Regulatory Compliance and Quality Assurance
- Sound Judgment and Risk Management
- Stakeholder Relationship Management
- Operational Planning and Execution
- Documentation and Performance Management
- Continuous Quality Improvement
Pay: $82,500.00 - $95,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 403(b)
- 403(b) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Education:
Language:
License/Certification:
- LMSW or LCSW license (Preferred)
Willingness to travel:
Work Location: In person
